Local area

The connections young people make with their local environment can last a lifetime and inform their outlook on many other areas of their lives. This section explores the ways your local area can provide an exciting context for first-hand learning experiences.

 

Getting started

Using the area which surrounds the usual learning setting can provide opportunities to extend and deepen learning. Local areas can also be differentiated from the school or centre environment on the basis that they can move learning into a different or wider cultural and sociological context.

For example, the study of the local environment might allow the discovery of historical events which have shaped local culture, industry, landscape or nature. In other words, the local area becomes a resource, enabling links across learning and connecting many curriculum areas into one clear and real context.

Advantages of learning in the local area

Many schools and centres already use their local areas to provide engaging experiences for children and young people. The reason is that these visits can be made regularly with minimal additional preparation in terms of risk assessments and forms. Frequent visits to a familiar place can allow learners to deepen their levels of understanding. Visits for different age groups can have quite different outcomes too.

Finding a location

Local green spaces can provide an opportunity to observe nature, while local built heritage can provide further opportunities for learning. There are many useful organisations that offer help in terms of locating and making best use of the outdoor spaces and places closest to you.

Your local authority will also be able to offer you guidance on where to find local spaces, for example local parks or playing fields. You could also approach other schools in your area for suggestions.

It will also be useful to search on the interactive map as, depending on your location, there may be opportunities highlighted. However, remember that the map isn’t a list of all spaces suitable for outdoor learning, and you should make use of partner organisations to seek out suitable opportunities.

The senses

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Kathy Kennedy from Kelty Primary School talks about her school's experiences with outdoor learning and explains how the staff have worked with countryside rangers to deliver experiences in the outdoors.