Outdoor Learning

LCS is proud to be a Nature-Friendly School!

The whole of 2021 was a very exciting year as LCS began its journey with  Nature Friendly Schools, a ground-breaking project funded by the Department for Education and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) (https://www.naturefriendlyschools.co.uk/). 

Our aims were simple:

• to improve the grounds to enhance outdoor learning (OL) for all pupils;
• to build the confidence and skills of staff to deliver OL across the curriculum and;
• to help pupils to connect with nature for their improved health, well-being and academic resilience in addition to their learning.

With the guidance of Andy Steele of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust (https://www.ywt.org.uk/), our NFS Education Officer, we carried out groundworks for the school, purchased equipment to support OL, and undertook staff training and development.

Then in October 2021 we kickstarted the NFS project with the children by having a whole school Nature Friendly writing week.  Each year group was given an outside area of the school and they worked with Andy to make it “pollinator-friendly”. 

Each year group is now responsible for maintaining this area so that as children move up through the school they will experience and explore a variety of growing sites and habitats.