Outdoor learning that involves the pupils in enriching activities through ‘outdoor play [learning through play], use of the school grounds, projects, environmental education, recreational and adventure activities, personal and social development and more,
Delamere draft outdoor learning policy .
Our aims:
Our challenge continues to be to meet the varied learning needs and challenges that our brilliant pupils experience and deliver fun and meaningful outdoor learning experiences to maximise their potential.
We will do this by
The pupils in KS1 enjoyed an exciting Outdoor Learning session recently. In the topic 'light and sound' we decided to explore darkened areas around the school Outdoor Learning field. In the cabin two very creative boys made undersea habitats and explored them with torches! Pupils also used torches to create shadows, find hidden items and make a range of reflections.
The pupils and staff enjoyed a tremendous day celebrating National Outdoor Learning day. Throughout school different areas were the scene of fun and learning with no roof over our heads! Teachers planned sessions that linked to the current curriculum focus while utilising the outdoor areas around school. The day was a huge success as the pictures show. With the ability to link so many areas of the curriculum when using outdoor areas and natural resources we were reminded of the value and fun when we take our learning outside. With the KS2 focus on light and sound in outdoor learning it was great to see so many examples of children experimenting with light in the form of torches to make shadows and reflections.
We also prepared the gardening area for the winter growing season and the polytunnel we now have on the field will help us to learn about the growing process throughout the full year.
The staff at Delamere had an outdoor learning training day led by learning through landscapes. Outdoor learning offers numerous benefits that enhance both professional development and pupil outcomes. By stepping outside the traditional classroom environment, staff were able to explore creative, hands-on approaches to teaching that are particularly effective for the children at Delamere. Outdoor settings naturally encourage sensory engagement, physical activity, and social interaction—key areas of development for many of our pupils. The training also promoted team building among staff, fostering collaboration and shared problem-solving in our inspiring outdoor environment. Ultimately, the training equipped our staff with practical strategies to use nature as a powerful, inclusive teaching tool that supports emotional well-being and holistic learning.
The pupils in Hedgehog Class have been busy bringing creativity to the Outdoor Learning field! They’ve started decorating the fences and creating tree-shaped structures and other resources during their outdoor sessions. These will be painted and decorated to reflect the changing seasons throughout the year. When winter arrives, the trees will even get a festive makeover!
Our recent Outdoor Learning day was a wonderful success, filled with fun and creativity for all! We were thrilled to welcome the talented willow artist Cherry Chung, who guided our pupils in crafting beautiful butterfly sculptures and a stunning flower from willow.
It was inspiring to watch the children develop new skills and express their creativity in the fresh air. As we continue to enhance our Outdoor Learning field, we are excited to showcase more art installations outdoors. The impressive willow creations are beautifully complemented by our new ‘bamboo colour lenses,’ linked to our current topic of Light and Dark, now displayed on the fence near the art area.
With activities including gardening, painting, and outdoor music, the day was buzzing with energy and learning. Our pupils truly excelled and made the most of every experience!
The pupils celebrated an early harvest with some fantastic vegetables . The results of the hard work tending the crops were visible for all to see. Pupils throughout school participated in this years growing cycle with the culmination being the veggie sale in the Early Years outdoor area after school. We will also be providing vegetables for school dinners and donating potatoes to our friends at DeBrook lodge. The support of parents, families and carers in the form of donations for any produce they chose to buy has added a really valuable component to the program. The pupils can choose to buy the seeds we need next year from the proceeds of the sale and decide on the future crops they will grow .We are immensely proud of our pupils and we thank them for their hard work!
During an outdoor learning session, we looked at different ways to help the wildlife in our field. We made some bird feeders and hung them on the tress. We enjoyed watching all the different birds flying around.
The gardening club put in a great deal of effort to harvest the first batch of vegetables this year. We have successfully cultivated an abundant yield of potatoes, garlic, courgettes, and spring onions.
The next day, we organized a celebratory event where we cooked and enjoyed these vegetables as a way to acknowledge the hard work of the students. Our gardening area not only provides an excellent opportunity to learn about the process of growing and cooking nutritious food, but also serves as a platform for collaborative problem-solving and shared tasks.
Looking ahead, both the Science and Outdoor Learning departments are committed to maintaining our year-round growing program. Furthermore, we were fortunate enough to have an excess of potatoes which we happily provided to our talented school cook, Nichola, to enhance our delicious school meals.
We extend our utmost pride and admiration to the students for their dedication and achievements.
The pupils in Badger class found time to drop off some huge vegetables at DeBrook lodge residential home. The cook and manager were really grateful and told us they would be used in the next hearty meal.
It has been a really good harvest so far and we will keep you posted on the latest gardening news!
The pupils in the EYFS department had a bus morning carrying out a range of tasks. We planted our sprouts, practiced our percussion skills and mastered some maths stacking activities.As ever the achievements of the pupils made us so proud.
The current topic of Forest Art provide lots of opportunities to be creative using natural resources in a fun environment. The pupils in Fox class excelled in the outdoor classroom. Despite the wintery weather they created fantastic art projects with smiles on their faces!
The pupils in every class had the opportunity to meet some very exciting (and scary!) visitors. 'Tracey the Bug Lady' brought all sorts of exotic animals to school, and we loved it!
The pupils showed interest and some bravery as they got up close and personal with some amazing creatures.
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