Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC)

We are very fortunate to be able to offer rich learning experiences in a wide range of different environments in and around the school grounds. Environments include:

• Large grounds backed by Scadbury Park wood - including our own base camp in the park.  
• Three developed Forest School areas - Puzzlewood Basecamp,  Ashdown Basecamp and Sherwood Basecamp.
• Celtic hut and learning area
• A decked wildlife pond
• Two bee hives
• Large outdoor grassed area including sports pitches and athletic areas
• Two large playgrounds
• An Edible Eco Garden with an outdoor classroom, which is being developed to include cooking area and working stations
• Outdoor Music Garden
• Trim trail/Adventure/Climbing play areas
• Swimming Pool 

Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) is the use of places other than the classroom for teaching and learning. The driving ethos of our school is to get children out and about, providing them with challenging, exciting and different experiences to help them learn. 

Learning outside the classroom is a tool for teaching and learning. It has been proven to raise attainment and achievement, improve behaviour and improve the engagement of all groups of pupils, including those who are hard to engage inside the classroom environment. It is something that we are fully committed to at Midfield Primary School and we integrate this ethos throughout our curriculum.

Learning outside the classroom can happen at almost any time and almost anywhere!

The ‘places’ where learning happens can have a significant effect on how a child engages with a subject or an idea. Learning outside the classroom can happen at almost any time and almost anywhere – outdoors or indoors: in our school grounds, on the high street, in the local park, in museums and art galleries, on mountain tops and rivers, in Britain’s remote places, or elsewhere in the world.

We believe that our children should have access to frequent, continuous and progressive experiences in the school grounds, educational visits further afield and residentials.  These experiences should be utilised as a tool for teaching, learning and delivering the curriculum across all subject areas.

At Midfield, learning outside the classroom is built into planning for all learners, every week and all year round. It is a powerful tool that is proven to bolster social, emotional and personal development and contributes to the health and well being of children and young people.