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Sandroyd Headmaster Alastair Speers says schools should be bold and tap into the huge benefits of learning outside the formal classroom
The most valuable learning experiences in schools take place outside the classroom. Yet, far too often, children spend the majority of their day in a confined and controlled environment studying the academic curriculum. Now, more than ever, schools need to be bold in reducing time spent studying traditional curriculum subjects in the classroom.
Learning outside has always been the best environment to develop a child’s character, be it communication skills on the sports pitches, teamwork as part of an orchestra or the value of pushing beyond their comfort zone on the stage. Introducing nature to learning creates unpredictable circumstances that allow our children to become flexible, adaptable and reflective learners. These are all essential skills that pupils need as they head on to their senior schools and for life beyond education.
Two main factors can constrain time spent learning outside the classroom, the fear of not covering the academic curriculum being the primary one. Like everything in education, it is not how much time you dedicate to something that is relevant; it is the measured progress made and how much learning is taking place. At Sandroyd, we continually assess the children’s learning and find that our academic outcomes are improved by spending less time in the classroom. Tracking and measuring academic results to ensure they are constantly outstanding, allows schools to be bold in spending more time learning outside.
“Introducing nature to learning creates unpredictable circumstances that allow our children to become flexible, adaptable and reflective learners”
A further constraint on schools is the concern teachers can have in delivering lessons in an unpredictable environment. Too often, subjects that are better taught in a more formal classroom environment are moved into the woods, or similar, with a negative effect. This exacerbates the nervousness of teachers to use the outdoors in future learning, so they need to be supported in understanding that they are developing a completely different set of skills in outdoor classrooms. It is not simply a case of adapting traditional lessons to be taught outside. Teaching outdoors means that both resources and behaviour are more challenging to manage, yet it is the unpredictable nature of learning outside the classroom that provides so much value.
At Sandroyd, every day of the week, we aim for children to spend as much time learning outside the classroom as in academic lessons. For example, our daily Strive programme sees children going on nature walks, building structures in the woods, and completing leadership command tasks. Recently, we have introduced a whole week in the summer term where all children are taken off timetable, many staying off-site throughout the south of England or learning outside the classroom. This week-long programme allows the children to participate in a wide range of experiences and activities that aim to place them out of their comfort zone and challenge them. Above all, the week is designed to be great fun.
Teambuilding, communication and resilience are all vital skills, and none of these are easily measured and examined; neither are they part of the national curriculum. It takes bold leadership and a culture in the school to prioritise time away from traditional academic lessons, enabling these vital life and character skills to be nurtured in our children.
