Osmotherley Primary School

I would like to apply for the Bright Ideas fund to help our school offer outdoor learning in science and technology, using the natural environment beyond our school site. Osmotherley Primary School is on the edge of the North York Moors with areas of woodland, fields and rivers within walking distance. Young children love learning outside are often more engaged in outdoors activities, particularly children who find the confines of a classroom challenging.

Outdoor learning can enhance the study of many subjects, particularly science and technology. For example, exploring the local environment is the best way to learn about the plants, animals and habitats found there. Building a shelter or a home for a mini-beast, evaluating a raft that a child has designed and made by testing how well it floats in a river or cooking food in a fire pit are all memorable learning experiences. Such engaging experiences in early science and technology learning could help to foster a lifelong love of those subjects.  This could inspire young children to study science or technology in the future.

We are passionate about the benefits of outdoor learning and we are keen to offer more opportunities for our pupils to take their science and technology learning outdoors. However, taking the children beyond the school site requires additional adult support to keep the children safe. A successful bid would allow us to fund the extra support necessary to offer an additional outdoor session every week until the end of this school year.