12 minute read
Let’s go outside
From animal care on the farm to counting shells on the seashore, outdoor learning inspires confidence, instils engagement and supports mental health
Independent schools offer a well-rounded education that includes learning in and out of the classroom. Beach, farm and forest school are just a few examples of types of outdoor learning provision, and are held mostly on a weekly basis for pre-prep pupils. As we’ve all learned through the past two years of the pandemic, being outside reaps rewards for our mental health and engaging young children with it when they’re as young as possible establishes a relationship for the rest of their lives.
Regular activities in the local environment encourage a child’s desire to be active and makes them confident and engaged, developing communication skills when sharing their new discoveries with others.
Beach school at Prebendal, West Sussex
The air is crisp, and the sound of the waves gently creeping up the vast expanse of sand can just about be detected under the contrapuntal chatter of seabirds and pre-prep children. At Prebendal, Beach School is a prominent feature of the school timetable and loved in equal measure by staff and pupils.
Through what seems like their clumsy exploration of their local environment, children acquire an enormous amount of knowledge about the social and physical world around them, and through play they practise skills that promote their intellectual, physical, social and emotional development. They do all this long before anyone attempts to teach them anything.
This amazing drive and capacity to learn doesn’t turn itself off when children start at nursery or school, but it can certainly show itself in different ways once in a classroom environment if those opportunities for learning through play are not put to good use. Increasingly, outdoor play is such a valued ingredient in those first few years of school. At this age, it’s crucial for children to view their education as an opportunity to continue to explore their world so they continue to be inquisitive and enthusiastic. The best learning environments make the most of a child’s natural curiosity, ensuring their gusto for learning can persist all the way through childhood, the teenage years, and even all the way into adulthood.
Beach school, for these pupils, is the perfect opportunity to make links between theory they’ve learned inside a classroom and connecting it to a real-life experience in nature. Whether they’re counting shells, making maps out of seaweed, or witnessing the litter that has washed up
Beach School allows Prebendal pupils to connect the theories they learn in the classroom to their realworld experience
Regular animal interaction instils a sense of calm and self-reliance in pupils
on the beautiful shore (and thinking of their own solutions to prevent it from happening), outdoor learning is something that helps the children to continue discovering their wider world with fervour and passion.
Down on the farm at York House School in Hertfordshire
On the outskirts of Croxley Green, York House is home to around 50 animals, including donkeys, ponies, sheep, pigs, micro pigs, tortoise, goats and pygmy goats. Nestled within its leafy 50-acre site, the smallholding is a source of pride and joy to its pupils and sta , who all take an active role in their care. eir animals are also an important part of daily life at school for the children. ey are not farmed; they are here until retirement and most of them are rescued animals.
None of the animals live alone. ey’re rotated around several di erent paddocks over the course of each year and the children understand that it’s also good for the animal’s mental health to have variety and companionship in their lives. Regular interaction with the animals at York House has developed a sense of calm and self-reliance within its community. It’s also inspiring curiosity and adventure as the children learn some key life skills and develop a sense of responsibility by caring for the animals.
Animals are some of the best listeners around and in many cases, they’ve become valuable companions for a number of the pupils. e children get the chance to talk to the animals about their day and to share their emotions and thoughts without fear of judgement. Caring for the animals gives the children an increased level of maturity as they appreciate how much the animals rely on them for their food and general care. is has also translated into the classroom environment with a number of children demonstrating a heightened positive attitude in class a er spending quality time with the animals.
Alongside a regular smallholding club at break times and two a er-school clubs, the school has adapted its timetable to o er extra form-time sessions with the animals, to allow more children to escape the bustle of the busy classroom environment and engage with the animals one to one, on a daily basis. Experts have long praised the bene ts of animal therapy, and in a world where childhood mental health cases are still rising, many children nd they can connect with animals more easily than people.
