Holistic Learning in Schools
While I have been fortunate enough to contribute to a great variety of educational settings, from classroom teacher to Head of Department to Forest Schools Leader, these experiences have also contributed richly to my own professional development. Below you will find a variety of hands-on-experiences as well as links to published research papers.
Forest Schools Outdoor Learning
- Envisioned, devised and set up Forest School and outdoor learning programmes for Primary/Lower School students.
- Developed all policies, aims, pedagogy, resources and linked to curriculum and 21st Century skills.
- Designed assessment and recording methods to monitor self-efficacy and outdoor learning skills. These were tailored to align with the whole school ethos.
- Developed strong links with all stakeholders, including SLT to ensure the smooth and safe running of Forest School, feeding back on children’s developments with detailed observations and notes on students.
- Co-ran weekly Forest School sessions with groups of children aged 4 – 11, in whole classes and half classes and also smaller focus groups.
- Organised themed ‘outdoor learning’ weeks and end of term ‘outdoor learning’ parties.
- Undertook action research on efficacy of play-based outdoor learning and how to incorporate and link this to KS1 and Early Years curriculum.
Developing Creative Curricula
My approach to teaching and learning, whether as a class teacher or co-designing a curriculum or learning project is grounded in inquiry-based, child-centred principles.
As head of Lower School Design and Technology I:
- Re-designed the Lower School D&T curriculum, policy and AfL processes
- Managed budgets, timetables, appraisals and training opportunities.
- Forged string links with school blacksmith and trained with her to incorporate blacksmithing into the Lower School Curriculum. This culminated in co-writing a paper on the impact of introducing a forge into a school (p.347-355).
- Forged strong links with Heads of Maths, Literacy and Science to nurture a progressive cross-curricular approach to teaching and learning.
- Organised educational trips for the students both locally and as far as Eindhoven (Dutch Design Week) to grow and develop their knowledge and understanding of other teaching methods, cultures and design thinking.
Developing Pedagogy
I have worked with progressive and self-directed independent schools, a Montessori nursery, parent groups and a range of primary state schools to facilitate insets, staff meetings and workshops both in school, parents’ homes and virtually.
I have worked with groups to facilitate a dialogue on:
- Developing creativity in and through the curriculum
- Incorporating inquiry and cross-curricular approaches
- Developing 21st Century skills and metacognitive capacities in learning communities
- Designing opportunities for ‘learning through making’
- Developing opportunities for outdoor learning