Outdoor Learning with Growing Outside
At The Willows, outdoor learning is a vital part of our curriculum, offering children opportunities to explore, discover, and connect with the world beyond the classroom. Through hands-on experiences in nature, children develop curiosity, resilience, and problem-solving skills that support academic learning and personal growth. Outdoor environments encourage physical activity, teamwork, and creativity, while helping young learners build confidence and a sense of environmental responsibility. By integrating outdoor learning into the curriculum, we aim to nurture well-rounded, engaged, and healthy children who see learning as an active and joyful process.
Our Quad and working with Growing Outside:
Check out some of our learning...
What is Growing Outside?
Growing Outside is an exciting scheme which works alongside schools and teaches elements of the curriculum in the outdoor environment through engaging gardening sessions. It aims to educate and empower both children and teachers to use their outdoor spaces more in everyday school life to improve enagagement, emotional well-being and provide creative, powerful learning experiences.
Who is Dawn?
Dawn works for Growing Outside and she is an amazing gardener...she knows everything there is about fruits, veggies and minibeasts!
Dawn visits our school each week and works with classes of children in our quad as well as around the school grounds.
All outdoor learning is carefully planned and links perfectly with other curriculum areas such as science and design technology and art.
In addition to working with classes, Dawn also works with children on a 1-1 or small group basis for a more therapeutic- based intervention.