At West Park Academy, we value our outdoor space and the opportunities it can offer our people. It is a vital resource for our enquiry based curriculum. We use our school landscape to support our curriculum and see it as an alternative classroom to be used by all classes, all year round. The opportunities afforded by experiential outdoor learning are vast and plenty. There has been much research done in this area, some of the most recent our WPA children have taken part in. It all agrees that benefits are to be made in both academic progress and attainment, social and emotional, physical and mental health. Regular time outdoors also promotes enhanced communication skills, positive behaviour, resilience, better relationships between peers, improved concentration, and many other transferable skills. Children who don't always achieve indoors can find a platform where they can excel.  These benefits can be both immediate and long lasting. We are lucky to be surrounded by a space that is rich in nature and wildlife, where children can connect with the natural world. A space where we can help to inspire and engage and raise our children holistically.

“For many young people, it is not sufficient to acquire knowledge without seeing its relevance to themselves and the world around them. So, they learn better through practical experience and acquire their knowledge and understanding through real-life tasks”

- Council for Learning Outside the Classroom