Joe Beament, the Executive Headteacher of St Saviour’s Infants and Junior Schools in Bath, is a huge advocate for the power of outdoor education and play. He tells us more…
After a great start to the new term, children across the St Saviour’s Schools in Bath are back in their classrooms learning and having fun. For this school, however, the classroom does not stop at the door, with pupils taking part in outdoor adventurous activities on a weekly basis.
Outdoor play has always been a key aspect of the provision, with St Saviour’s winning a national play award and being recognised as a lead organisation in outdoor play and learning (OPAL). But it does not stop there, with the curriculum from Nursery to Year 6 rooted in both outdoor education and the more traditional classroom lessons.
Our children’s mental health and wellbeing is more important than ever during a long period of uncertainty and this may have caused some stress and the worry for them. The St Saviour’s Team is dedicated to ensuring children love school, get out in the fresh air and make memories that will last a lifetime.
The St Saviour’s Schools work weekly with SG Forest School, a specialist forest school, as well as their own forest school-trained staff.
Children are stimulated by spending time outdoors and there are so many proven benefits, including increased energy levels, improved mood and focus, while running around breathing in the fresh air always helps to ensure a good night’s sleep. We are so lucky to have several diverse forest school areas nestled in the middle of our grounds. In particular, the magical Paul’s Garden, a mature wooded area with a large pond and hidden paths – some children have even seen fairies hiding in the trees. We have also got our large Willow Garden with forest school circle, trees for climbing and a lush grass bank for rolling down.
Our ethos is very much built around nature, play and giving our children the opportunity to learn new skills, build their confidence and emotional well-being, boost their creativity and imagination, and develop essential problem-solving skills – we are outside and having fun, rain or shine!
Due to the pandemic, St Saviour’s Schools is unable to offer its usual open days. Instead, families are invited to visit at a time that suits them. To book a visit, go to https://www.stsavioursbath.co.uk/ or https://facebook.com/stsavioursbath