Outdoor Learning and Mathematics and Numeracy 

Developing a vision for teaching and learning.

Developing our vision for how we wanted to support our learners to achieve the four purposes in maths was a critical part of our journey. We decided to spend the Autumn Term unpicking the Mathematics and Numeracy AOLE to create the time and space to really reflect on what, why and how we teach. The school had already travelled a long way, breaking the traditional Abacus textbook approach and moving towards a more concrete, pictorial, abstract approach where teachers plan a variety of activities based on the needs of the pupils. Whilst this is significant and important, we knew that we hadn’t yet achieved the shift in culture where we started to think more about the "why" we teach facets of math and numeracy and how we present learning opportunities to children. We also reflected that we were yet to really embed and unleash pupil voice in mathematics and numeracy in a way that we had in other areas as part of our holistic curriculum. Therefore, we set out to achieve a culture shift where staff reflected on the learning and teaching, providing rich opportunities set in a context that pupils could understand, explore, develop and discuss.

As we began the Autumn Term reflecting about the "why", we started to explore ideas for learning and teaching in real-life contexts using the environment around us. The Covid-19 pandemic gave added momentum as we thought more about how we could take learning outside. We used asymmetric Friday afternoons to discuss how we could use the outdoors, exploring ideas and pedagogy. We already had teachers using outdoor spaces, particularly in Progression Steps One and Two, but we didn’t want these activities to become a "tick box" i.e. we didn’t want staff to simply send a group outside to do something that they could have done inside. We wanted the experiences to be authentic and rich. The school is extremely lucky to have been donated a nine-acre field to which we have access via a gate at the back of the playground. Despite the fact that the school had had access to the site since 2017, the gate had barely been opened and the area was completely unused as a stimulus and resource.

 

When we began our journey –‘opening the gate’ - we didn’t really know where things were going to go but we started with key questions underpinning our educational philosophy:

1. How can we create opportunities for pupils to work collaboratively to explore concepts?

2. How do we plan for the application of skills in a real-life context?

3. Is our learning environment engaging and exciting?

4. How do we encourage and enable learners to make connections between different concepts?

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Refining approaches to teaching

As we explored ideas, we settled on a number of actions that we would like to use as a catalyst: we wanted to create a Progression Step Three maths area outside our classrooms, equipped with natural materials and maths resources; we wanted to invest in resources and equipment (we had a relatively small amount of money to work with); we wanted to see classes and groups of learners exploring challenges and ideas outside as frequently as possible as part of our maths across the curriculum; we wanted pupils to guide the learning in authentic contexts.

As teachers planned and engaged with these activities, we wanted learning to focus on the integral skills allowing opportunities for creativity and innovation; critical thinking and problem solving; personal effectiveness and planning and organising. These skills are central to supporting learners in relation to the purposes of the curriculum. We had already spent some time considering the purposes and how they could be applied in maths. This was crucial to moving away from a tendency to rely on the default of ambitious, capable learners.

 

Almost immediately, the work in maths gained momentum as the innovation of teaching approaches began to build and the success was apparent as learners flourished during outdoor activities. It became apparent to our teaching staff that the outdoors could be an inspiring and exciting vehicle for developing pupils learning in various aspects through: working in groups; exploring ideas through discussion without worrying that they might make mistakes; developing a variety of approaches to solve problems by undertaking investigation and then reflecting on what they had learnt.

A buzz developed in staff meetings where, as part of our professional development, staff shared ideas in a non-threatening environment. We did this every week, focusing on the changes and skills that we wanted to develop in relation to the integral skills. We allowed time for evaluation and discussion which empowered staff. Simultaneously, we worked with both Pembrokeshire Coast National Parks and Darwin Science to provide weekly professional development, with two national park rangers attending school and working with groups of pupils throughout the day. During the work that we undertook, they supported us with resources, ideas and projects. For example, when we were explaining to the ranger that we were going to be working on shape, he suggested mowing shapes into the field and supported us in other creative ways.

