Pilot to improve primary school outdoor learning

A new initiative to bring nature into primary school learning has been launched.

The pilot programme will see teachers at five schools across Teesside undergo training to build the confidence and skills to deliver lessons outside in the hope of helping children develop a deeper connection to nature.

The project is a partnership between Tees Valley Wildlife Trust, the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom and the RSPB and will give pupils the chance to visit local green spaces including RSPB Saltholme.

Reserve manager, Chris Francis, said regular "meaningful experiences in nature can transform how children learn, feel and engage with the world around them".

The pilot starts in September and will run for three years and a further five schools will join in its second phase.

It is hoped more experiences of outdoor learning will boost wellbeing, improve engagement and build a stronger connection to the local environment, the RSPB said.

It added the pilot could influence education "on a much wider scale" and could lead to a UK-wide approach.

Funded by Teesside Environmental Trust, its chairman, David Kitchen, said: "By investing in teachers, this initiative aims to create lasting change.

"Ultimately, the project seeks to inspire a new generation of environmentally aware young people - equipping them with the knowledge, connection, and motivation to care for nature, now and into the future, which is exactly what our planet needs."

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