Outdoor Education

Outdoor education is a broad spectrum. So how do we adapt it for our sessions at Branching Out? We stick to our core principles: Enviornmental, sustainability and climate change awareness. We see these three principle link together and creating a natural learning cycle: Discovering about the natural world, discovering how we can ensure the sustainability of the natural world, and what issues it is facing in terms of climate change. However, there are two overiding elements required for success: Enticing a curiosity and passion for the natural environment. This ensures that our world is in safe hands for future generations.

Branching Out Forest School Leader, Toni Pettitt, is passionate about delivering sessions to children and young people that resonate with them on a level that allows them to connect personally with the subject. Past sessions have taken place at a working organic farm, in schools, in woodlands, open fields, national parks - the sessions are entirely adaptable. Sessions are all very hands-on, and incorporate a number of different teaching techniques and activities so all children and young people can take something out of the sessions that is appropriate to them and their interests. Some will thrive at looking at the water wildlife found pond-dipping, others will want to get the science equipment out and explore the species further; Some will want to look at all the ID charts and learn the exact species, and others will just find enough enjoyment looking through the binoculars; Some will enjoy using natural resources to be creative, and others will enjoy the active games themed around the sessions. The important thing is, every individual comes away with a part of the day that they felt engaged with, and therefore learnt effectively through. To esnure this is the case, sessions will typically integrate a number of different subjects to draw in the interests of each individual child, and to also demonstrate the link in the real world between science, maths and english skills and how an applied hands-on approach can concrete their learning experience.

Special areas of interest for Branching Out’s Outdoor Education Sessions:

• Soil health (-linking in with worms and small critters as a form of soil health ID; A focus on the implications of checmicals on our soil; Identifying different types of soil and what exactly soil is and why the health of soil matters in terms of climate change)

• Water Wildlife (-idnetification of different species; understanding different water habitats such as ponds, lakes, streams, rivers, etc; Understanding different water qualities and the implications of this on the wider environment)

• Organic Farming (-encouraging an alternative attitude towards current day farming; Discussing the implications of chemical farming on the wider environment, especially on species that are heavily declining