Outdoor Learning in the Primary School Summer Course

Outdoor Learning in the Primary School Summer Course-Bookings open 29th April 2025!

This is a face-to-face course in Carlow Educate Together N.S. from Tuesday, July 1st – Saturday, July 5th 2025

Dates: Tuesday 1st – Saturday 5th July 2025

Times: 9:30 am – 2:00pm

Location: Carlow Educate Together N.S. Athy Road, Carlow.

Fee: €50 includes lunch, tea/coffee, biscuits every day

BOOK here!

What better place for learning about the environment than in nature itself? No need to go very far: a schoolyard, a garden or the local park can be the perfect location to keep working on this in a fun and safe way. Outdoor education is proven to be of vital importance in the promotion of health and well-being – both mental and physical. This course strongly aligns with the new Department of Education’s policy on Education for Sustainable Development and the SESE curriculum for primary schools.

This course has been approved for summer 2025 by Drumcondra Education Centre. Department of Education Inspectorate evaluated this course in 2023 and had this to say:

The course really heightened the participants’ awareness of biodiversity and empowered them to use their outdoor space for teaching and learning.

The quality of the participant learning experiences was very good. The tutor led learning very effectively and addressed participants’ questions comprehensively. A very good balance was struck between information-giving sessions and practical activities, with ample provision made for engagement both with the school outdoor learning environment and the local environment.
Throughout the course, participants were enabled to develop resources for use in their classrooms. At the end of the course, they were able to access online a bank of pertinent resources.

Transitions between indoor and outdoor learning were very efficient. The timetable was adjusted appropriately to accommodate the inclement weather.

This face to face and practical course is facilitated and created by local teacher, Susanne Keating. It was oversubscribed in 2023 and 2024! Her course is designed to help teachers:

explore and use their own school environment and outdoor spaces for teaching and learning
take part in and examine a series of practical, adaptable activities outside.
recognise the potential of a variety of outdoor spaces for teaching and learning
identify and manage risk appropriately
become enthusiastic and confident about using the outdoors for teaching and learning.

The course is going to be facilitated in Carlow Educate Together N.S where the school has successfully set up and maintained a number of outdoor learning projects such as an

Extensive school gardens with various areas-Grow it Yourself
School polytunnel-Grow it Yourself
Parenting and Student After School Gardening Clubs
Food education programmes-farm to fork for students and parents-cookery classes
School chickens
Outdoor classroom-amphitheatre style with seating-
Most recently Geo Dome shelter feature

Bio

Susanne is a qualified primary school teacher with great experience in outdoor learning having travelled to countries for participation in CPD courses and workshops in Scotland, The Lake District, England, Italy and Spain. She recently qualified with ITC Level 3 Award in ‘Taking Learning Beyond the Classroom’ (ofqual.gov.uk)

Book here!