Outdoor Learning

The Great Outdoors

We are extremely proud of the extensive grounds we have at Clapgate. 

Take a look at this fantastic newspaper article about all the brilliant outdoor opportunities we offer at Clapgate:

https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/education/pedro-and-pablo-go-top-of-the-class-at-clapgate-primary-as-school-goats-help-pupils-after-lockdown-3273808

The grounds at Clapgate provide our children with plenty of space to run around in at playtime and lunchtime, promoting exercise and a healthy lifestyle. Each Key Stage has their own playground which is equipped with trim trails and playground markings to keep children active.

Outdoor Learning Curriculum At Clapgate

We understand the importance of being outdoors and the positive effect it has on our mental health and wellbeing. We see our outdoor area as an extension of our classrooms and this provides our children with a wealth of learning opportunities such as exploring, experimenting, problem-solving and negotiating risk, which we know allows our students to become well-rounded individuals. We have provided enough waterproofs and wellies to ensure that outdoor lessons go ahead whatever the weather.

Our outdoor space includes: allotments with raised beds for each class to grow fruit and vegetables, both in the key stage one playground and the key stage 2 playground; a wooded area, which provides opportunities for den building and investigating minibeasts; a sheltered, seated area with a central fire pit for reading stories, toasting marshmallows and learning important life skills; and an outdoor shelter that every child in school helped to construct – this allows an alternative, open-air area to the classroom for lessons.

In addition, we have a range of animals at Clapgate, including our chickens. The children have hatched and reared our chicks, look after and feed them each day, collecting their fresh eggs and letting them out to explore the grounds. We are extremely lucky to have two Pygmy goats, named Pablo and Pedro; they are part of our Clapgate family and we employ goat keepers (year 5 and 6 volunteers), to take responsibility for looking after, feeding and cleaning them out. Every day, they are let out of their pen to feely roam around in our top field. We have a school dog, named Rufus, and he has his own timetable so he visits every class on a weekly basis and works with small therapy groups. He is loved by all the children and they love taking him for walks during their break and lunchtimes too.

Our school pond is designed for our children to have a go at pond dipping – there is a variety of pondlife for children to learn about and catch with nets, including tadpoles. 

We place a high value on outdoor learning at Clapgate, so much so that we have created our own curriculum so that every class have at least an hours lesson per week. Take a look at what each year group do and learn in the link below:

• Outdoor Learning LTP

We also have our own Instagram page: @clapgateoutdoorlearning – check us out for regular blogs about children learning in the outdoors!

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Pupils’ Voice

This is what our pupils say about our outdoor learning at Clapgate:

• “We learned how to make a shelter in case it snows. We will know how to survive in wild.” – Year 1 Pupil.
• “We made models of houses and burned them in the campfire area to see how fast the fire spread in 1666 [Great Fire of London]. We also cooked bread over the campfire, like the baker did, before the fire happened. It helps us to remember what we have learnt” – Year 2 pupil.
• “We made worry dolls from Y sticks and held them together using elastic bands. I still have mine under my pillow at home. I know when I have a worry, I can tell my doll and it will make me feel better.” – Year 3 pupil.
• “It’s important to know extra life skills that we learn in outdoor learning like how to put up tents, how to solve problems. When we do teambuilding activities we develop tolerance, respect and resilience skills.” – Year 6 pupil.

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Meet Pablo and Pedro!

We would like you to meet our school goats Pedro and Pablo!

Our Pygmy goats are now 3 years old! We have had them since they were a few months old. We asked all the children for ideas and have decided to name the white one Pablo (suggestion from Reception) and the brown one Pedro (suggestion from 4EB). Looking after the goats is part of the school routine. Each class takes their turn for a week to take on responsibility for caring for them. This encourages all our children to learn about caring for animals and the responsibility that goes with it.

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The Wild Woodland Area

Within our school grounds we have a woodland area that is designed for:

• Identifying and classifying wildlife such as birds and minibeasts.
• Identifying and classifying what type of habitats different creatures have.
• Identifying and making comparisons between the conditions different minibeasts live in.
• Exploring different trees and plants, the shape, colour and size of the leaves to make comparisons with.
• Creating our own dens.

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Meet Our Chickens!

We have raised our chickens from their incubation period! 

Our pupils in our Foundation Stage and year 6 observed the eggs as they began to move and as the chicks began to peck their way out of their shells! The children enjoyed talking about the changes they had observed and could talk about how chicks need looking after.

Once the chicks had grown, we transferred them into their chicken coop – they love to jump up onto their hen houses to look at us!  The chickens are cared for by all of the pupils in school, following a rota system, and can roam the fields during the day. The children collect the eggs that have been laid each day, help to clean the coop and feed them.

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The Allotment Area

Our allotment area consists of:

• A planting bed for each class to tend to, sewing their own seeds and planting their own bulbs.
• A composting area for the children to learn about decomposing material and how to be efficient with our waste.
• An orchard area with apple, pear and plum trees.
• Bird feeders to educate our pupils about caring for our wildlife.

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The Campfire Area

All of our pupils visit the campfire to:

• Learn how to build a fire.
• Find out what we need to create a fire and how to safely extinguish a fire.
• Experience sitting around a campfire, sing songs and listen to stories.
• Gain experience of cooking over a fire, for example, cooked apples, nachos, bread and the favourite – s’mores!
• Talk about experiences in the great outdoors, camping trips that our children may have been on, excursions and days out that have involved being in the wild.

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