At Higham Primary School, we are fortunate enough to have extensive grounds. We believe that children benefit from regular opportunities to learn outdoors and therefore all classes have planned sessions in the grounds. Our vision for the future is to implement learning opportunities that together with the learning taking place inside the classroom, will allow children to have an opportunity to transfer their skills, both outdoors and indoors.
 

 We have specialist areas which are used in our outdoor curriculum learning, and we are in the process of updating and renewing other areas:

• Small ‘Woodland area’ 
• Pond  and wildlife area
• Garden area and allotments 
• Sports Field 

The outdoor environment offers space and therefore is particularly important to those children who learn best through active movement. Very young children learn predominately through their sensory and physical experiences which supports brain development and the creation of neural networks.

• Learning outside the classroom supports the development of healthy and active lifestyles by offering children opportunities for physical activity, freedom and movement, and promoting a sense of well-being.
• Learning outside the classroom gives children contact with the natural world and offers them experiences that are unique to outdoors, such as direct contact with the weather and the seasons.
•  Playing and learning outside also helps children to understand and respect nature, the environment and the interdependence of humans, animals, plants, and lifecycles.
• Outdoor play also supports children’s problem-solving skills and nurtures their creativity, as well as providing rich opportunities for their developing imagination, inventiveness and resourcefulness.
• Children need an outdoor environment that can provide them with space, both upwards and outwards, and places to explore, experiment, discover, be active and healthy, and to develop their physical capabilities.

  Activities that are regularly and will be further taught outside include:

• Art - drawing, painting,large group work, photography
• Drama - reenactments, story telling, 
• Science - identification, comparison, planting, pond, tree and plant surveys
• Mathematics - measuring, calculating, representing, shape
• Geography - map making, compass work, land and traffic surveys
• History - opportunities to explore different roles in history
• English - first hand experiences, vocabulary, composition, reading
• PSHE - games, mindfulness, discussion
• PE - team games, athletics and net games 

Please visit this page and look out for regular updates in the schools ‘messenger’ newsletter and news regarding future ‘outdoor learning’ activities, lessons, photos and ongoing works in the grounds.