Outdoor learning at Borrowdale School

Truly getting out and about and learning in the outdoors is one of the important parts of the ethos of Borrowdale school. Every week in the spring and summer months, pupils get to experience and learn outdoor sports such as climbing, abseiling, ghill scrambling, team building and much more at Glaramara Activity Centre, with their experienced and dedicated instructors. Pupils also go to Nichol End Marina for water sports such as kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, sailing, and windsurfing lessons. We are looking forward to the day that will allow the centres to reopen so that our pupils can return to doing these activities again.

Outdoor Education is a part of the National Curriculum and is vital in providing a set of soft skills for our pupils. It helps children to develop self-esteem, take responsibility, co-operate with and respect the needs of their peers; extend their personal horizons through greater appreciation and understanding of the Lake District and the world. It helps children to understand sustainable relationships between people and their environment; enhances practical problem solving and team work skills. It also helps to promote a positive and knowledgeable response towards personal health and well being.

Whilst we wait for our ‘normal’ outdoor sessions to resume, we decided that it was fundamental to our school that our outdoor learning continued. We therefore invested in equipment at the school such as Archery sets, a slack line and extreme golf kits. So far children have been enjoying afternoons out in the spring sunshine, learning the skills needed for Archery. It has been brilliant to see the children help each other, have great success and also take on the responsibility of keeping themselves and each others safe. We look forward to getting out and about this summer onto the fells and into the forests for forest school sessions and all other outdoor learning.