Our CEO, Carley Sefton, reflects on another successful year for Learning through Landscapes and looks ahead to 2025.

This new report in partnership with the Education Policy Institute includes insights and challenges around the potential of school grounds for climate resilience and education.

Applying for a Local School Nature Grant? Take a closer look at the outdoor learning training on offer.

We are calling for action to improve all school grounds in Scotland. Learn how you can support the Scottish School Grounds Collective.

Ahead of British Science Week, discover the benefits of taking STEM into the school grounds, plus ideas for teaching STEM outdoors from early years to secondary school.

Looking to make improvements to your school grounds? Discover why an audit is the ideal first step in any school grounds development plan.

Explore how mud play can support young children’s mental health, including ten activities to try ahead of Children’s Mental Health Week.

Ahead of Children’s Mental Health Week, discover why we must maximise the potential of our school grounds to support children’s mental health.

Our CEO, Carley Sefton, reflects on the new beginnings brought by 2023 and looks ahead to the future of climate education.

We’re delighted to announce that Learning through Landscapes are the proud new guardians of Outdoor Classroom Day!

We came together with everyone involved with the My School, My Planet project in Walsall to celebrate their achievements — find out more about the event.

Discover new resources to help you create Climate Ready School Grounds that double as inspiring environments for outdoor learning and play.

My School, My Planet is in progress in schools across the North West of England – learn more about this exciting project.

A Learning for Sustainability Action Plan has been launched in Scotland to ensure that every school will be sustainable by 2030.

My School, My Planet is underway in schools across Walsall – learn more about our flagship outdoor learning project.

On Outdoor Classroom Day, pupils attended RHS Bridgewater to test activities for the National Education Nature Park.

Make maths come alive for your pupils with 5 ideas for teaching numeracy outdoors from early years to secondary school.

On 7 November, thousands of schools around the world are stepping outside for Outdoor Classroom Day – here’s how to get involved.

Local School Nature Grants are back! Explore our tips and tricks for writing a winning application.

As the Natural Nations project comes to an end, explore our ideas for using our surveys to boost biodiversity in your school grounds.

On International Women’s Day, explore four ways to ensure that outdoor learning and play is safe, inclusive, and accessible for girls.

We’re finalists in the 2023 Charity Film Awards! Will you help us secure the ‘People’s Choice’ award by voting for our film?

This Children’s Mental Health Week, explore how outdoor learning and play can boost mental health and support meaningful connections at school.

We asked secondary school educators to share their strategies for outdoor learning across every subject.

We asked educators to share their advice for overcoming some common obstacles to outdoor learning at primary school.

We asked early childhood educators to share their essential knowledge for taking learning outdoors in the early years.

We asked educators to share their advice for newcomers to outdoor learning — discover their top tips for teaching outdoors.

We asked educators to tell us why they choose to take learning outdoors — and why you should join them!

Our CEO, Carley Sefton, reflects on a difficult year and finds the silver lining in the shape of LtL’s growing global reach and influence.

Oh, the weather outside is frightful — but why should that stop you? Let’s bust the most pervasive myth about outdoor learning…

Discover how we are supporting quality climate education through the delivery of the National Education Nature Park.

The new Curriculum for Wales is here! Explore the part that outdoor learning has to play in fulfilling its requirements.

Pupil behaviour can have an enormous impact on teacher wellbeing. Taking the classroom outdoors could be the solution.

Our collaboration with Architecture & Design Scotland is seeking to tackle climate change by making Scotland’s school grounds climate-ready.

Take a deep dive into our recommendations for bringing about meaningful climate action through effective climate education.

Children are living in an age of uncertainty. Explore how your school can use the outdoors to help children cope.

If you would love to teach literacy outdoors but don’t know where to start, explore our lesson ideas and quick tips.

Take the classroom outdoors with our outdoor literacy online training course for early years practitioners.

Teacher confidence is the key to developing outdoor learning for the long term — find out how to build it at your school.

Research shows that teacher confidence is the biggest obstacle to outdoor learning. Find out why it matters, and how to build it.

Contrary to popular belief, the summer holidays aren’t just for fun and games – they’re essential for teacher wellbeing.

We’ve pulled together our thoughts and tips for wrapping up the school year whilst focusing on wellbeing for both you and your pupils.

School grounds play a vital role in a child’s development, discover 5 key ways to develop your grounds for outdoor learning and play Children are spending less and less time […]

Following an exciting and impactful Polli:Gen project earlier this year, we’re sharing a celebratory highlights video for the Leicester based project We are delighted to share a very special video […]

Taking learning outdoors can enhance education and improve mental health Here are 5 key benefits for children Stepping outside feels good – many of you reading this will already know and […]

BUY ‘TEACHING THE PRIMARY CURRICULUM OUTDOORS’ HERE It takes a village to raise a child; and it turns out that it takes an entire charity delivery team to birth a […]

A new Scottish Junior Forester Award has been launched with the aim of giving children and young people an insight into a career in forestry, equipping them with the knowledge […]

We are delighted to hear the announcement by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) that our Patron, Sir David Attenborough is the recipient of the prestigious “Champions of the Earth Lifetime […]

Last week’s Forest Kindergarten course in Stirling was a resounding success! Here’s some feedback from attendees…

We are deeply saddened to hear of the recent passing of our Patron, Lord Remnant. With a passion for the environment and a long history of supporting young people through […]

Explore how schools across the UK are using an outdoor learning curriculum to support pupil wellbeing after the pandemic.

