Leadership

Outdoor Learning… In The Playground

Using your school grounds innovatively can add new dimensions to curriculum learning as well as empowering children to plan and design their environment.

Does the notion of Outdoor Learning immediately conjure up for you Forest Schools? Minibeast safaris? or food growing? All these activities are very worthwhile of course, but this article looks at another aspect of learning outside the classroom.

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      string(388) "... andacoustics game… you get the picture.There should be something for everyone; surelyeverybody now understands that different peopleuse space in different ways and that a playground/ outdoor learning environment should offer adiversity of environments for a range of activities:static sheltered space, space for running around,space for meeting people ..."
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      string(5654) "beliefin the benefits of physical activity and sport and itscommitment to ensuring improved participation.This comes at a time when other influential bodies(such as CABE and Learning through Landscapes)are about to raise the profile of the outdoor learningenvironment as a key resource in teaching andlearning, and move us all away from focusing on thebuilding first and the landscape second – it’s all oneintegrated resource.(For an indication of how fixed in our mindsthis inside / outside approach is, read through thestatements used for the Design Quality Indicators(DQI – www.dqi.org.uk) programme for BuildingSchools for the Future. Look at how many statementsrefer to the ‘building’ when what should really beunder consideration is the site as a whole.)One of the projects we as a practice have found mostfascinating with regard to the links between outside andinside space, and the challenge of squeezing the most valueout of a school site, is Kings Avenue School in Lambeth.A new school formed through the closure andamalgamation of three schools, and partly fundedby the sale of one school site, the project extendedand refurbished a rather tired example of the LondonCounty Council’s 1950’s system building programme.The building fabric was in a poor state, and itsrelationship to the site did little to inspire, welcomeor encourage creative use of the outdoors.A Focus on Sportwww.teachingtimes.co.uk42 21st Century Schools  Volume 3:1A Focus on Sportwww.teachingtimes.co.ukThe project was implemented through threediscrete tranches of funding: the major conversionand extension project, top-up maintenance backlogworks, and an external works and community usepackage worth about £500k funded through Spacefor Sports and the Arts – a programme administeredby Sports England on behalf of the Departmentfor Culture Media and Sport, the Department forEducation and Skills (now DCSF), the Big Lottery fundand Arts Council England.This package of works allowed us to exploit the fullpotential of the site as a resource for teaching andlearning and community engagement by extendingthe school’s activities outside school hours.UrbanThe site is urban and not able to accommodate thesort of big grass pitches that outer London schoolscan enjoy. An enclosed (fenced) multi-use games area(MUGA) allows the intensive use of part of the site fortraditional sports, and for energetic playtime uses.Sited at the front of the school, between the mainroad and the new two-storey extension, it can be usedafter hours. A new changing block placed strategicallybetween the new two-storey extension and the siteboundary, with two entrances, can be either used fromthe front (booked by the public, with access to theMUGA only, and the doors to the playground lockedoff) or from either side by the school during the day.We worked with our landscape consultant AnnabelDowns (who had good Learning from Landscapesexperience) to work simultaneously at the micro andmacro levels; we tried to organize the whole site inan effective, efficient way to get the best out of everypart, but also tried to see each small part of it as ifwe were primary school age children seeing a huge,strange world where there were many curious andinteresting little details to discover.We enjoyed several sessions with the SeniorManagement Team when we all came up with lotsof ideas, some original, some drawn from experienceelsewhere, of how different parts of the school sitecould be exploited to provide maximum benefit forthe school children, including those with specialneeds, and particularly visually impaired children(KAS is a centre of excellence for VI children).We sought to make use of every bit of space so itcould be used for at least two things – if the site is wellconsidered and planned with the intensity which agood architect would apply to the plan of a building,it should end up as a rich diverse resource, with no ‘leftover’ or half-used space. Every bit can be a garden, agames pitch, a climbing wall, a natural history resource,a hide-and-seek game, a counting game, a sounds andacoustics game… you get the picture.There should be something for everyone; surelyeverybody now understands that different peopleuse space in different ways and that a playground/ outdoor learning environment should offer adiversity of environments for a range of activities:static sheltered space, space for running around,space for meeting people, space for being quiet. Wesought to provide space which, although it could bedivided up and seen as entrance space for visitors /key stage 1 space/ key stage 2 space / MUGA, plantedsoft landscape, could also be opened up into one bigschool resource.Lessons learned? We’d suggest the following:n All you can do is to create the best stage set / springboard / platform possible – the rest is up to thepeople that run, use and support the school overthe years to come. Lots of ideas that came up duringour brainstorming sessions didn’t ultimately make itinto physical form – but that doesn’t matter, thereare lots of others that we didn’t think of that theschool has probably come up with since then.n Some of the bright ideas we come up with dependon someone in the school acting as a champion forthem. But maybe a new teacher will come into aparticular space; they won’t see what we were tryingto do, won’t get the point. Your scheme has to berobust enough to survive these little difficulties.43 Volume 3:1  21st Century Schoolsn Some of the charming little details that seem soeasy in discussion are whole projects in themselvesto"
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Learning Spaces

