Professional Documents
Culture Documents
www.educationscotland.gov.uk
Introduction Values
Our school is a place where children have
Totality of the Curriculum
Outdoor learning takes places as part
Learning and Teaching
Learning and teaching outdoors actively
a right to work and play where it most of discrete subject development and involves and engages children. It is a
Outdoor learning is an integral part of good practice suits their learning needs. All children are interdisciplinary learning. Outdoors and collaborative process. Standards and
within learning and teaching. Schools need to take a able to experience and enjoy the essential the wider community provide rich learning expectations of learning outdoors are
strategic approach to developing outdoor learning. Building and special nature of being outdoors. We environments. Children learn and play in as high as indoors and are put together
value the contribution of all staff to ensure real settings and apply skills and make through discussion and agreement with
your Curriculum is a collaborative and participative process children maximise the potential of the connections across subject areas in relevant children. The activities are reviewed to find
which can be used to involve and engage pupils, parents and outdoors. contexts. Sustainable development, out what worked well and what will be
other partners in the school community when reviewing and international education, enterprise and improved upon next time.
redesigning a school or centre curriculum. The Learning and creativity are prominent themes outdoors
and indoors.
Teaching Scotland (LTS) website has a specific section that
outlines different ways of doing this.
www.LTScotland.org.uk/buildingyourcurriculum/index.asp
Responsible Citizen Confident Individual
There are at least two ways of considering Experiences and Outcomes Children care for their Children gain Entitlements
Experiences and outcomes ideally suited environment and independence and All children and young people have access
outdoor learning within the context of to being taught outdoors have been belong to their local confidence through to a broad range of outdoor experiences
community. their outdoor
strategic planning: identified. They are integrated into a wide
experiences.
that include at least one carefully
range of quality learning experiences across integrated residential programme and
First, schools and centres may look at the role of outdoor the curriculum. This ensures that every plenty of opportunities to explore the
learning across the different components of Curriculum child has frequent regular opportunities Learner diversity of habitats in Scotland during
for Excellence as outlined in the diagram on page 13 for learning outdoors all year round at
Effective
their time in school. We use partner
of Building the Curriculum 3 and use this to construct a all levels, with progression through the
Successful Contributor
organisations to assist, advise and help us
school. In pre-school centres, outdoor play develop quality programmes of learning,
strategic curriculum plan. The advantage of this approach Learner Children are able to
experiences are offered on an equal basis including work experiences and skills for
is that outdoor learning can be comprehensively embedded to indoor play simultaneously. Children are motivated apply critical thinking learning, life and work.
into the school’s vision for the future. Figure 1 demonstrates and enthusiastic, and and transfer skills
learn to the best of across learning in all
a vision statement for outdoor learning within this
their ability outdoors. spaces and places.
framework. The aim of this vision statement is to allow
practitioners and professionals from partner organisations
to see potential for outdoor learning as a natural part of Personal Support Principles Assessment
a school’s ethos and approach to learning and teaching. The benefits of spending time outdoors are The curriculum design principles underpin Children and staff have opportunities
recognised and used to provide targeted our approach to learning outdoors. to gain recognised awards and formal
Schools and centres may wish to use some or all of the
support where needed for individual The use of outdoor contexts and qualifications that involve being outdoors
elements illustrated. children. This includes carefully planned settings provides holistic and real-world as a core part of the process. Staff self-
transition activities. The school grounds opportunities that cannot be replicated evaluate the impact of taking learning
are in a process of continual improvement indoors. The outdoor experiences allow outdoors to inform next steps in learning
Figure 1: Outdoor learning – Where do we want to get to? which helps support learning and teaching. children to experience choice, autonomy, and school improvement. Stakeholders
Outdoor breaks and lunchtimes take place risk and challenge safely. are consulted through participative and
in all weathers, all year round, where inclusive approaches to outdoor learning
children access open-ended materials, and play developments.
structures and natural resources which
encourage free play.
Learning outdoors is not an end in itself. It is a means to
enable learning and deliver outcomes across the whole of Values Totality of the Curriculum Learning and Teaching
the curriculum through developing the values, purposes and Staff, children, parents, partner A blend of discrete subject Staff and learners have a shared
principles of Curriculum for Excellence. Outdoor experiences organisations and the wider school development and interdisciplinary understanding of active learning,
community work together to provide learning (IDL) provides rich learning which is embedded in practice at all
provide a rich learning context that enhances other ongoing an enriched and highly motivating opportunities and highly motivating stages and across all curriculum areas.
improvement work. Schools and centres can look at the learning environment. contexts for children. • staff review and agree shared
components of Curriculum for Excellence and identify • staff, pupils and parents contribute to the • establish shared understanding of IDL understanding of what active learning
the opportunities that exist where taking learning outside school’s strategic curriculum plan. and consider the balance of time spent means across the school, using early years
benefits the learners and contributes to the vision for that • master classes using staff and local on IDL and discrete subject learning. work as starting point.
aspect of school life. expertise will be available once per week • shorten planning cycle and focus on • use learning and teaching meetings,
in terms 2 and 4 for all pupils and include involving learners in a meaningful way sharing practice sessions, Critical Skills
outdoor options. that includes real-world learning. twilights and parent sessions to discuss
For example, a school that is developing the responsibilities • review social studies topics in light active learning strategies. Try in class
of all in terms of literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing of above. and other learning contexts and review,
including learners in this process.
across learning should consider the opportunities presented
to achieve its vision for this, through taking learning
outdoors. Figure 2 illustrates this process, where outdoor
learning is part of the steps outlined in black text in Experience and Outcomes Entitlements
Experiences and outcomes are All children and young people have
each component.
developed through the four contexts an appropriate understanding of their
for learning, providing a varied and Responsible Confident environment and of Scotland’s place in
Figure 2: Outdoor learning as part of the practical steps rich learning environment. Citizen Individual the world today.
taken towards the vision for literacy, numeracy and health • continue familiarisation with experiences • develop a coherent whole-school
and outcomes and how they link to current approach to developing learners’
and wellbeing in a school. Learner
practice and resources. understanding of Scotland and its
• begin to break down experiences place in the world.
and outcomes into the knowledge, • consider opportunities offered by IDL
understanding and skills which they Successful Effective experiences and use of the outdoors as a
contain. Work with cluster schools. Learner Contributor context for learning.
• identify which experiences and outcomes
need an outdoor experience.