We believe regular access to the outdoor environment is crucial for children’s learning. Being outside has enormous benefits for children’s mental health. Our outdoor environment provides opportunities for children’s holistic growth. We develop confidence and self-esteem through play, supported risk taking and hands on experiences.

Our Outdoor Area is composed of many parts:

Small Outdoors

Our Small Outdoor Area’s sheltered design allows us to access the outdoors in all weathers. It includes a large sandpit for social, gross motor open ended play. The Small Outdoors enhances what children are learning indoors through promotion of number, big construction to build strength and team building, music area for children to sing and play their favourite songs and rhymes. There is plenty of opportunity for writing, through the use of blackboards and Perspex and a writing table.

Big Outdoors:

Construction Area

Promotes communication through collaboration where they can learn to move and use equipment safely.

Park

Promotes physical development through engaging with different equipment enabling them to practice various movements. They learn how to be safe when risk taking.

Mud Kitchen

The Mud Kitchen creates a space for children to practice social skills and make sense of the world though messy play and exploration of nature. The mud kitchen provides opportunity to read and write recipes, play with number and capacity measuring and counting “ingredients”. It teaches the importance of good hand washing techniques. It provides endless imaginative role play opportunities and develops strong fine motor skills using real-life objects.

Playhouse

The playhouse is a flexible space changed to suit the interests of the children at the time. Throughout the first term it is designed to deepen children’s understanding of celebrations by changing it into a birthday/Halloween and Christmas house.

Maths Station

The maths station encourages children to engage in both gross motor and fine motor mathematical play. The children are drawn to the natural objects used in this area which highlight the beauty of shape, symmetry, colour, classification, order, patterning, and quantity.

Writing Shed

The writing shed is designed so that children can foster a love of writing in all weathers. This space provides a sheltered area where children can get lost in their writing and mark making activities.  Although it is important to remember writing is not just confined to this area but promoted in all areas both inside and out.

Reading Hut

Children love hiding spaces; our outdoor reading hut provides the perfect safe space for children to cosy up and share a good book with a friend.

Bikes

We have a set of balance bikes and scooters to give children ample opportunity for exercise and gross motor control.

Natural Art Area

Our natural art area gives children the opportunity to experiment with a range of techniques to express themselves through open ended activities using natural and found materials. They gain confidence while they imaginatively explore what nature has to offer.

Topic Tray

Our topic tuff tray reflects what we are learning inside the classroom. Activities on this tray are rotated weekly to give children an opportunity to consolidate what they have learned through small world play, challenges, or exploration.

Story Circle

The Story Circle is a fantastic space that can be used both as an adult led or child-initiated space for learning. We love sitting together on the mushrooms to listen to a story and the children can become their own story tellers by sitting on the throne and sharing a story with their friends. Writing tools are provided for children to draw and write their own stories to share with their friends here.

Water Area

The water area satisfies children’s natural exploratory impulse. In the water area children can explore maths and science concepts. They can develop their hand eye co-ordination and fine motor skills. It is a fantastic space for imaginative and social play too.

Stage

We love our little performers in Early Years. On the stage children can act out well known stories and Nursery Rhymes. They can create rhythms through playing musical instruments and make up their own songs and dances to go along with it!