“Into the wild I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.”
Outdoor Learning Support & Delivery
We provide support to both Early Years and Primary settings in the delivery of Curriculum for Excellence through a range of engaging and stimulating Outdoor Learning activities.
Whether you are looking to link activities to different curricular areas or would like to help your pupils achieve the John Muir or RSPB Wild Challenge Awards, we can provide tailored support to meet your school’s needs.
Staff feedback for Outdoor Learning Support:
I have benefited enormously in terms of professional development from working alongside Michelle. Specifically, I feel I have benefited in building my confidence and capacity to use the outdoor environment to support individuals across a wide variety of needs and develop meaningful learning opportunities. Feedback from the children has shown their enthusiasm for outdoor learning and their understanding of its goals. I have been amazed at how articulate and perceptive the children have been in terms of them being able to identify the range of skills that learning outdoors has afforded them. The benefits to their wellbeing has been evident and a number of children stand out as having been thrown a lifeline in terms of providing them with access to the curriculum in a context which is non-threatening and meaningful to them. The culture and ethos of the school has also been impacted with the outdoor learning becoming a regular feature of the school week. All in all a super experience!
Susan Lawson, Support for Learning Teacher
Forest School
Looking for an alternative learning environment? Forest School provides a different way of learning for your pupils that offers opportunities for holistic growth through a child centred approach. This could be delivered to whole classes, small groups or targeted pupils. It is a long-term program (minimum of 6 weeks for 2+hours) that supports play, exploration and supported risk taking. It develops participants' confidence and self-esteem through learner inspired, hands-on experiences in a natural woodland setting.
Research has shown that Forest School can have numerous benefits, including:
Increased health and wellbeing
Improved risk management skills
Greater independence and confidence
Increased ability to work as part of a team
Improved creativity and problem-solving skills
Greater enjoyment of and connection with the natural world
(O’Brien & Murray, 2006)
Our sessions would take place in a local greenspace and our small group sizes allow our leaders time to observe and respond to children’s needs, foster good relationships and support both their physical and emotional growth.
Our ‘Nurture in Nature’ sessions are targeted at closing the poverty related attainment gap and supporting the ‘readiness for learning’ of selected participants, funded through individual schools PEF funding or grant funding.
For more information on how we can support your educational provision email us on branchingupwards@gmail.com
Parent feedback about school Nurture in Nature sessions:
My daughter loves Forest school and comes home enthusiastic and eager to share what she’s learned during the session. From a mum who has a child who struggles at school this is a breath of fresh air that she is learning in a different environment which seems to suit her better than a class room setting. On a recent holiday she was showing her cousins how to light a fire showing a new air of confidence which was great to see. Anything outdoors has major health benefits and helps with kids fitness so all schools taking this approach can only be a positive thing for the kids.
Parent feedback for Forest School sessions delivered for whole classes:
Our son had a very positive experience of Forest Schools. The environment it created for him was very calming and enjoyable and he really looked forward to the days he was able to participate….Our son’s autism means that school and classroom environments are very challenging and exhausting, the noise, the smells and confinement all make it very difficult for him to engage in learning and his surroundings. During his time at forest schools he was fully engaged and willing to participate with his peers and had the space to focus and listen which was a joy to see. The open air environment allowed him to relax and he was able to express himself and more exciting for us was to see him engage with his peers which is not something he chooses to do in the standard school classroom environment. He was able to be himself without feeling different or completely disconnected from his peers. It provided an opportunity for him to feel happy in his skin and built his self-confidence tremendously.
