What is Real World Learning?
It’s a chance to get outdoors and experience nature and culture first hand rather than learning from a blackboard, textbook or computer screen.
It’s the chance to hunt for bugs, grow your own food, appreciate the darkness and mystery of a cave, smell and touch the forest or paddle on a river.
‘I thought the view was beautiful. In one place you can see the loch and the sea and some hills. It’s better than learning about seabirds and beaches and history in a classroom, because you can actually see things for real.’
Primary girl
What are the benefits?
As well as being completely socially inclusive, outdoor learning can:-
- Inspire and change lives
- Instil a sense of pride and ownership for the local environment
- Improve mental and physical health
- Help develop new skills
- Raise achievement and attainment
- Be lots of fun
- Generate a deeper understanding of sustainable lifestyles
‘I don’t think you can just sit in a classroom and be taught how to save the planet or whatever – you have to actually get out there and learn what needs done and how to do it and everything.'
Secondary girl
Learning is fun and often messy. Learning is active! I now find myself wondering about where I could accommodate a boot and waterproof room... The pupils make valuable connections to classroom based school work and have had the chance to experience some relative freedom in experiencing risk taking and to speculate. These skills are not text book driven.’
Primary Headteacher
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