The brief toOutdoor Coaching UK was to reconnect the infant classes of Ysgol Melyn Gruffydd in Cardiff with outdoor learning.
They had done some outdoor work in the past but the staff needed a boost of confidence in using the outdoors as an aid to the new Curriculum for Wales. The project involved using all six Areas of Learning in the new curriculum, taking one each day. As outdoor learning is very holistic in itself, many activities could be used for cross-curricular work. The theme of Nature Connection was woven through the six days as was the year 2 topic of Habitats - Cynefin. Each lesson was an hour long so that all four classes could be involved.
The teaching staff and classroom assistants were enthusiastic and involved in the planning and execution of the lessons. Activities covered were: shelter building, creating habitats, numeracy and maths, creative writing, minibeasts, outdoor art and crafts. The weather was varied some rain and some fine which gave a fair view of what could be undertaken in the outside classroom. Resources were provided for the class at each stage and staff were shown how simple and cost-effective they could be. As the days progressed the staff grew more confident and were already planning their next term's work involving that great assessment tool ‘The Outdoors’.