York House pupils take pride in caring for the animals
Riding school at Kilgraston School in Perthshire
Kilgraston is unique in Scotland in that it has an on-site Equestrian Centre (EC). Situated just a few metres from the Juniors Years’ building – serendipitously, housed in the former stable block of the main house – pupils run across the front lawns to the indoor stables and 60x40m outdoor arena.
Accommodating a range of around 30 horses and ponies, the yard o ers rides and lessons on both the school’s animals and those owned by boarding and day pupils who access the working livery facility.
Each and every primary-aged pupil is expected to undertake at least two cocurricular activities every week, and riding is very much part of this timetable.
Having a hobby is continually proven to ▲
Dulwich Prep students don’t mind a bit of dirt when searching for bugs
improve mental health and wellbeing and never more so than a er the experience of several lockdowns and disruption to children’s routine.
With childhood anxiety now part of the national narrative – in many cases, exacerbated by the pandemic – a er-school activities play an even more vital, combative, role in ensuring happiness and mental strength, building resilience and boosting self-esteem. Eight-yearold Minerva sums it up beautifully: “If you fall, you just get on again!”
Whatever the backdrop, animals need to be fed and exercised, and this necessary routine focuses young minds, providing a magical ‘bubble’ away from the rest of the world. Returning to the classroom, all rosy-cheeked and full of enthusiasm, an excited 11-year old Mia recently exclaimed: “Jumping makes you feel free – like ying.”
Kilgraston’s equestrian clubs enable children to both exercise and relax at the end of a busy day and learn responsibility for horses and ponies. e holistic e ects of caring for an animal are signi cant, further demonstrated by the school being a registered centre for Riding for the Disabled.
Looking for bugs at south London’s Dulwich Prep
School is more than just preparation for exams at Dulwich, it’s preparation for life. e prep school believes that an education with values at the core is what sets our pupils apart: love, courage, gratitude, humility, justice, service, self-discipline and honesty are intrinsically threaded through everything we do.
Classroom-based teaching provides a strong level of character development, however, it’s important to create a balance with the bene ts of outdoor learning.
Outdoor learning challenges children in di erent ways; they’re able to interact more freely than when in the classroom, experiencing the natural world and all its wonders. Where better to teach a child love or self-discipline than by gently holding a ladybird on the end of their nger? Or courage through the challenges of a di erent environment in which they need to engage in teamwork, developing social skills, resilience and perseverance? e school’s Woodland Learning Walks enable pupils to provide their parents with an insight into the wonderful work they’ve completed, from hedgehogs made with leaves, faces in the style of Picasso, Kandinsky treestump painting or dream catchers. At the annual Teddy Bears Picnic, children bring along their favourite teddy, dress up and enjoy a picnic outside, before heading into the woodland for the story of Goldilocks and the ree Bears.
It’s a joy to watch the children exploring, whether searching for creepy-crawlies, looking at di erent shapes and textures in nature, or on an enchanted woodland fairy expedition. Learning outside o ers a novel and equally-important opportunity to enjoy exploration, improvisation, and imagination which supports the development of their understanding of justice and service to our shared climate and environment.
Pupils’ work on display during the school’s Woodland Learning Walks
INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2022
Celebrating student experience
Our prestigious awards campaign is back and now in its fi fth year. Read on to fi nd out how you and your school can enter, the list of categories and meet our esteemed judging panel
This year’s awards
e awards campaign is brought to you by this magazine. ey aim to showcase schools’ successes and celebrate the outstanding student experience they provide. is year there are 22 categories to enter and which are designed to represent the breadth and diversity of student life in independent schools. ey’re free to enter for all independent schools which are members of any association that is a member of the Independent Schools Council. From Pre-Prep School of the Year to Independent School of the Year for Brand Communication, we want to hear about all the amazing initiatives, projects and campaigns that your school has worked on over the past 12 months. e awards also demonstrate the positive impact independent schools have on the lives of young people across our country, both in our schools and beyond, as well as the impact they have on the thousands of children educated in British international schools overseas.