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Trailing and evaluating new activities and Integrating real-life learning experiences

We set ourselves the objective of continually asking: "what are pupils learning and why?" Below are a few examples of the learning that developed, which link strongly to the integral skills:

Pupils have planted trees in our orchard. They started asking: "How long will it take for the tree to grow? Will it be bigger than me by the time I leave school?" etc. As a result of these questions, pupils started to investigate how many years it would take for a tree to grow if it grew by 30 cm per year. This led to questions about different types of trees and their growth rate, linking to pupils understanding of ecology. We also started to consider concepts such as how many trees are required to provide oxygen for one human. This fascinated learners and energised them to plan for more planting. To support pupils to understand why deforestation occurs, pupils considered problems linked to an Nrich resource about how timber can be sold for profit.

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An  example of the authentic learning that developed is demonstrated by our toad discovery! After the lesson on growth rates, we planted two oak trees near the entrance to the field and discovered a hibernating toad. Pupils were fascinated when they discovered the creature and, as a result, we spent our science and technology sessions the following week creating amphibian hibernation areas.

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The fascination with trees continued as, during a pupil voice session, learners expressed an interest in discovering the age of different trees and reflecting on how long they had been growing in relation to their lifetimes. Here pupils worked in groups, problem solving, planning and organising to engage with the enquiry. The links to the maths skills which they had developed were strong and pupils’ vocabulary developed as they describe the circumference and estimated the age. The ‘buzz’ of learning was so strong during this Friday morning task that pupils really didn’t want to go home! Pupils were also eager to calculate the heights of trees. This required them to use their knowledge of angles, critical thinking and problem solving skills and we even touched upon trigonometry.

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Logical reasoning and problem solving also developed nearer the classroom. In this example, pupils are solving, sharing and creating magic squares or algebraic problems. Pupils linked this to ideas about how they needed to think carefully when they decide upon a starting point during reasoning problems. We try and have a group using our outside area (the area closest to school) every day to enrich learning and provide opportunities for pupils to take the lead in their own learning. The authentic contexts continued to flow as we had fencing erected to establish growing areas. Pupils interviewed volunteers asking them about the skills that they were using to plan and fence. Then, learners used their own problem solving skills to measure and calculate the area and perimeter of different parts of the field. Many enjoyed comparing calculations with adult volunteers!

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After discussion and advice with the National Parks ranger, pupils decided that we needed sheep as a cost effective way of managing our grass growth and this led to the establishment of a wild meadow. Here, Year Six learners are measuring different length ropes and calculating the area that a tethered sheep would be able to graze!

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How often do we assume pupils' knowledge only to discover that they are unsure about what they are learning? During a lessons about rationing, it became apparent that pupils had no idea what preserves were or how they were made. As a result, we grasped the opportunity to gather blackberries and make jam! Pupils solved problems involving ratio and proportion to ensure that they used the correct quantities of ingredients. This developed weighing skills, group work, ratio and proportion, as well as motivating pupils to taste the jam. 

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Understanding key concepts such as negative numbers are vitally important. Here, Year Five pupils investigated negative numbers outside using stones to create a negative number line. This simple learning and teaching idea supported them to physically move up and down the number line, explaining their understanding as they did so.

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How often do we teach a skill, such as profit and loss, without providing a context that learners can really understand? Here pupils are photographed holding one of our six chickens. Year Four pupils have looked after the animals, ensuring that they are safe and healthy. They have sold the eggs in the staff room, pricing them so that they can make a profit after purchasing food. Profits were then distributed amongst the pupils.  We had a lot of pupils applying to become the chicken managers for the Spring Term after the excitement that the pupils above generated!

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In the past, I have explored maps and scale by providing pupils with maps of areas such as London, which they may have never visited! We recognised that this wasn’t an authentic context and didn’t really contextualise learning for pupils. As a result, we decided to have maps of our school ground created, allowing pupils to plan and investigate different concepts. This was extremely popular and pupils were fascinated by the key and setting their friends challenges, linked to their ability to read the map! We have had two maps produced, one with a slightly different key, so that they can be used by all pupils.

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As well as our more structured learning sessions, we have also started to provide pupils with challenges which they can discuss and enjoy as part of break times. We have provided pupils with broad and open challenges -  it is amazing to hear pupils discussing the equipment needed, collecting and categorising e.g. leaves, debating ideas and much more. Continuing our ambition to use natural, recyclable materials, we provided pupils with slates to record their workings and ideas.