Helena Dolby
Nature-Friendly Schools
The Nature Friendly Schools project will see pupils benefit from two hours of outdoor learning every week
If you go down to the woods today, you may just see more school children taking their lessons outdoors. Nature-Friendly Schools is a pioneering three-year project led by The Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts, working in partnership with The Resilience Through Nature Consortium members YoungMinds, Groundwork, Sensory Trust, Field Studies Council and six regional Wildlife Trusts, including Lancashire Wildlife Trust. It is funded by the Department for Education with support from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs  (DEFRA) and Natural England as part of the Government’s  25 Year Environment Plan to encourage children to be close to nature to benefit their health and wellbeing.
Helena Dolby
Susan Freeman
As part of the Nature-Friendly Schools project, we have a dedicated project team working with 17 schools across the areas of Lancashire, Greater Manchester and North Merseyside, and have collaborated with outdoor clothing specialists Regatta to provide quality outdoor gear to each school. The unpredictable nature of our Great British weather can often be a huge barrier to getting children outside. However, having these kits, which include waterproof coats, trousers and wellies, will help children to understand the philosophy that, ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothing,’ and to ensure that they can still get out to learn come rain or shine. Â
Thank you so much for your delivery this morning… These will be so helpful for ensuring every child in school can access suitable clothing and footwear to participate in outdoor learning.Forest School Leader
The benefits of outdoor learning are endless
There are many benefits to children playing and learning outdoors. The positive impacts on mental and emotional health, and physical development are well-documented. The real-life context of the natural world also helps children to learn and consolidate knowledge and skills in a way that is often not possible in the classroom.
Molly Toal
Create a learning experience pupils won’t forget
Going outdoors for a reading session, assembly or a maths lesson brings the curriculum to life and creates learning opportunities to support children who struggle with classroom learning. Just one lesson outdoors per week can help children to feel calmer, more focused and more able to concentrate on their lessons for the rest of the week. Â
Want to take your classroom outside?
If you'd love to incorporate outdoor learning into your curriculum but aren't sure where to start, why not explore outdoor learning through a Forest School qualification? Use the button below to get in touch with our Education Team and find out more.
