School Grounds
Teachers' notes
School grounds provide a versatile and inexpensive outdoor learning resource – right on your doorstep. School grounds provide an opportunity to deliver all aspects of the formal, informal and hidden curriculum in a way that meets the needs of children for hands-on experiences and physical activity. If you are planning a trip beyond the school gates with your pupils, why not develop your ideas or practice the activities listed under the Teaching Space topics in your school grounds first? The playground can be ideal for follow-up activities too – to reinforce and extend the learning gained from the site visit.
Although access to a safe, friendly and stimulating outdoor space can have a profound effect on children’s health and well being, managing groups outdoors can be a concern for teachers. However, regular use of the school grounds as an outdoor classroom can help children become familiar with outdoors as a learning environment. This will support trips to natural heritage sites beyond the school gates. Both students and teachers will reap the benefits in terms of positive behaviour and attitudes to learning.
You may wish to develop your school grounds to create an on-the-doorstep resource that meets your learning and teaching needs.
Grounds for Learning (GfL) is the school grounds charity for Scotland. GfL runs a programme designed for Scottish schools, helping them use and develop their grounds to provide better teaching, learning and play opportunities. Using best practice that is holistic, sustainable, and participative, GfL and its sister organisation Learning Through Landscapes, use a tried and tested four stage process to help schools assess, use and develop their grounds:
• Where are we now?
• Where do we want to be?
• How can we get there?
• Making the changes
From time to time, Grounds for Learning has funded projects available to apply to. These can help you to develop your school needs and ideas into reality. It also runs membership schemes to enable you to access more detailed advice and support. For further information or advice visit www.gflscotland.org.uk
The activities described here are designed to link with topics for Biodiversity, Freshwater, Sea, Shore and Sand, Peatlands, Woodland Ways, Landscape and People Past and Present. These can be adapted and developed as your confidence and imagination grows!
Downloads
Try http://web.ukonline.co.uk/hamiltonbiology/botany to see how Hamilton Grammar School, South Lanarkshire carry out a botanical survey of their grounds.
The Growing Schools website, designed to support teachers in the use of the ‘outdoor classroom’ for pupils of all ages.
Scottish School Case Studies:
High schools
Currie Community High School, Edinburgh ground development and worksheets www.currieecology.org.uk
Hamilton Grammar School, South Lanarkshire show how they carried out abotanical survey of their grounds. http://web.ukonline.co.uk/hamiltonbiology/botany
Early Years
For good practice, see http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/earlyyears/sharingpractice/outdoorlearning/index.asp which includes:
Adelphi Nursery Glasgow developing and using their garden.
Crieff Road Pre-school, Perth using Eco schools projects to use and develop the outdoor space.