Outdoor Education
“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.”
John Muir
At Spring Brook Upper, we want all of our pupils to have the opportunity to experience the world firsthand and have the chance to see and take part in activities outside the classroom.
We believe that the outdoor experience can help to develop:
• Resilience
• Independence
• Teamwork
• Creativity
• Curiosity
• Imagination
The outdoors also provides some quiet time where pupils and adults can build positive, trusted relationships through interactions together both physically during challenges and through having conversations in a non-pressure environment.
Outdoor Education Lessons at Spring Brook Upper
Through Outdoor Education at Spring Brook Upper, it is our aim:
• To enable pupils to enjoy the outdoors, explore the British countryside in and around their local area and have fun engaging in the natural environment.
• To aid pupils to develop life skills and independence in a varied range of environments.
• To enable pupils to socialise and interact positively in new and different ways with their peers and build meaningful trusted relationships with adults.
• To raise awareness of and help pupils understand environmental issues.
• To allow pupils to develop resilience by pushing themselves out of their comfort zone in a controlled and safe manner.
• To help pupils to be aware of risk management and to share responsibility for their personal safety when undertaking outdoor activities.
• To increase pupils capacity of resilience, independence and responsibility in dealing with success or failure in varying situations.
• To improve pupils social skills, positive communication and teamwork abilities in preparation for co-operation and the future workplace.
• To develop pupils skills in leadership, problem solving and self confidence in making appropriate decisions.
• To improve physical fitness and co-ordination.
• To improve mental health and communication around the topic of mental health.
• To prepare pupils for the Duke of Edinburgh Award as a pathway in KS4
Intent, Implementation and Impact
More details on the intent, implementation and impact of our Outdoor Education Curriculum can be viewed by following this link:
Spring Brook Upper Outdoor Education Curriculum Intent
Assessment
Pupils will work towards gaining at least one level of the John Muir Award during their time at Spring Brook.
An appropriate assessment framework on Dashboard will be used to measure some life skills progress (my behaviour, staying safe, communication, independence, well being and self) as well as progress in an outdoor education format.
Our Assessment Tool is Dashboard, which breaks down learning into small, accessible and achievable steps.