What is the Natural Curriculum Practitioner Programme?

The Natural Curriculum Practitioner Programme, developed in partnership with The Mersey Forest as part of their Schools Planting Scheme, provides free training for participating schools, delivered as whole day training workshops by LJMU. This training supports school staff in effectively using their outdoor spaces for teaching and learning. The programme includes utilising school grounds, local parks, woodlands, and other natural environments.

The whole school training workshops are designed to offer meaningful learning experiences that align with the national curriculum (DfE, 2013). Our philosophy stresses that outdoor, nature-based learning should be a fundamental part of every child’s educational journey. It should not be just an occasional supplement to classroom-based lessons.

In this programme, we explore the key principles of effective outdoor learning for primary-aged children. We reflect on the unique aspects of outdoor environments and discuss why outdoor learning is essential for children’s education. How can schools maximise their spaces and opportunities to ensure all pupils have access to outdoor learning?

We also delve into the practical aspects of outdoor learning, including space utilisation, planning, assessment, inclusion, organisation, and resources. Additionally, we examine the teacher’s role in facilitating meaningful outdoor learning experiences for pupils.

Whole School Outdoor Learning Workshops:

The programme aims to equip school staff with the skills they need. It also boosts their confidence to integrate outdoor, nature-based learning effectively into their teaching practices. These outcomes include:

• Attainment Enhancement: Improve attainment in national curriculum subjects by creating quality learning experiences in school grounds.
• Pupil Engagement: Learn how to engage pupils in memorable outdoor, nature-based learning experiences.
• Expert Guidance: Receive guidance from LJMU specialists in each national curriculum subject area.
• Outdoor Teaching Ideas: Gain ideas for delivering specific subjects outdoors.
• Confidence Building: Increase confidence through practical nature related outdoor activities in their own school grounds
• Teaching Strategies: Develop strategies for delivering lessons outdoors across various curriculum subjects.
• Inspiration and Transformation: Be inspired to transform outdoor spaces to enhance pupils’ skills, knowledge, and understanding across the curriculum.
• Assessment and Inclusion: Develop opportunities for assessment, inclusion and subject-specific skills and learning.

Each whole day training workshop involves activities to:

• Introduce the use of basic tools and resources relevant for a range of national curriculum subjects.
• Explore and share a range of teaching strategies for delivering lessons outdoors in your school setting.
• Unlock access to a range of constantly updated downloadable teaching materials through an online portal.
• Introduce a range of team, paired and individual activities to use across the primary age range.
• Consider practicalities when teaching in an outdoor setting. This includes behaviour for learning (BfL), staffing, and risk assessment of specific subject areas.

All sessions are research-informed. They demonstrate the latest ideas in outdoor learning. This enables you to work towards delivering a Natural Curriculum in your school.