Outdoor Learning

Mowden Hall has always believed in the benefits of learning beyond the classroom, and we recognise that outdoor education offers children unique opportunities and experiences that cannot be taught within the constraints of their everyday learning and surroundings. Where better to experience the great outdoors than in the Northumberland’s fresh air and beautiful scenery?

The outdoor sessions have been designed to give children exciting and practical experiences that enable them to gain a deeper understanding of theoretical concepts they have learned in the classroom.

Learning outdoors encourages our children to think of learning as an ongoing process and that it is not limited to when they are indoors.In addition to weekly visits to our outdoor learning site, children enjoy trips to the beach and countryside, where their imaginations and creativity are stimulated by the landscape around them. Children come out of their shells and become more social as they feel less inhibited by all the space around them.

We take great delight in watching them have fun making new friends and becoming more confident in taking part in games and activities.Activities that children enjoy throughout the year as part of the OWL programme, keeping them healthy, alert and active include:

• Woodland walks and nature trails
• Making nature crowns
• Hunting for mini beasts
• Shelter building
• Making teddy homes
• Storytelling
• Making mini beast hotels, wooden snakes, tree cookies, leaf presses
• Building and preparing the campfire

We are fortunate to be part of a larger educational establishment and so we are able to use the facilities of the Prep School. We use the Gym, IT rooms, Art room and Swimming Pool, together with Tiddlers’ Corner. In addition, we are able to draw on the educational expertise of a large staff.