UON helps company develop learning outdoors for schools

Children’s education in the county is being enhanced thanks to an outdoor teaching company supported by University of Northampton (UON).

Learning outside the classroom provides an engaging way to boost children’s educational development.

It also supports their mental health and wellbeing, deepens their connection with nature, promotes more inclusive learning, and positively impacts their speech and language progression.

But this cost-effective addition to class-based teaching often goes unrecognised.

Jo Clanfield is the Managing Director of Teach Outdoors, a company that works with schools to utilise their outside spaces and natural areas for teaching and learning of the curriculum.

Jo is also a UON Primary Education graduate and, when she needed a helping hand with a new project for her company – to upskill all school staff to engage with outdoor learning – she turned to the University for support.

With an intensive programme of workshops, one-to-one business mentoring and grants, all designed to support entrepreneurship, Jo (pictured second from left next to UON’s Helen Tiplady during a recent event) explains how the University helped her to help schools help their children: “The University has provided me, a former student, with a springboard to bigger opportunities for Teach Outdoors.

“The training and support from the University helped me to shape a pilot scheme for five schools. We also worked with a student intern who supported us with social media and creating online content.

“The schools have empowered their staff to integrate outdoor teaching into their curriculum, enriching the educational experience for their students. “These schools are starting to show the transformative power of outdoor learning, which research has shown to enhance academic performance, promote mental and physical wellbeing, and positively influence behaviour, which has all been made possible due the support from the University.”

For more about business support at University of Northampton, see our website.

Find out more about Teach Outdoors.