Outdoor Learning
Outdoor Learning is almost invariably physical. It is important for ‘screenagers’, especially the generation that spent such extended periods of time ‘locked down’ to engage in positive physical activity, to sweat, ache, get tired…. and to succeed.
‘Cumbria and the Lake District are England’s adventure playgrounds, with an almost inexhaustible list of activities to test your mind and muscle. From walking to abseiling, zorbing to kayaking, this is the place to be for an action-packed adventure holiday. We’ll cater not just to the adventure activities you want to do, but we can also show you a bunch of others that you didn’t realise you wanted to try!
Home to England’s highest mountain and its largest and deepest lakes, the Lake District’s unique landscape is the best natural outdoor terrain for all kinds of adventure activities of both the dry and wet kind. One moment you could be flying through the trees on a zipwire in Whinlatter Forest, the next you’re trying to stay dry on a paddleboard on Derwent Water. It’s just as easy to play a round of golf with a dramatic mountain backdrop as it is to wade into a fast-flowing stream for a spot of wild water fishing. And how about scaling some rocks…did you know that the Lake District, Cumbria was the birthplace of modern rock climbing?’
The English Outdoor Council notes that, ‘To maximise the positive impact that outdoor experiences have upon children and young people, they should have access to frequent, continual and progressive experience of outdoor learning. Over the last few years, there has been a growing body of evidence that supports the value of the ‘outdoors’ in terms of a young person’s development.’
In addition, ‘there is a wealth of evidence to support the positive effect that spending time in the natural environment has on the health and emotional wellbeing of children’. We know that ‘active children perform better in school and in later life. Fundamental physical literacy must be developed from a young age and consolidated through positive experiences in childhood. We know that children who enjoy physical activity and develop those basic skills early in life are more likely to be active in later life’. Engaging in the wide spectrum of experiences available through Outdoor Learning provides opportunities for young people to participate in new and exciting activities and to develop skills into adulthood.
The experiences and activities covered in Outdoor Learning are not just fun and engaging, but often deliberately challenging. They give students the chance to be scared, experience difficulty, and to struggle. It is in overcoming these challenges and being successful that we use Outdoor Learning to develop the resilience and self-confidence of students. Once they have successfully climbed that mountain that they had thought ‘impossible’, that success and achievement is ‘in the bank’ for them. It can never be taken away. Having overcome ‘the impossible’ and regular experiences of success feed the confidence and resilience of our students. Importantly, it is quite often the students who struggle most in a classroom environment, who have the least experiences of success, who thrive the most in Outdoor Learning.
Other activities may present as merely fun to the students – which is important – but are deliberately picked for their beneficial impact. For example, jumping off the jetty into a cold lake whilst wearing a buoyancy aid, may be fun, if not a little scary for some, but the shock effect of the cold water and consequent physiological response helps the body practice and prepare for shock and stress. Though an exciting and thrilling activity, requiring a bit of courage from a student’s point of view, the activity not only allows a student to experience such adrenaline in a safe and supported environment, but ultimately is supported by increasing research suggesting the cold-water exposure can have a positive effect, and better prepare the body to manage stress and shock in other areas of life. This is just one such activity – the fells, lakes, beaches and forests accessed in Outdoor Learning offer a wealth of opportunities to support both the physical and mental health of our students.
The English Outdoor Council goes on to state that ‘Health and well-being Research suggests that children need opportunities to be outside and that the outdoors is where many children like to be the most. By allowing children the freedom to be outside, we reinforce their emotional well-being, which in turn enables them to embrace the natural world independently. Not surprisingly, outdoor adventure programmes are seen as ‘a promising tool to promote the health and well-being of young people’.
In addition to the quality providers we regularly use, we have a team of experienced staff who, following a conscious investment in NGB CPD, lead a well planned and adventurous Outdoor Learning curriculum. Increasingly high levels of engagement are fostered by involving the students in the planning of Outdoor Learning activities, developing their own interests and curiosities. There are obvious additional benefits to this linking in Reading, Mathematics and other Personal Development Skills.
Outdoor Learning activities are designed with developing the 8 key skills in mind.
