If you have been to Saltholme, you may have noticed that we provide a range of workshops for school visits. The RSPB’s Schools on Reserves (SoR) programme offers teachers the opportunity to bring their classes onto our wonderful reserves and spend the day with our expert teaching staff and volunteers, allowing children to get up close and hands-on (to an extent) with nature and wildlife.
But a visit to Saltholme is not just a fun day out the classroom- although we certainly hope we make the days fun for all! The fact is outdoor learning is a really important tool, both for engaging pupils in a topic, and promoting and encouraging the development of skills such as problem solving, teamwork, and individual learning. Being in the great outdoors also boosts confidence and resilience. You can believe us when we say you need to be resilient in some of the winter weather we get here!
Image Credit: Josh Swales
What’s so good about the outside?
The fact is that children today are becoming far less connected with nature than previous generations. An RSPB study published in 2013 found that 4 out 5 UK children are not connected with nature. Connecting children with nature has multiple benefits, from better mental health to greater awareness and greater care about issues such as climate change and loss of biodiversity.
In an age where there is a higher focus on the wellbeing of children and young people, this a massively important consideration, especially in education
If you’re a teacher reading this, you will of course know that not everyone learns through reading and writing, which in a classroom environment can lead to students getting left behind and struggling. However, it can often be the case that such students excel in an outdoor learning environment. Using SoR as an example, we very rarely-if ever- have activities that are writing tasks. The most this might be is recording a tally count of plants or invertebrates they have found. Our sessions are usually composed of a mix of games as either an introduction or plenary, with the main task being very much child lead. Of course, the group are not unsupervised, however the focus is on giving the class the task and supporting them to complete it.
For example, lets look at our KS2 Living Things & Habitats session, one of our most popular sessions. The focus is comparing and contrasting two terrestrial habitats and the flora and fauna that live there. Working in groups, the class will identify and classify as many species as possible using the identification guides they are given. We will ask the group questions to help guide them, such as ‘how many legs does this minibeast have’, or ‘does this leaf look like the one on the ID sheet?’
Being outdoors also helps develop communication skills. A story from a teacher on the website ‘Key Skills Education’, tells how a normally quiet and shy EYFS pupil, who on a class trip to a working farm suddenly found the volume button with the teacher having to remind her a few times to be a little quieter!
It’s this child-lead learning that makes the difference, as the children are having to draw on what they have learnt in the classroom and apply it to a real-world context. There have been so many times we have seen a visiting school child come out of their shell and have the confidence to answer a question that they may not have done in the classroom.
Image Credit: Imogen Coverdale
How does this help in the classroom?
Whilst some learners might feel that they don’t have determination and perseverance in the classroom, they can quickly discover that they have the most grit in the class when it comes to getting things done in an outdoor environment! Opportunities to nurture this kind of self-esteem and confidence in pupils whilst honing important soft skills like resilience and determination are integral parts of the learning journey.
It's also these opportunities that can help in subjects such as English. If a child is given the experiences, then they can write about this in class. At Saltholme we are currently working with a local primary school to get classes onto the reserve to help them gain experiences that they can write about in class. Thanks to funding from National Grid, we have been able to employ a professional writer to help engage the children with the reserve and its wildlife, and then help them translate their experiences into creative writing back in school.
Where can I find out more?
We would love for you to bring your class to Saltholme to experience the reserve and for your class to gain the benefits that learning outdoors can bring. To find out more about what we offer you can either visit our website, or alternatively contact our Learning Officer at josh.swales@rspb.org.uk, where we will be more than happy to provide you with further information to help get your class out onto the reserve.