Leadership

Laying foundations for outdoor learning

School grounds can be an amazing untapped learning resource. SLT visited one school in north-west England to find out how its great outdoors has transformed the whole setting.

School grounds can be an amazing untapped learning resource. SLT visited one school in north-west England to find out how its great outdoors has transformed the whole setting.

Broken, black expanses of tarmac, puddles and dark, depressing spaces. This is the sad truth behind many outdoor areas surrounding schools today. So how can you make your outdoor learning areas a place where young people can learn and play in an inspiring and stimulating environment? This was the challenge facing one school in Lytham St Annes, just down the coast from the bright lights of Blackpool.

St Bedes Catholic High School took on an ambitious plan to become a flagship and case study for best practice in creating a sustainable school environment. This would include the redevelopment of the outside areas of school where pupils would be encouraged to socialise and where creative learning could take place in a safe and clean environment.    

The idea to implement a strategy to transform the outdoor areas around the school – led by an inspirational headteacher in Phil Grice – took shape through a number of initiatives. A fundamental principle was to engage with everyone concerned, including parents, teachers, supporters, local community, businesses and, more importantly, pupils.

The aim was to create a groundswell of enthusiasm among pupils, encouraging them to get involved in changing the areas where they spend a great deal of their school lives.

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