Inside Out
Outdoor learning consultancy
Improving the health and wellbeing of children
Being outdoors is the best way to learn. It also improves a child’s physical health and has a positive impact on mental health, which in turn has an enormous impact on wellbeing.
Essex Wildlife Trust is driving an outdoor learning revolution in Essex through our outdoor learning consultancy, Inside Out. We are already a leader in environmental education and forest school training in Essex, working with 70,000 children a year. We want to take this to the next level by revolutionising outdoor learning for all.
Our mission is to inspire a lifelong love of nature, and our vision is to support families and educators throughout Essex to have the skills and confidence to take learning outside where children learn best.
If you’re an educator and want some advice and guidance, we can help you.
Training for educators
Much of the curriculum for EYFS, KS1 and KS2 can be provided outside. We work flexibly with educators and can offer the following to support outdoor learning at your setting:
- Virtual Staff Training Session to engage all staff and/or your senior leadership teams. FREE.
- Inset Training to focus on your grounds. What do you have? How can you use it for teaching? How can you improve it for wildlife and teaching? Twilight or day course options available. Discover more.
- Accredited Forest School Training Level 2 and Level 3, as well as Coastal School and Outdoor Learning Practice Level 2. Find out more.
- Forest Skills Courses. One day courses on a variety of topics such as ropes knots and fires. Learn more.
Latest news – Outdoor Learning Webinar
We were delighted to hold a virtual Webinar with Forest School guru Sara Knight to catch the wave of outdoor learning. Laura Harvey from Essex Wildlife Trust has recently interviewed Sara for #EssexWildlifeTV and a follow-up public webinar took place on 18 June with 50 attendees to consider the obstacles and benefits of taking learning outside and practical tips within Covid-19 restrictions.
Coming soon:
- Forest School eBook
- How to Develop your School Grounds PDF
- KS1 and KS2 Curriculum map to outdoor activities
Resources for families and educators
We have a wealth of wildlife, bush craft and Forest School activity videos drawing on our experience of over 25 years of outdoor learning and training for educators and families. From ‘Signs of spring’ to ‘Making a rope ladder’ to ‘Leaf maths’, we have something for everyone. These are a free resource to inspire children, families, educators and enthusiasts at every age and stage of life.
Virtual courses and blended courses for all
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are working flexibly and have developed a blended training programme for Forest School, Coastal School, Forest Skills and we are developing virtual Nature courses on a variety of topics such as pond dipping and wildlife gardening.