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

2. 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!

3. 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

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

5. A poly tunnel and raised beds to grow vegetables

6. A games area, playground and running track

7. A sensory garden

8. Our Curriculum
Forest Schools
JASS
Duke of Edinburgh
Horticulture

9. 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

10. 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!

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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!

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

18. Free Art
Imagination, dexterity, colours, sorting,

20. Mud Monsters
Imagination, speech, dexterity fine motor,

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

23. 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

24. Maple Class’ video

25. Green Learning Environments
List of references/ research:
Green Learning Environments
List of references/ research: