Events Calendar - South Downs National Park Authority

Roman’ over the South Downs!

Suitable for Key Stage 2 and 3 teachers. Deliver specific curriculum topics – in this case on the Romans in Sussex. Encouraging schools and students to link occurrences in their studies to the South Downs in Sussex. Encouraging schools to plan/consider a Sussex Roman History study day or trip. Key themes: Using Learning Outside the […]

Mythbusting Outdoor Learning

Suitable for All Key Stages and SLT. Busting the commons myths of outdoor learning. Do you need a qualification? What helps to take those next steps? Why take your curriculum into nature? Key themes: Nature connection, woodland training and wellbeing activities. Session outline: It’s been a tough 18 months and Covid has prompted us to […]

WIlding up the school grounds

Suitable for All Key Stages and SLT. How to carry out a school grounds audit, looking at the starting point to assess provision for nature, wildlife and as an outdoor teaching resource. Be able to make a design & plan to improve the school grounds making it a haven for wildlife and an enriched outdoor […]

Sussex and the South Downs: County of Conflict

Suitable for Key Stage 2, 3 and 4 teachers. Deliver specific curriculum topics, e.g. South Downs in wartime. Encouraging schools and students to link their studies of WWI/II & Tudor warfare to the South Downs in Sussex. Encouraging schools to consider a wartime Sussex History study day or trip involving the Sussex Downs. Key themes: […]

Bring out your Belloc and capture your inner Kipling!

Suitable for Key Stage 2, 3 and 4 teachers. Deliver specific curriculum areas through the South Downs in poetry and writing. Encouraging schools and students to create their own writing about the South Downs after exploring the verse and prose of Sussex poets and writers past and present. Encouraging students to investigate further Sussex writers […]

Wilder wellbeing for schools

Suitable for Key Stages 1 to 4 teachers and SLT. What is a connection to nature and why is it important? How does a connection to nature benefit children (and adults)- including physical and mental wellbeing, confidence, and resilience? Discover simple ways to integrate wellbeing through nature in to your school day. Key themes: Wellbeing […]

Clothes, plants, art and sustainability – a cross-curricular topic

Suitable for Key Stage 1, 2, and 3 teachers, governors and SLT. Discover how to use natural dyes on your doorstep, e.g. blackberries. Understand which plants are used in clothing material, e.g. nettles. Understand why current fast fashion is unsustainable. Key themes: Nature connection and curriculum linked for design and technology. Session outline: Starting with […]

How do I feel about bugs?

Suitable for Key Stage 1, 2 and 3 teachers. School grounds and local parks provide a wealth of opportunities for children to fully connect with nature, increasing understanding, appreciating its beauty, through emotional connection and generating a caring attitude. Invertebrates are some of the most beautiful, amazing animals on the planet. We can’t live without […]

Smugglers’ South Downs!

Suitable for history and geography coordinators and heads of departments. Using Learning Outside the Classroom to deliver specific curriculum topics/areas, e.g. local history, different time periods and crime and punishment. Top tips on planning a school trip in Sussex for history and geography topics linked to crime and punishment. Key themes: Using Learning Outside the […]

Teaching KS1 science through mythology

Suitable for Key Stage 1 teachers. Understand the benefits of outdoor education to children and nature. Follow an outdoor model session linking mythology and science for Key Stage 1, linked to the national curriculum, including examples of cross curricular opportunities in art, music and English, creative writing. Support will be provided for developing risk assessments. […]

Go Wild about Sussex with the John Muir Award

Suitable for Key Stage 2 and above. Learn about the importance of National Parks and the role of John Muir in their creation. Understand how pupils can take part in activities and undertake the John Muir Award through the four challenges: Discover, Explore, Conserve and Share. Consider how staff, pupils and their families can learn […]

Developing School Grounds

Suitable for All Key Stages and SLT. Understand the Learning through Landscapes Process of Change which will give structure to your school grounds projects. Learn techniques to consider the needs of their school and identify possible solutions. Discover different ways to engage different members of your school community in planning and making changes to your […]

Teaching Life Cycles Outdoors

Suitable for Key Stage 2 teachers. Understanding the benefits of outdoor education to children and nature. An outdoor model session of learning Key Stage 2 science curriculum (Life Cycles) using the school grounds. Support will be provided for developing risk assessments. Key themes: Using learning outside the classroom to deliver specific curriculum topics e.g. life […]

Nature needs water

Suitable for Key Stage 1 and 2 teachers. Freshwater habitats are important to a wide range of both aquatic and terrestrial animals from invertebrates to mammals. Adding water to school grounds is one of the key developments and can be achieved in many ways to help different species of wildlife including invertebrates, amphibians, birds and […]

Nature detection through animal tracks and signs

Suitable for all Key Stages. Discover outdoor activities about hidden clues, tracks and signs to open up a whole hidden world of nature that is usually unseen. Understand how pupils can learn about wildlife through the excitement of hunting and traditional bushcraft skills to get hands on and engage on a deep level. Learn important […]

Pollinators for learning

Suitable for Key Stage 1 and 2 teachers. Understand that pollinators offer a significant learning context for schools. Have access to resources and information to help develop your own pollinator project in school grounds or local greenspace. Feel confident and know where to find further support as you deliver a pollinator project. Key themes: Nature […]