We’re delighted to announce that our Local School Nature Grant scheme will return this year, supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. Since their launch in 2017, our Local School […]

Local School Nature Grants helped 625 educational settings to improve outdoor learning last year. Queen’s Hill Primary in Norwich has already seen the benefits… Based in the outskirts of Norwich, […]

The project is called Social & Emotional Learning through bringing nature back to schools  in short SEL for Schools. We are aware of the impact Covid has/is still having on […]

Forest Kindergarten plays a big part in what we do at Learning through Landscapes — but what is it? Explore the Forest Kindergarten qualification in detail…

Forest Kindergarten and Forest School might seem similar, but they’re very different courses. Let’s compare the two…

We were pleased to be one of a number of organisations asked to share our expertise in consultation with the Department for Education and the Natural History Museum recently, as […]

Our Scotland Director, Matt Robinson, reflects on prioritising play and how to improve the quality of breaktimes. High-quality play is an essential part of childhood. Article 31 of the UN […]

Learn how Claire Abercrombie, one of our Training and Development Officers, helped St Mary’s Catholic Primary Academy to boost their outdoor learning practice. Delivering outdoor learning training in schools means […]

We are delighted to share with you the first set of newly designed resources for outdoor learning and play.  As a charity with curriculum-led outdoor learning at its core, we want to ensure our activities cover […]

Learning through Landscapes CEO, Carley Sefton, reflects on how The Big Ask, the recent climate anxiety report and the Pre-COP26 youth summit must provoke some big conversations. Last week was […]

A few months ago Jane Mackenzie, Training and Development Officer at Learning through Landscapes, carried out an Advisory Visit at a small nursery in Scotland. This is the story of […]

Thank you! Thanks to the support of everyone who liked, shared and donated to our Crowdfunder campaign last year, 7 primary schools across the UK have each received 30 sets […]

Our Scotland Director, Matt Robinson, explains why we have made a difficult decision…  In light of the growing number of serious cases of Covid in Scotland, we have taken the […]

When we first began our Natural Nations project in December 2019, we could never have predicted the pandemic disruption that lay ahead. Funded by Erasmus+, Natural Nations is working with […]

DEFRA’s Bees’ Needs Week may be over for 2021, but bees and other pollinators need to be looked after all year round. Pollinating insects are critical for food production and […]

Mary Jackson, Learning through Landscapes’ Head of Education and Communities, explains why this year’s International School Grounds Alliance conference is especially important. On 23 and 24 September this year, the […]

As I packed my office plants into my car last April, I did not expect that they would still be in my home office over a year later. In that […]

Roni Hirsch, Erê Labs, Brazil. School spaces are territories of ideal possibilities for children to build references about body potential and group cooperation both individually and collectively. Erê Lab has […]

Engaging children in multidisciplinary, evidence-based mental and physical health equity solutions In this workshop, presenters will describe how ongoing collaborations between institutions of higher education, community-based environmental non-profits, and students, […]

Training, Inspiring, Protecting – Erasmus project The Training, Inspiring, Protecting Erasmus project is led by Birdlife Malta and the Maltese Ministry of Education. Learning through Landscapes (UK) and Birdlife Spain […]

Bouncing back with Nature Connection An interactive blend of theory and practice, exploring the critical difference between nature contact and nature connection. Why nature connection matters now more than ever; […]

The National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative: A Time-Tested Solution for a 21st Century Challenge The US National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative (NCOLI) was launched in May 2020 to help schools […]

As we tackle the question of how to return to school, new evidence from our My School, My Planet project shows that dedicated outdoor education programmes can support disadvantaged pupils […]

I wanted to write this piece to explain our current Covid controls while delivering in school, early years or childcare settings. Our decisions are based on Government advice and our […]

This week my family and I sat down to watch the live streaming of a socially distanced version of A Christmas Carol at The Old Vic. It was wonderful, and […]

Dear colleagues We have continued our work in schools and early years settings as we believe that outdoor learning and play have never been more needed than now. Outdoor learning […]

We need you to help end clothing poverty in UK schools and make sure every child can get outdoors, whatever the weather. Make a donation here: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/end-clothing-poverty-for-uk-schoolchildren Give a child […]

During Spring lockdown in the UK, Spain and Malta, our Swedish friends and Erasmus + Natural Nations partners Naturskolan i Lund and Lund University were able to make significant progress with testing pilot biodiversity surveys in […]

Dear friends old and new of LtL, On behalf of  LtL I would like to express a heartfelt thank you for all your support over the past few months. We […]

‘Really happy that we now have a way forward and a great understanding of what is going to happen next’                      […]

A slightly different set of resources from our colleagues at  SEFARI (the Scottish Environment, Food and Agriculture Research Institutes) who are sharing educational activities and resources for teachers, parents and […]

