Outdoor Education
Word is starting to spread about the opportunities being offered to primary schools by the Academy’s new Outdoor Education Department.
Sessions in orienteering are continuing at Waltham Leas Primary and Springfield Academy, with Scartho Academy following suit after February half term.
Another Grimsby primary school is also working with the team about combining these type of sessions in a hybrid curriculum with Geography field work; and there is large interest elsewhere.
Outdoor Education Director Ben Pharaoh is pleased with the initial reaction to the department, believed to be a first in the region.
The team’s offering opportunities for young people to enjoy the outdoors, whether in school grounds, urban green spaces, the countryside or wilder environments.
“As well as our work with primary schools, we have stepped up our offer to Waltham Toll Bar Academy students,” Mr Pharaoh said.
“Staff at the Leas and Springfield have said the kids have loved it.
“We’ve been doing an introduction to orienteering with the children there. We’ve been teaching navigation skills and they have learned about map reading, which is a lost art.
“The programme builds resilience, teamwork and problem solving, whilst at the same time being competitive, something else that has also been shied away from in recent years”
A five-day trip to The Outward Bound Trust’s centre at Ullswater in the Lake District with Year 9s this term had been “terrific”.
“The students loved it,” he said. “You could see they returned as more confident individuals.
“They did all sorts of confidence-building activities and some serious walking, climbing and canoeing. It was great weather and a really successful trip.”
The Duke of Edinburgh Award has started in Year 10 with 14 students taking bronze. Its expedition part is being planned for the summer. Year 9 will be offered the programme in the next academic year.
“We have set up the scheme around ensuring the students will stick with it. We didn’t want large numbers starting and then dropping out.
“We have encouraged children to sign up who are invested in it.”
Mr Pharaoh was confident many of the Year 9s on the Ullswater trip will take up the Duke of Edinburgh challenge.
“Being in nature can provide a refreshing change of pace from the traditional classroom setting, and can also facilitate hands-on, experiential learning that is difficult to replicate indoors.
“Outdoor learning can also have a positive impact on students’ mental and physical health,” he said.
Partner primary schools are offered:
- Specialist Physical Education and Outdoor Education staff delivering sessions during curriculum PE time
- Sessions tailored to school’s needs, cross-referencing with curriculum eg orienteering introductions to Year 5.
- Half-day or full-day walking/rambling trips for small groups into the Lincolnshire Wolds.
- Advice and guidance on running Outdoor Education sessions and/or trips.
- Bespoke ‘experiences’ for schools, either on-site or off-site (eg navigation, sessions, cook-outs, shelter construction, bivouacking)
Further information about the offer, please contact Ben Pharaoh on pharaohb@tollbaracademy.co.uk
