In association with John Newton Education and Oakmeadow C of E Primary School, SOuL presents:

Curriculum Linked Learning Outside

the Classroom Live

  22 May - Shropshire

Learning in  the natural environment innovates and enriches our pedagogy whilst helping us to connect more deeply with children. 

In the past decade, five significant, independent reviews have been conducted both nationally and internationally which focus on the impact of children learning in the natural environment. Each of them provide compelling evidence that outdoor learning can – and does – make a significant, positive impact on children’s mental health, physical health, concentration levels, enjoyment of learning, engagement and social and academic progress. 

This course will help you develop the confidence and skills so you can routinely harness the opportunities that teaching beyond the classroom provides for enriching the curriculum. What's different about this event however is you will be working alongside pupils and staff during a regular school day to witness best practice in action.

Featuring workshops from Oakmeadow, John Newton and Soul this day will help you develop a broad, balanced curriculum and maximise the impact of outdoor learning at your school. Whether you are right at the beginning, or are well seasoned implementing LOC in your school, this day contains a mixture of introductory and advanced content.

Expect this event to be fully participative, experiential and mostly outdoors. There will be numerous opportunities to share best practice with other passionate colleagues from state and independent settings in your region.

You will come away with pragmatic tips, tools and ideas so you can feel confident to take more of your teaching outside immediately, be it for curriculum or character based learning. You will:

• Develop a definition of ‘Outdoor Learning’ and what it looks like in practice.
• Develop an understanding of the potential impact of frequent, contextualised outdoor learning on physical and mental health and wellbeing, as well as on academic, social and emotional development.
• Learn from existing best practice.
• Encounter real pupils in a typical school setting and observe outdoor learning in action.
• Participate in hands-on activities, which will offer examples and resources to utilise in your own settings.
• Understand how to lead the development of outdoor learning back in your school.
• Access a range of valuable, free resources and support including activity ideas, lesson plans and a unique, outdoor learning skills progression document.
• Network, communicate, get inspired, enjoy a complementary lunch and refreshments and have fun! 

In addition you will receive the following free resources worth over £100:

• 'Outdoor Learning Skills Progression' blueprint written by John Newton to support school leaders and teachers to get the greatest impact from outdoor learning
• A pack of tried and tested curriculum linked lesson plans
• Our 'Tips and Tools Handbook' for exceptional outdoor learning
• A checklist of essential low-cost/no-cost OL resources to get you started
• A series of activities designed to 'awaken enthusiasm' in learners with curriculum links
• Plus many more resources, lesson plans and ideas

This event is for Heads, Deputies, HoDs, Teachers EYFS/KS1/2 or 3 and other education practitioners in both independent and state sectors.

£189 +VAT

22nd May - Oakmeadow Primary School, Shropshire, SY3 0NU

9:30 - 16:00

Contributors:

John Newton - Former Headteacher

John has been a teacher for fourteen years, the last five of which spent as Head Teacher of Barrow 1618 CofE Primary Free School, in Shropshire. 

Joining the school in September 2013, results were low (in the bottom 20% of schools nationally), morale was on the decline and pupil and parent satisfaction was waning. An OFSTED inspection in early 2014 resulted in an outcome of ‘Requires Improvement’.

Committed to the vision of developing a unique curriculum, centring on experiential and inspirational learning opportunities posed by the outdoor environment and local community, the school’s journey of improvement was rapid and sustained.

When OFSTED revisited in June 2016, the school was awarded ‘Outstanding’ in all areas. More importantly, the school community was invigorated, engaged, happy and achieving highly – with academic results consistently above local and national averages at all key stages.

John is a passionate advocate of Outdoor Learning and has a keen interest in the impact of curriculum design on pupils’ academic and non-academic development. During his keynote, John will share his insights and advice from his initially sceptical view of outdoor learning to becoming a successful practitioner, and inspirational leader with a vibrant and healthy school culture.