Have you got a story to tell? en get writing and submit your nomination in no more than 500 words. Good luck!
The categories for 2022 are:
• Independent Pre-Prep School of the Year • Independent Prep School of the Year • Co-educational Independent School of the Year • Independent Girls’ School of the Year • Independent Boys’ School of the Year • Independent Boarding School of the Year • e British International School of the Year • Small Independent School of the Year • Independent School of the Year for Student Careers • Independent School of the Year for Community Outreach • Performing Arts • Sporting Achievement • Brand Communication • Environmental Achievement • Student Wellbeing • International Student Experience • Healthy Eating • Contribution to Social Mobility • Outstanding New Initiative • Development Award for an Outstanding Fundraising Achievement • Rising Star of the Year Award • Unsung Hero of the Year Award
To fi nd out more about the awards and to download your entry form, log on at: www.independentschoolparent.co.uk/about
MEET 2022’S PANEL OF JUDGES...
ese independent-school education experts are looking forward to reading your entries
George Heriot’s in Edinburgh clinched Independent School of the Year in last year’s awards campaign
DR HELEN WRIGHT,
Chair is a former President of the Girls’, Schools Association and Vice-Chair of ISC, with three major headships under her belt. Since 2014, she has advised, recruited and coached senior leaders in international schools across the world.
DAVID MONCRIEFF,
Vice-Chair is a publisher specialising in education and heritage. David previously worked as Director of Marketing at Mayfi eld School and for more than 12 years as Director of Marketing Services at the British Tourist Authority.
ROBIN FLETCHER
is Chief Executive of the Boarding Schools’ Association. Robin worked for 30 years as an award-winning journalist, newspaper editor and comms director. He’s a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and Honorary Fellow of Cardi Metropolitan University.
TORY GILLINGHAM
is the Managing Director for AMCIS, Admissions, Marketing & Communications in Independent Schools, which has more than 500 schools in membership. She has more than 25 years’ marketing experience in the independent schools sector.
JULIE ROBINSON
was Head of Ardingly College Junior School and Vinehall Prep School, then Education and Training Director for the Independent Association of Preparatory Schools, before becoming General Secretary of the Independent Schools Council.
DURELL BARNES
is Chair of ISEB and Head of Governance and Compliance at RSAcademics, prior to which he spent many years as the public face of the Independent Schools Inspectorate.
SUE WOODROOFE
has been a Head for 12 years, fi rst at The British School of Brussels and now at The Grammar School at Leeds. She has a particular interest in the three-to-18 learning journey and the benefi ts of multicultural and international learning environments.
COLIN BELL
is Chief Executive of COBIS (Council of British International Schoos) which works with and supports students, teachers, leaders, support sta and governors from high quality British international schools in more than 80 countries across the world.
JIM MASSEY
has been Headmaster of Daneshill Prep School since 2018. Daneshill, founded in 1950, is a co-educational school, set in rural Hampshire, situated on part of the Wellington Estate, with approximately 270 children aged between three and 13.
PHILIPPA SCUDDS
is a chartered marketer, with over 25 years’ experience in marketing, communications and public relations. She spent 12 years in the City, and since 2004 has focused on the education sector, working with prep, senior and all- through schools.
IRFAN LATIF
joined DLD College London as Principal in 2018 having had a number of leadership roles in education. He’s the London Chair of the BSA and sits on the Executive Committee as the Inclusion and Diversity representative.
CHARLOTTE AVERY
is Headmistress of St Mary’s School Cambridge, GSA Vice-President, and a Governor of Haileybury College, Mill Hill School and a local 11-16 MAT. She’s an ISI team inspector and former lay member of the MoD’s Research Ethics Committee.
JAMES PRIORY
joined Tonbridge School as Headmaster in 2018 from Portsmouth Grammar School. He’s known for his passion for the creative arts and for his commitment to widening access.
