Natural Thinkers

Bespoke Training and Consultancy

Natural Thinkers Connecting Children To Nature – One Day Course

Raising Achievement, Health and Wellbeing from 2 to 11

Outline

This training will enable teachers and practitioners to become confident in using the natural enviroment. Central to the natural thinkers programme are 10 commitments which will be explored. These give structure for teachers and practitioners to follow enabling aspects of all areas of the curriculum to be accessed.

The One Day Course covers:

· Importance of outdoors
· Overview of the 10 commitments
· Policies and risk assessments
· Practical learning experiences

Aims of the day are:

To demonstrate how to connect children to nature through accessible activities
To explore how to support children to respect and understand their role in protecting the environment
To look at how to make food growing a part of children’s lives
To discuss ways of promoting children’s health and emotional well being
To look at creating nurturing environments that encourages communication and a sense of belonging

Description

We give an overview on how to teach areas of the curriculum outdoors and improve learning outcomes for all.
We explore the perceived obstacles to providing high quality learning outdoors and provide solutions.
We examine the need for challenge and risk in children’s play and how it can be assessed.
We create procedures taking into account the benefits of risk so that a more balanced approach can be taken.
We enable parents/carers, practitioners and community to take children to the park and green spaces within their local area.

Outcomes

Practitioners will be able to:

Devise an action plan to develop the provision of high quality outdoor learning under the ten commitments which will promote children’s health and wellbeing
Develop resources and ideas for enabling the curriculum to be delivered outside

Audience

Early Years Providers, EYFS, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 Teachers, Inclusion Managers, SENCos, Teaching Assistants

Natural Thinkers Connecting Children To Nature Through Literacy Half Day Course

Using the Outdoors to Raise Achievement in Communication,

Language, Literacy and English

Outline

This half day session is for teachers and practitioners who have already attended the one day Natural Thinkers course. Using the 10 Natural Thinkers Commitments this session will focus on how the outdoor environment can enhance learning in Communication, Language, Literacy and English.

Description

We will explore the curriculum requirements for Communication, Language, Literacy and English and how these can be delivered outside. We will look at creating stimulating outside environments to enhance these areas of learning.

Outcomes

Practitioners will leave this session motivated to:

Devise and action plan to develop the provision of high quality communication and literacy learning experiences under the 10 Natural Thinkers commitments.
Develop resources and ideas for enabling Communication, Language Literacy and English to be delivered outdoors.

Audience

Early Years Providers, EYFS, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 Teachers, Inclusion Managers, SENCos, Teaching Assistants, Literacy Co-ordinators.