Outdoor & Wildlife Learning (OWL) Time is an integral part of the educational experience for Sandleford and Reception children. The outdoor environment is a rich, dynamic and natural space for learning and development in children of all ages. Its value as an essential learning resource has been recognised by many pieces of research and more recently within the EYFS.
The EYFS states:
- Being outdoors has a positive impact on a child’s sense of well-being and helps all aspects of a child’s development
- Being outdoors offers opportunities for doing things in different ways and on different scales than when indoors
- It gives a child first-hand contact with weather, seasons and the natural world
- Outdoor environments offer a child the freedom to explore, use their senses and be physically active and exuberant.
St Gabriel’s has 56 acres of grounds, which the children have access to all year round, allowing them to follow a varied programme of activities in OWL Time, including outdoor cooking, den building, obstacle courses, nature trails and creating woodland art.
