Pupils take classroom into nature for first outdoor learning day

Bringing nature into the classroom is no easy task - but pupils at an Ipswich primary school were treated to a day where they took the classroom into nature.

The children at Rushmere Hall Primary School took part in the first annual outdoor learning day, which was created to encourage youngsters to spend more time outside to help emotional wellbeing. 

Activities on the day included singing songs around a campfire, creating bug shelters and pond-dipping.

It was inspired by the school's outdoor explorer badge scheme which sees children work together on lessons across a range of themes, including storytelling, performance, nature and culture.

Each new learning experience allows children to collect badges they can display in their classroom. 

Beth Rogers, deputy headteacher, said: "We are so lucky to have such a wonderful range of outdoor space here at Rushmere Hall and it was amazing to see all our children using the space in such different ways. 

"We had children in the reception classes scavenging for natural items to create story sticks, Key Stage 1 children weaving with leaves and twigs and Key Stage 2 children discovering the frogs and other creatures that call our pond area home." 

The school intends to hold an outdoor learning event annually, to build on this year's success.