Framlinghamian 2023 - Flipbook - Page 31
SPIRIT OF INQUIRY
found that outdoor learning helps to
activities increase serotonin as well –
foster children’s people skills, critical
which helps us to feel happy and safe.
and creative thinking, problem solving
abilities, and communication skills with
Getting outdoors builds
resilience in children
both peers and adults.
Young people at Framlingham are able
to work on their life skills by taking part in
Outdoor learning also provides important
outdoor activities as part of the school’s
opportunities for children to experience
co-curricular programme. Building on the
challenges, test limits, push boundaries
College’s Senior School reputation as one
and weigh up risks of injury. Although
of the highest achieving centres in the UK,
there can often be a natural instinct
the school launched a ‘mini DofE’ initiative
to wrap children up in cotton wool,
in September 2022, named the Junior
building resilience is an important part of
Duke Award.
preparing them for the real world.
Taking part in the award gets children
Jo Drury says: “We live in a world where
out of the classroom, providing practical,
children are so protected. They’re not
real-world experience that will support
allowed out on their own anymore, so
them in their future endeavours for years
often parents are fearful of what they
to come.
can allow their children to do. What we
do at Framlingham is provide a safe
space for children to risk assess and learn
More time spent in nature
has a positive impact on
children’s mental health
what risks they can take for themselves.
Children need to have that exposure to
risk, because that is how they are going to
learn.”
Outdoor learning has been proven to
At Framlingham, children as young as
reduce anxiety in children. According to a
age seven learn how to build camp昀椀res
study by Wells and Evans (2003), learning
during forest school sessions. Drury says:
environments with greener views, more
“At 昀椀rst, they are really fearful. But when
plants, and access to natural play areas,
they understand how to do it safely, they
demonstrated a lower level of stress.
go back and they do it again and again.”
Drury says the satisfaction of achieving
Exploring nature also helps to build
something like this and the teamwork
children’s con昀椀dence, self-awareness,
that’s required to complete the task is
and boost their independence. Getting
something that’s very hard to deliver in a
outside the classroom gives children
classroom setting.
the opportunity to try new things, which
is good for their self-esteem. Outdoor
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