Outdoor Learning at Boundary Oak
With over 30-acres of beautiful grounds in the South Downs National Park, outdoor learning is a regular feature of school life at Boundary Oak.
Outdoor learning provides rich opportunities for creativity and problem-solving. Children connect with the natural world, the weather, and the seasons.
The three core principles of our outdoor syllabus are ecology, horticulture, and bushcraft, with opportunities to develop life skills such as navigation, fire lighting, and orienteering.
Specialist teaching
Our school’s Head of Outdoor Learning, Clare Finegan, is supported by inspiring and experienced Forest Leaders, delivering weekly lessons about topics such as conservation, the seasons, wildlife, and ecology.
Outdoor learning activities
In Pre-Prep, children plant fruits and vegetables. They also make bug hotels and nests using natural materials.
In Prep, children learn about outdoor survival, which includes den building and cooking. They plant and tend to crops, and they source, filter water.
In Junior School pupils learn communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills, as well as extensive practical skills, such as:
- Foraging
- Fire lighting
- Toolwork
- Identification of flora, fungi, and fauna
Boundary Oak bees
At Boundary Oak, we integrate outdoor learning with environmental responsibility. Our apiary with two bee hives has brought over 60,000 honey bees to our school, as we continue to support our regional bee population.
Our Year 5 Bee-Keeping Club cares for the bees and gains hands-on experience. Each pupil is assessed by the British Beekeepers Association and earns their bee-keeping qualification, learning valuable skills while supporting the local ecosystem.
Unique journeys
Pupils continue their exploration of the outdoor world throughout Junior School, gaining resilience, resourcefulness, and collaborative skills.
In Year 3, all pupils complete two outdoor learning days in preparation for their first residential trip in Year 4. Challenges include kayaking, paddleboarding and orienteering at our local outdoor education centre, Fairthorne Manor.
The Year 4 Camp Out in our school grounds is a much-loved event that brings challenge and team-building opportunities, laying strong foundations for future residential trips in later years. Year 5 pupils spend two days at Fairthorne Manor, taking their hands at activities such as abseiling, while in Year 6, pupils try sailing at Cobnor during the summer term.