Listening
Pupils have to listen to their teachers, instructors and peers often in outdoor learning, from simple instructions about debussing in a busy environment to learning a new skill in using climbing equipment, or learning about the work of volunteer rescue services in such trips as base visits to Mountain Rescue or the RNLI. Pupils learn that the value of listening carefully brings immediate benefits, and often safety, to the activities they undertake. They also learn that they themselves will be listened to in turn.
Speaking
Communicating with others is imperative. In working together, from canoe rafting, to negotiating tree-top cableways and ‘bush’ cooking, pupils often share their needs, support and encourage each other, and relay instructions to their peers. Sharing their fears aloud, too, enables more effective staff coaching and builds self-confidence. In many activities pupils learn than clarity and accuracy of speech brings success and understanding.
Problem Solving
In activities such as shelter building and negotiating high obstacle courses, pupils learn how to adapt their thinking and actions to their situation. In activities, instructors often coach pupils to think of different ways to find solutions to a challenge, such as how to tie canoes together, pass safely through plunge pools in a ghyll, or try alternative ways to start the fire for their lakeside lunch. Class groups have also taken part in ‘escape room’ challenges which have stretched their minds and encouraged working together.
Creativity
Creativity is a skill and attitude that is often engendered in Outdoor Learning. Although linked necessarily with Problem Solving in myriad adventurous activities, there are also other cross curricular links. For example, when engaging in a woodland sculpture trail at Rydal Hall, pupils were prepped beforehand in Art about the nature of the textile sculptures they might encounter, they were encouraged to take photos of the sculptures and do sketches while there, and were given the opportunity to follow this up in a later class. In KS2, for example, we have built stone art whilst visiting caves and mines, and made Roman amulets or shields when visiting parts of the Roman Wall.
Staying Positive
One of the many challenges for pupils can be staying positive. Outdoor Learning aims to challenge pupils, often presenting them with activities that they may not be used to, or have even tried before. This can mean immersion in water or dealing with rain and cold. They may also have to take part in a activity with others that are not part of their usual peer group. In many ways, valuable lessons can be learned about staying positive in order to complete tasks, whatever the conditions. Resilience and mental toughness are important characteristics to develop for life, and Outdoor Learning provides and ideal space for this.
Aiming High
Outdoor Learning regularly challenges pupils to ‘aim high’ and step beyond their comfort zone. For some, this has meant conquering fears of height through abseiling and rock climbing, or fear of water through graduated exposure to travelling on a boat and then taking part in immersive water sports. It is a heart-warming experience to quite regularly see pupils move beyond what were their previously accepted limitations, experiencing a combination of joy and pride in their success. One Yr 11 pupil recently commented on how, when he broke down the task into smaller, manageable stages, he found that he could actually complete it after all. He then wisely noted that this was very applicable to life outside of school, including in the work environment.
Leadership
There are many ‘kinds’ of leadership. In Outdoor Learning, pupils are encouraged not only to be bold, brave and be an example to the rest of their team mates at times, but also to be supportive, caring, listening and pro-active – all qualities of good leadership. At times, in creative or problem-solving tasks, pupils can be encouraged to ‘take the lead’ when they offer an idea or insight to the rest of the group. This often helps pupils overcome a fear of failure when they are given these opportunities and trust in the team and staff that they will be supported if mistakes are made.
Teamwork
In almost every Outdoor Learning activity there are opportunities for teamwork. Equipment and provisions are often shared out at the start of activities, with pupils encouraged to contribute to the team’s needs. Indoor and outdoor climbing have encouraged great teamwork and trust on the rope, in addition to fostering clear communication. Sharing outdoor preparation and cooking tasks, helping each other over obstacles in the trees or the ghyll, and building rafts are other clear examples. The phrase ‘Teamwork makes the dream work’ is heard on a weekly basis in what we do.
Students not only benefit from the Physical and Mental Health benefits of a programme of Outdoor Learning, and the opportunities to support core learning and make cross curricular links that Outdoor Learning offers, but also to work towards a number of recognised Awards broadening the range of certified programmes students engage with. Awards such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award, The John Muir Award, and The Cumbrian Award not only offer great opportunities to recognise the achievements many students make in Outdoor Learning, but are also cumulative and allow students to be credited for units which, either on reintegration or progression to post-16 provision, transfer with the students and can continue to be pursued.
