Outdoor ClassroomBarrow Hills was one of the earliest schools to establish an Outdoor Classroom. We recognised the benefits that can flow from taking children out of the traditional classroom environment, and the opportunities provided by our 33 acres of grounds and its range of habitats. The Outdoor Classroom engages all types of learners and develops skills that might not be obvious in the formal curriculum. It involves a significant measure of team work in which children have the opportunity to be leaders and supporters on different occasions. It provokes discussion and negotiation but also fosters independence and develops confidence and self-esteem. The Outdoor Classroom crosses subject boundaries and nurtures problem-solving and organisational skills as well as providing an opportunity to learn from mistakes. Pre Prep children spend one afternoon a week in the Outdoor Classroom. When they reach Junior Prep, this is continued as part of the Forest School initiative, which was introduced in January 2010. Our Forest School programme takes the next step in outdoor education. Children visit a woodland setting in our grounds where they learn personal, social and technical skills as well as more about the fauna and flora in the English countryside. Currently, children in Years 3 to 5 visit the Forest School setting on a regular basis. The aim is to extend this intiative through to Year 8 so that it will be a whole-school activity. Emma Smyth Head of Outdoor Classroom |
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