At Wheatfield we are extremely fortunate with our outdoor environment.
Our grounds include a large onsite ‘Wild Wood’ forest, a sensory garden, a pond, allotments, a beautiful wild flower meadow and two large play spaces. We’re very fortunate to even have our own Wheatfield chickens! We have many outdoor benches for flexible learning, as well as offering opportunities to eat lunch outdoors. Our play times are enhanced with equipment for both EYFS/KS1 and KS2. We also have a large field as well as an amazing ‘all weather multi-use games area’ which we fund raised for, as part of our 20 Year anniversary as a school.
As an inclusive school with an underpinning ethos of ‘inspire to achieve’, we aim to offer our children the experiences of outdoor education as a tool to develop their skills both academically and holistically. Research shows that outdoor education and children’s access to nature positively improves self-esteem, physical health, development of language skills and their disposition to learning (Davy, 2009). At Wheatfield we aspire to engage children in exciting, stimulating and purposeful learning by using our school grounds, as a tool for teaching and learning through hands on experiences.
“Active play is the natural and primary way that children learn”
Sir Ken Robinson, 2009
“Teaching outdoors helps encourage curiosity and stimulates all the sensesin a way that indoor learning simply cannot do.”
The Woodland Trust
Nature Friendly Schools
In September 2023, we were a finalist in the Avon Wildlife Trust’s School Wildlife Gardening competition. Although we didn’t win, the judges were very impressed with the steps that we have taken to make our school grounds eco and wildlife friendly. We continue to implement some of their suggestions to make the school an even better place for our little visitors!
The Allotment
The children love to visit the space, spending dedicated lesson time out there three times a year. As well as learning about the plants growing on the allotment, they sow seeds, plant out seedlings, weed and water. They even get to eat the produce during their summer and autumn visits! In the summer, during break and lunchtimes, the children love to sit in the allotment as a quiet space away from the games on the field.
“The love of gardening is a seed once sown that never dies.”
Gertrude Jekyll
Grounds Days
One Saturday per term we have a Grounds Day when families are invited to come along and spend time refreshing, tidying, repairing and improving our school grounds. From litter-picking to hedge planting, sweeping up leaves to cleaning out the chickens, there is always a list of jobs to do and of course, hot chocolate and S’mores are a must to round off the morning!
