Learning in the Outdoors
The outdoor environment at Highfields is not just a place for lunch and morning tea times. Since its establishment, the school has offered the spaces outside the classrooms as a natural and rich extension to the indoor learning spaces. Our natural setting provides opportunities for children “to learn in and with the natural world; inside the school, outside the classroom and into the wild beyond” (Claire Warden, 2016).
We are strong advocates for children getting their hands dirty in the outdoors, immersed in all nature offers and invites. Exploring patterns in nature, wondering at natural phenomena, making friends with a ladybird are all normal everyday experiences for our children.
More than just a fun place to learn, regular time in nature has been shown to improve health and well-being as well as improve academic outcomes for children. As such, we see time outdoors as essential to our learning program at Highfields. Whether it be reading under a tree, finding treasure with a friend in the rock garden or making ochre paint in the dirt – outdoor learning is a part of daily life at Highfields.
For further information about ways to engage your child with nature, you may find the following links helpful:
‘Nature Pedagogy Inside, Outside and Beyond” Article by Claire Warden