Learning beyond walls: The power of outdoor education

“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” 
John Muir

Outdoor education is not simply a pleasant diversion—it is an essential part of how children learn and grow. From our youngest pupils exploring nature to older students engaging with more structured environmental projects, the benefits are clear and wide-ranging.

This is why we love Forest School and keep it running into our secondary curriculum, and why we have invested so much into our new ‘Growing Minds’ curriculum at Longdon.

A 2020 report by the Institute for Outdoor Learning confirmed that children who spend regular time outdoors experience improved attention, reduced anxiety, and stronger social skills. Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods, has long argued that time in nature nurtures creativity, resilience, and even academic performance.

We are deeply grateful to The Friends of LCS for their fundraising efforts, which have made possible the new Polycrub at Longdon. Already, pupils are thriving in this space - planting, harvesting, and learning about sustainability in a hands-on way. The Polycrub provides shelter from our unpredictable weather, ensuring that outdoor learning can continue throughout the year. This is particularly beneficial given how the winds can howl around the Longdon buildings!

Beyond physical health, outdoor experiences foster teamwork and problem-solving. When children work together to tend plants, build shelters, or solve environmental challenges, they are also learning cooperation, leadership, and respect for the world around them. They create and problem-solve and learn from their stewardship of the natural world.

Our vision for education has always included this vital connection to the outdoors, and I could not be more pleased to see it flourishing so vividly in our school. If we can look after our planet, it can look after us.

Inservi Deo et laetare