Best Practice

Outdoor learning on a shoestring

Outdoor learning is recognised as a vital part of primary school life for pupils, but how can schools deliver these experiences while also keeping the costs down? Fiona Aubrey-Smith hears from two schools.

An analysis of the last thousand primary schools to have been inspected by Ofsted shows two very important trends. First that the area most commonly identified for improvement (in over half of all schools inspected) is teaching. Second, that the most common reason that a school is not yet good or outstanding centres upon children’s engagement levels.  

Developing strategies for improving teaching and learning and increasing children’s engagement is not easy and many schools have been seeking inspiration for new ideas and fresh approaches. 

One of the common themes across the country at the moment is about developing outdoor learning – ranging from forest schools to farms, and from sensory to sandpit. Here, two members of SSAT’s Primary Network share some practical ideas for developing outdoor learning on a budget. 

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