Green Learning Environments Alyson Boothroyd SLD Teacher, Bluebell Park School, Liverpool

Aims of Today Leave here being more aware of outdoor learning research Have some more ideas both with mainstream outdoor learning and SEN outdoor learning Access to a toolkit to use Maybe have a bit of time to get creative!

Who are we? 202 on Roll Ages 3 – 19 Deprived area SLD school including ASC, PMLD Class sizes 6-10 pupils Minimum 3 staff per class

Each classroom has their own outdoor area, and we have an enclosed wooded area with a story chair

A poly tunnel and raised beds to grow vegetables

A games area, playground and running track

A sensory garden

Our Curriculum Forest Schools JASS Duke of Edinburgh Horticulture

Outdoor Education Project Specific to learners with Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD) Included two schools and the Forestry Commissions from UK, Belgium and Slovenia Funded by Erasmus+ Programme UK- Mersey Forest, Bluebell Park School (Liverpool) and Green Lane School (Warrington). Belgium – Heemschool and Sint Gregorius BOS+ Slovenia – Jelo Janezic School and Ljubo Sercer School institute of Forest Pedagogics, Slovenian Forest Institute

Project began in October 2016 Lasted two and a half years Two trips to Belgium, two to Slovenia and one to UK Three part project; IO1- discover best practice/ research IO2- develop a toolkit IO3- create policy/ procedure Using survey monkey to send out questions -one tree per response!

Main themes from the research… We spoke to a variety of people and looked at papers and articles Its link to the 4 areas of SEND: Physical and Sensory Cognition and Learning Communication and Interaction Social, Emotional & Mental Health The imaginary teaching of indoors, versus the real teaching of outdoors Benefits Attitudes

In general… Green Learning is Good!! Children who regularly play in nature have more developed fine and gross motor skills Are ill less often Are better at problem solving Behaviour improved, particularly with ASC and ADHD Empathy with the natural world Children are stuck in a similar education model to mainstream even though they need different

Vygotsky talked about social development through free play in the natural environment In the USA, between 2000 and 2003, 369% increase in ADHD medication Seneff (2017) predicted that judging by the current rate of ASC diagnosis, by 2032 every other child in the USA will be autistic People more aware, procedure for diagnosis has changed, but so have expectations 100 years ago children were still very active and doing physical work but now must sit still in class – could this be leading to an over diagnosis of ADHD? In 2016 the Guardian reported : one in five children spent no time outside during the day One in three were out for less than 30 minutes per day Three out of four would rather play virtual sports on a computer than real life sports

Natural Thinking Report by Dr William Bird, for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Investigating the links between the Natural Environment, Biodiversity and Mental Health

Logic would suggest that after 10,000 generations having to survive in a natural environment, human evolution would have programmed our genes to perform best in a favoured natural environment of water, shelter, food and safety. By the same logic, it would be surprising if the rapid disconnection of humans from nature in just a few generations did not cause some difficulty to adapt to this new environment. Get children outside by age 12!

Toolkit Each school had to come up with two ideas to add to the toolkit, ideas included:

Free Art Imagination, dexterity, colours, sorting,

Mud Monsters Imagination, speech, dexterity fine motor,

Adaptations Wheelchair access Being able to reach the trees Hand over hand Keeping warm Peer support Boundaries/ absconders Edibles

Barriers and Opportunities Reluctant participants Upkeep and maintenance of outdoor area The weather Public access Fitting it in Space Costs Ability Health and safety Time Training

Maple Class’ video

Green Learning Environments List of references/ research: https://www.leaf.global/news/2019/3/14/bos-erasmus-project-green-learning-environments http://www.bluebellparkknowsley.co.uk/curriculum/outdoor-learning-project/ http://ww2.rspb.org.uk/Images/naturalthinking_tcm9-161856.pdf https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/mar/25/three-quarters-of-uk-children-spend-less-time-outdoors-than-prison-inmates-survey http://www.bluebellparkknowsley.co.uk/ alyson.boothroyd@bluebellparkknowsley.co.uk   Green Learning Environments List of references/ research: https://www.leaf.global/news/2019/3/14/bos-erasmus-project-green-learning-environments http://www.bluebellparkknowsley.co.uk/curriculum/outdoor-learning-project/ http://ww2.rspb.org.uk/Images/naturalthinking_tcm9-161856.pdf https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/mar/25/three-quarters-of-uk-children-spend-less-time-outdoors-than-prison-inmates-survey http://www.bluebellparkknowsley.co.uk/ alyson.boothroyd@bluebellparkknowsley.co.uk