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Not all classrooms havewalls 1 Build those connections Getting young people outdoors, building their connections to nature and helping to develop their love for the natural environment will not only help thembecome more well-rounded adults, but also boost their engagement levels and encourage more active forms of learning. Nor are the benefits just confined to students – teachers engaging with outdoor learning say it’s increased their job satisfaction, impacted positively on their health and helped improve their relationships with students. 2 Ride the feel-good factor Research shows that spending time in forests can improve our health and wellbeing – and that’s even before you provide your students with real-life, hands-on experiences. Even if you can’t access your local forest or green spaces, trees are all around us and can be a base for turning classroom theories and scientific enquiries into live experiments and avenues of exploration. 3 Phase it in gradually We know that time constraints and a lack of flexibility can limit the amount of outdoor learning you can do.We suggest starting small and first familiarising yourselves with your spaces. Start with a 15-minute activity and build up from there. Take a classroomactivity you’re confident in delivering and adapt it for outdoor use, or take those noisy debates and role plays outside. 4 Get trained There are many training options that can help you become more confident at taking learning outside the classroom, ranging from short online or face-to-face beginner CPD sessions, to courses on specific skills, such as the use of hand tools. Once you’re confident enough to venture further afield, you can seek accreditation, such as the Level 2 Outdoor Learning Practitioner and Forest School Leader courses. www.forestryengland.uk/learning E: learning.england@forestryengland.uk Sarah Wood from Forestry England discusses the importance of learning outdoors and how to get started SWAP SITTING STILL FOR LETTING THEIR IMAGINATIONS RUN WILD Discover GWR Group Travel by train at GWR.com/Group GROUP SEATING ON SELECT SERVICES 26% o 10+ persons from DEDICATED BOOKING TEAM GOOD TO KNOW There’s a wealth of existing resources out there ready for you to adapt.We can share best practice and help to co-create new forest education resources. Use our support to plan a visit to a suitable local woodland setting. ASK THE EXPERT PARTNER CONT ENT www.teachwire.net/school-trips | 57