Our newest Erasmus + transnational project had just got going when Coronavirus arrived and forced us to put the brakes on!  Fortunately, the teams from Malta, Spain, Sweden and the […]

“I am Carley Sefton, CEO of The Learning through Landscapes Trust (LtL). LtL is a charity founded 30 years ago to promote the use of school grounds in education. LtL […]

I am a Nana in lockdown and been given two new names by my four fabulous grandkids who I’m sadly not able to hug and squeeze.  Well not yet anyway. […]

Hello! I’m Steve Moizer, one of the Training and Development Officers at Learning through landscapes, based in the Scottish office on the beautiful University campus in Stirling. For many years […]

Dr. Helen Dodd of the University of Reading is working on two studies that are tracking children’s mental health during lockdown. The aim is to work out what children/families are […]

Learning through Landscapes (LtL) is 30 years old today! You can read all about the history of LtL by clicking here.  

The global situation we are currently all in means – for many – we have to become more comfortable with adapting. Here at Learning through Landscapes, that means looking at […]

Hi, I’m Mandy Tulloch, an outdoor learning specialist in Aberdeenshire. I run Mud Pies, weekly nature classes for 2 to 5-year-olds and work in four great primary schools in Aberdeen, […]

We’ve decided to give our staff a week off to process the ever-changing whirlwind that the entire world has found itself in. And this is why. There is no escaping […]

Childhood is a time for, well, childhood! It’s not a preparation for school or adulthood. Children need to go at their own pace, with time to explore, manipulate, discover, practise […]

Social distancing and getting outdoors – Covid-19 Like so many people around the world, we are trying to social distance, and yet a sunny weekend has shown the challenges of […]

I’m a secondary pupil get me outside! We are nearing the end of a two-year Erasmus+ project secondary science fieldwork. The main feedback from participating students was their enjoyment of […]

Natural Nations is the new Erasmus-funded project led by LtL with collaboration from organisations in Sweden, Malta and Spain.  The LtL ‘Nat Nat’ team will work with Naturskolan i Lund, […]

We are delighted to announce that Matt Robinson will be taking over as Scotland Director at Learning through Landscapes (LtL) in January 2020. Matt has been a member of the Scottish team […]

Mary Jackson, qualified teacher and Landscape Architect, discusses our latest project- Living through Landscapes- which is nearing completion after transforming the outdoor experiences of hundreds of people living with dementia. […]

Below are how three settings are taking on the Wee Voices Big Actions campaign on the 10th of December. You can read more about the idea by reading our original […]

If children don’t grow up experiencing nature, they won’t understand nature. If they don’t understand nature, they won’t care for it. And if they don’t care, who will? Sir David […]

The phone numbers at the Learning through Landscapes office in Winchester are changing today. Our main contact number is now 01962 392932. This replaces 01962 846258. Direct numbers for our […]

Behind Greta Thunberg’s headline grabbing thunderstorm of the #YouthStrike4Climate and the Extinction Rebellion protests, there are a huge number of grassroots environmental youth movements tackling climate change and boosting young […]

Last year, Learning through Landscapes spoke with American Landscape Architect Claire Latané who believes that the design of school grounds really matters. She has a particular interest in how their […]

Clare Rooney, qualified teacher and experienced trainer, outlines her five top tips for teaching in outdoor environment.  As a Training and Development Officer based in our office in Stirling, Clare […]

Connecting with nature and working together brought a sense of purpose and passion to these disadvantaged communities.

Connecting with nature and working together brought a sense of purpose and passion to these disadvantaged communities.

It started with a seed of an idea. Three years later, Fruit-full Communities has become a transformative force in so many young people’s lives.

With World Ocean Day for Schools fast approaching on Friday 7 June, we spoke to Steve King from Wild Labs all about their watery campaign.

Schools are invited to apply for up to £500 worth of free outdoor equipment and two hours of professional outdoor training as part of Local School Nature Grants.

By having one name and one identity we can better show the huge breadth of work we carry out as an entire organisation.

Over the years I have been incredibly lucky to have visited schools and settings in more than a dozen countries around the world.

In this turbulent Brexit period, Learning through Landscapes continues doing what it does best: working in partnership.

Outdoor learning is a phrase that covers so many wonderful learning experiences; from daily play in the nursery yard, through to maths lessons in the school grounds, forest schools, residential programmes, adventurous activities and even foreign expeditions.

When working with a new group I often start with a simple game so that we can all introduce ourselves.

“It’s liberating.. they are out of theclassroom, out of the traditional playground situation and can bechildren again”

The school is located in the grounds of a mainstream primary school and shares the millennium woodland that runs along the edge of both playgrounds.

The school is located next to a school for pupils with moderate learning difficulties and between them they share a strip of millennium woodland that runs along the edge of both of their grounds.

“You can see it on the children’s faces – they are not walking to thewoodland, they‟re running. They are desperate to come here and play”

“Out here, with nothing added there is a whole wealth of opportunity… they use their imagination to bring it alive”

“To learn adventurously” but also sustainably are part of the school’s aims – both supported by their use of a community woodland on their doorstep.