Kentisbeare C of E Primary School

Outdoor Learning Curriculum (Preschool – Year 6)

Every class from Preschool to Year 6 enjoys a dedicated outdoor learning session each week. Our outdoor learning curriculum is designed to foster a lifelong appreciation for, and deep respect for, the natural world. We are fortunate to be set within beautiful countryside, with views of local hills, horses and a nearby stream, which provides an inspiring and ever-changing learning environment.

Outdoor learning at our school is a carefully balanced blend of curriculum-led and child-led experiences. We make purposeful links to the wider curriculum—particularly science and geography—while also valuing the outdoors as a place of wonder, curiosity and discovery in its own right.

Our Aims

Through outdoor learning, we aim to:

• Develop curiosity, resilience and independence

• Build a strong connection to nature and place

• Encourage teamwork, communication and problem-solving

• Deepen understanding of environmental responsibility and sustainability

• Enhance learning across the curriculum through meaningful real-world experiences

Curriculum Links and Experiences

Outdoor learning sessions regularly support and enrich classroom learning. Pupils explore scientific concepts such as habitats, life cycles, seasonal change and materials, as well as geographical skills including map reading, fieldwork, weather observation and understanding the local environment.

A valued element of our outdoor learning is the use of nature-based arts and crafts. Children work with natural and found materials to explore creativity, develop fine motor skills and respond to the changing seasons. Activities may include making simple seasonal decorations, creating transient art, using natural materials for drawing and pattern-making, and responding creatively to the landscape. These experiences support curriculum themes while allowing space for imagination and personal expression. Pupils also take part in simple planting and growing activities, helping them to understand where food comes from, how plants grow and the importance of caring for living things.

Alongside this, children are encouraged to follow their own interests—asking questions, investigating natural objects and responding creatively to what they see around them. This child-led exploration helps to nurture awe, fascination and a genuine love of learning outdoors.

Learning Beyond the School Grounds

We make full use of our local area, regularly venturing beyond the school site. Walks to Silver Wood, the local church, and around Kentisbeare allow pupils to develop a strong sense of place and community, while practising observation, navigation and fieldwork skills.

These experiences provide rich opportunities to discuss how humans interact with the environment and to explore why it is important to care for and protect the world around us.

Environmental Responsibility

Outdoor learning is a key part of our commitment to environmental education. Pupils learn how to:

• Reduce waste and recycle effectively

• Care for and improve the school grounds

• Respect wildlife and natural habitats

• Understand how everyday actions impact the environment

By learning from the earth and about the earth, children develop a strong sense of stewardship and responsibility.

Visits, Visitors and Residential Experiences

We strongly believe in the power of learning outside the classroom. This is enhanced through a range of visits and residential opportunities:

• Annual visits to Little Bishops Organic Farm, where pupils learn about organic farming processes, sustainability, composting—and even experience a compost toilet first-hand.

• A Year 3 residential to Pixies Holt in Dartmoor, offering immersive outdoor and environmental learning experiences.

• A week-long Year 6 residential at Simonsbath Activity Centre, which builds independence, teamwork and a deeper connection to the natural world.

These experiences are often transformational, helping pupils to grow in confidence while strengthening their understanding of the environment and their place within it.

Progression Across the School

• Preschool & Early Years: Sensory exploration, experiencing seasonal changes, developing curiosity, and learning to care for the natural world through play and simple environmental responsibilities.

• Key Stage 1: Observing nature closely, learning about plants and animals, exploring the local area through walks, developing simple map skills, and taking increasing responsibility for shared outdoor spaces.

• Key Stage 2: Building on earlier experiences through deeper investigation and enquiry. Pupils explore habitats, life cycles, food chains, land use and sustainability, alongside developing geographical fieldwork skills. Nature-based arts and crafts become more skilled and purposeful, with pupils learning techniques such as simple joinery and weaving with natural materials, as well as planning and evaluating their designs. Planting and growing activities are extended, with pupils taking greater responsibility for caring for plants, understanding seasonal cycles and considering sustainability and food production. Outdoor learning supports teamwork, problem-solving, leadership and resilience, with opportunities to apply learning through extended projects, visits and residential experiences, including Pixies Holt in Year 3 and the Simonsbath residential in Year 6.

Outdoor learning is an integral part of life at our school. It enriches the curriculum, supports wellbeing and helps children to develop a meaningful, lasting relationship with the natural world—one that we hope they will carry with them for life.