Re-imagining Primary Sport

22 Sep 2009

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      string(339) "... fromthe school community for maximum results. The zonesshould  enrich a child’s day, while remaining as flexiblea resource as possible, to give the maximumopportunity for outdoor learning.It is best to start with a zone that will benefit manydifferent people. A zone that will be used every day, bymany children ..."
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      string(5208) "primaryleadershipTODAY •••••     Issue 262ADVERTISING FEATUREIntroducing zoningEvery member of the school community has a vestedinterest in how best to develop outdoor space. Theoutside is often an untapped resource, which can addimmense value to the good work going on inside. Oftenthe cost implications of a major project can ‘put off’potential development, but it is possible to graduallytransform the grounds by zoning the space into differentareas of interest or activity. Zoning enables one priorityarea to be completed at a time while retaining an overallgrand plan.Some of the zones that can be created are essential,such as an area that encourages health and fitness.However, many of the zone designs will be dependentupon how much space there is available. It is often theschools with a limited space that have the most to gainfrom careful zoning. A positive outside environment canbe created on a small site by ‘doubling up’ the zonesso that they offer different opportunities for the wholeschool community.It is essential that everyone (PTA, school council,site manager, lunchtime supervisors) gets involved inthe planning of the zones, as this will increaseownership of the project, help with fundraising and keepup momentum and enthusiasm over time. Majoroutdoor developments require long-term support fromthe school community for maximum results. The zonesshould  enrich a child’s day, while remaining as flexiblea resource as possible, to give the maximumopportunity for outdoor learning.It is best to start with a zone that will benefit manydifferent people. A zone that will be used every day, bymany children, would be a good place to start. Thosedetailed below tend to be the most popular, but the listis not exhaustive. There is always the opportunity forchildren to come up with their own imaginative andbespoke zones, as they could have a great idea thatjust hasn’t been designed yet!Zones to start withActivity Zone: a safe, fun area of activity thatencourages upper body strength, balancing andPlayforceis in the playgroundA re you still lookingfor ways of keepingplaytime harmonious? Play-times are an essential partof the hidden curriculumand yet  more trouble can becaused than at any othertime of the school day.Claire Toogood describeshow Playforce’s ‘imag-inative zoning’ might beable to help.ADVERTISING FEATURE63Issue 2     ••••• primaryleadershipTODAYcoordination skills while promoting fitness and health.We recommend a timber trail or adventure tower.Quiet Area/Shading Zone: a quiet zone, normally withshade, where an entire class can be taught outside toencourage working within the environment. We wouldrecommend an outdoor classroom or imaginativeseating.Travel Plan Zone: a zone that promotes parents andchildren walking or riding bikes to school. This zone mayinvolve a parents’ waiting area, which could double up asthe outdoor classroom. Thewaiting area needs to bedesigned to keep parents drywhile waiting for their children.A school with extensive groundscan also utilise the entire schoolfield by providing pathways forbikes and pedestrians. Thetravel plan encourages childrento adopt a healthy and eco-friendly lifestyle.The Foundation Stage Zone: early years’ children areencouraged to have their own area for play. This shouldpromote imagination, communication and include sand,water and role-play, with the opportunity to supportthe National Curriculum. The Foundation Stage Zoneshould be able to provide support for outdoor learningas much as free play. We suggest an outdoor learningarea, but there is lots of potential for bespoke ideas toIf you’d like to find out more…Claire Toogood is School Grounds Development Manager for Playforce Ltd. 01225 782881,sales@playforce.co.uk, www.playforce.co.ukdevelop. These designs are very much led by theheadteacher or nursery/foundation stage coordinator.Performance/Drama Zone: this area encourages freeplay, structured performance, dressing up, dramalessons outside and the opportunity for children torehearse, devise theatre, act and direct. We suggestoutdoor performance platforms with seating andstaging, for all budding actors and actresses!Growing, Digging and Planting Zone: we wouldnormally recommend planters filled with herbs andflowers, a vegetable garden, sensory surfacing andpathways with rose arbors. Both the children and thePTA can really get involved with the design of thiszone.Ball Games/Football Zone: this zone can be a nuisancebecause it takes up so much space, but it doesn’t needto be. A Ball Zone should give you the opportunity toplay netball and football and is usually a tarmac or all-weather surface area where there is no fixed equipment.This zone should have equipment stored in a shed, suchas skipping ropes and bean bags, etc. We wouldsuggest a multi-use games area or ball court.It is very important that the entire school hasownership of the project. It is absolutely essential tohave an expert involved in taking these ideas forward.While cost is always an issue, the most important factoris that any new zones are strong, durable, and safe forthe children to use."
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Leadership

