At Deanesfield we are renowned for our creative and engaging approach to learning and teaching, we want to extend this by making the best use of our abundant and already beautiful outdoor areas - places where just as much learning can happen as inside in the classroom.

We want to do this by allowing children to have tangible experiences of the outdoors; learning through exploration, investigation and play. Our external environment is already enriched with outdoor classrooms, seating areas, raised planting beds, a fitness trail, sports and play equipment, tabletop games and a variety of playground and field markings and we encourage children at every opportunity to make use of these both at playtime and lunchtime. As teachers, we also plan in regular opportunities for outdoor learning using these resources in a variety of lessons. However, we never rest on our laurels and are always seeking to improve our offer to children and the local community. So, in addition to all this, we want to develop an area bursting with insects, animals and a vast array of plant life. In line with our vision for inclusion, many parts of this area will be wheelchair accessible and provide sensory stimulation for all.

Through respectful and collaborative work with pupils at our school and the neighbouring schools we have identified an area of our school field we would like to give over to nature, and allow it to be a natural extension of the classroom. By including a large pond with dipping platform, wild meadow and a native woodland walk we want to engage our children, their families and neighbouring community groups by bringing nature to them - in a way that sadly not every child experiences out of school. We would like our young people to be involved in building and designing this area, planting trees and dreaming up sculptures that will leave a lasting impact, and a legacy to be enjoyed by future generations. 

As a school, we would develop the long-term use of this area by using it as a fantastic outdoor learning opportunity which would provide many links to the national curriculum, particularly in science, geography and art, where nature can be studied and enjoyed in context. In addition to this, we envisage having community opportunities whereby parents, teachers, governors and the local community can be invited to support and sustain our wildlife area.

Our plan for our outdoor area is testament to the faith we have placed in learning through rich and varied experiences at Deanesfield. We recognise that in a built-up and heavily urbanised environment, our outdoor areas can be a tranquil haven for wildlife and learning alike. We hope, through engaging lessons and inspirational teaching, to develop successive generations of children at Deanesfield who are dedicated to exploring their local environments, learning from them, protecting and enriching them for future generations, carrying this model out into the wider world.

Forest School 

At Deanesfield Primary School, our Forest School ethos is rooted in child-led exploration, creativity and a deep connection with the natural world. Children in both KS1 and KS2 take part in a variety of outdoor crafts, forest-based games and storytelling experiences that spark curiosity and imagination. They relish the opportunity to learn and play outside in a non-traditional setting, following their own interests whilst developing confidence and independence.

As our Forest School area is on our school grounds, children are able to explore and learn throughout all seasons. They observe changes in the environment, discover new activities at different times of the year and develop a deeper understanding of the natural world. These experiences support learning across the curriculum—counting leaves or spotting shapes links to maths, exploring seasonal changes, weather, habitats and animals strengthens science knowledge and storytelling builds English skills and good oracy.

Forest School also nurtures gross and fine motor development, helping children build the strength, coordination and control needed for writing, PE lessons, and sporting activities. Through identifying flora and fauna and learning about conservation, children become conscientious caretakers of the environment, gaining an appreciation for the world around them and how to protect it.

Our Forest School leaders at Deanesfield strive to facilitate this ethos, ensuring that all these experiences are meaningful, inclusive, and beneficial for children from both key stages.

• Provisional Proposal for environmental area 1015.pdf
• Enviromental Area Aerial Plan.pdf

Learning to Care for Animals

Everyone loves it when the farm animals visit us

How We Use Our Outdoor Areas