Playforce Is In The Playground

1 Jan 2005

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      string(309) "... Leaf isa sub-committee of the PTA. Working closely with thechildren, the group not only helped the school decideon the type of improvements for their outdoor spacebut also involved other parents in making the ideas areality.From a simple desire to the make the wooded areaat the back of their ..."
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      string(4751) "spiritNorth of Scarborough, tucked behind high hedgesamidst the small village of Burniston, sits LindheadPrimary School. At first glance you’d be forgiven forpassing it by. Venture inside and there’s more thanenough to hold your gaze.The last four years have seen the playgroundtransformed thanks to the hard work and enthusiasm ofHeadteacher Jill Tiffany and a dedicated band of parentsknown collectively as Leaf (Lindhead EnvironmentalAction Force). Formed with the specific remit of co-ordinating the development of the outdoors, Leaf isa sub-committee of the PTA. Working closely with thechildren, the group not only helped the school decideon the type of improvements for their outdoor spacebut also involved other parents in making the ideas areality.From a simple desire to the make the wooded areaat the back of their school more accessible for thechildren, the project literally grew. Today the treesplay host to a decking pathway with a series of dens,offering excitement and intrigue to the imaginationof the young.For those with aspirations of stardom, a bandstandand performance area in the main playground – installedwith the help of a parent-loaned JCB – offers the firstchance to tread the boards.As one area develops, those parents that can bespared from the hard graft and put their time togood use fundraising for the next section. And so itgoes on. A strong believer in making the most of theschool grounds, Jill sees it as a teaching tool to helpdeliver a broader, balanced curriculum. A view withwhich OFSTED appear to concur as their recent reportmentioned strong parental involvement and praised theschool in using “…its attractive grounds well in manyaspects of the curriculum.”And the learning doesn’t stop there. As parentsreturn to school to learn how to lay a limestone pathor maintain the woodland, children take their learninghome. Composting bins, bird tables and insect habitatsare popping up in gardens throughout the village. Byinviting the local community in and extending thelearning out, there’s a true sense of community spirit.And if you’re a sparrow looking for food or an insectthinking of moving home, head to Burniston, you’ll besure of a warm welcome.Plan of actionLocal wildlife is now flocking to Swaffham BulbeckC of E Primary School thanks to the hard work andcooperation of the children and the entire schoolcommunity. An overgrown and debris filled area behindthe school has been transformed over the past 3 yearsinto an environmental haven and exciting play andworking space.The children, parents and staff teamed up to form aneco-committee to create a plan of action. A committedworking party then managed the process, drawing onthe enthusiasm, energy and skills from the whole village.To raise the £2,000 needed for the project this smallschool’s fundraising group pulled out all the stops. 10local families held an ‘Open Gardens Day’ while creamteas were served on the village green. A sponsoredcycle around the school grounds helped bring peopleonto the site to see where the money would be spent.This was matched with generous labour and materialdonations.The children were then supported by the PTA inmaking their ideas a reality. Revamping the pond wasthe biggest challenge. A full range of baths, paddlingpools and dustbins were called upon as temporaryhotels for the native creatures while the pond wasmended and sealed. Even the fire brigade joinedin with the refilling. The children took great care toresearch, select and plant native pond species and anew dipping platform has been built to help betterobserve the amazing diversity of animals which havenow taken up residence. The green fingered childrennow have the opportunity to grow vegetables in hugeplanters, to watch their feathered friends using birdboxes and feeders, and to monitor the frog and newtpopulation in the pond. The children are very proud oftheir achievements and celebrate their pumpkin cropwith a ‘Soup Making Day’ each autumn.The development of the wasteland into a valuableenvironmental and teaching space has brought theschool many unexpected benefits. It has given manyparents an opportunity to support the school and theworking party is still active continuing to work alongsidethe PTA to monitor, manage and improve the schoolgrounds. Head teacher, Donna Cornwall explained.“…There has been genuine enthusiasm from thechildren, the staff and the parents and a great airof teamwork…” Donna Cornwall, Head teacherGary Burn, Director of Programmes and PartnershipsLearning through Landscapes.For more information about Learning thoughLandscapes, their work and the support they canprovide go to: www.ltl.org.ukLindhead Primary School"
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Learning Spaces

A place to grow

9 Aug 2009

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      string(5688) "Sited on the bank of the Forth and Clyde Canal in Kirkintilloch, eight miles north of Glasgow, and with an interior colour pallet inspired by a boat that was moored on the nearby marina (which the students had noticed and liked), Lairdsland Primary School by Watlers & Cohen Architects demonstrates that you don’t need a big budget to create innovative learning spaces. And they’re all accommodated in a building that sits very comfortably in its surroundings: indeed, so successful is it that the organisational model that it employs is being used for other schools being commissioned by the Scottish Futures Trust – the arm’s length organisation that delivers infrastructure projects on behalf of the Scottish Government.“Time and again” commented architect Michál Cohen “we find that successful projects take root in meaningful consultation, and as architect for Lairdsland Primary School we experienced a stimulating period of engagement with staff, pupils, parents and local people”. Extending that consultation wider to include organisations such as Historic Scotland and Scottish Water enabled the design team to gain a “rich understanding of how a new building could ‘knit’ into the existing site and local community, and to establish the vision for how teaching, learning and community use would take place in the building”. The result was the decision to run the school building parallel with the canal: having explored the location and arrangement of the structure in relation to the site with the whole school community, their clear preference was to identify the school with the waterway. And with a full-height glazed curtain wall along that perimeter, whilst the canal is now used primarily for leisure craft, the connection with both the human geography and local economic history that is inherent in it, is plain for all to see. Indeed, at the end of the first day in the new school, one student pulled on her lifejacket, climbed into a canoe and paddled home with her father!Where the real design flair lies, in our opinion, however is in the organisation of the interior space – an ‘association’ (as Michál likes to refer to it) of interconnected spaces that have few barriers. Those that do exist are largely transparent or defined only by a change in floor finish, meaning that teachers can oversee and support learning passively throughout the whole space. “When we moved in” acknowledged Headteacher, Fiona Donaghey however “we had to build up staff confidence to use the space” but now those spaces, both internal and external, are being used to maximum effect. “Pupils can work confidently and independently in open spaces with more formal work carried out in the classbases” observed Simon Mair from Education & Children’s Services of East Dunbartonshire Council. The learners themselves agreed: “the building is bright, clean and airy” commented one before expanding with “and our furniture is epic!”The connection they feel in the spaces is in no small part due to the transparency that has been maintained throughout the whole of the ground floor of the school – from the external covered learning zones, into the more conventional classrooms, through into the ‘heart’: the learning street that links the whole school and back out the other side of the building to the canal, reminding the building’s users of the school’s rich context. “I like to see the canal best” commented one Year 4 pupil and, acknowledging the autonomy the design afforded them: “we use all the different spaces and it’s fun to do our work in new places” whilst another commented “I really like going to do my work on the balcony and being able to see the playground”. The older Year 5, 6 and 7 children are housed on the first floor of the building, with the staircase doubling as a formal gathering space (there’s also a smaller area of proprietary tiered seating on the ground floor) – an example of, whilst the language may have moved on, a “campfire” zone that remains so relevant and prevalent in next generation learning spaces. And in addition to providing this additional functionality ‘for free’ so-to-speak, the width of the staircase helps connect the ground and first floors: the rite of passage explicit in ‘moving upstairs’ remains without the disconnect that is otherwise a real risk.It’s an enormous credit to the main contractor, Morgan Sindall, that they did not ‘value engineer’ out many of the design details such as this that were proposed by Walters & Cohen. It’s something far too many building contractors do when completing, what in the UK is referred to as a ‘Design and Build’ contract (whereby a single contract is placed with a construction company to deliver the building meaning the client has no contractual relationship with the architect, that relationship being solely via the contractor who is paying their fees). So as a result, the main learning corridors on both floors as well as the staircase retain the beautiful oak floor that differentiates these spaces from the semi-enclosed learning ones. And it is this floor that both gives the spaces their quality as well, on a more practical level, their functionality, enabling them to be used for much of the more hands-on learning Acoustic Treatments. But it meant, too, that the acoustic treatments had to be very carefully considered. With so many hard surfaces in the glazing and flooring, it would have been easy for this space to have become an echo chamber and as such acoustic"
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ECO Friendly Design

Elementary Canal?

17 Nov 2017