Outdoor sessions encourage pupils to learn about growing vegetables and using them in cookery
Naomi Bartholomew, head of St Catherine’s Prep, reveals the benefits of learning outside of the classroom
We have a policy here in the Prep School that it?s not the wrong weather, only ever the wrong clothes. A school life in the idyllic Surrey Hills, where there is plenty of fresh air and space, is the perfect environment for children to play and grow. We encourage the girls to wrap up, get their wellies on and be outside playing and learning whenever possible. Freedom to be truly creative in play is important to us  ? playtimes are fun and not bound by a rota or time restrictions.
I have spent idyllic hours in the woods watching the girls exchange leaves for conkers at one of their ?nature shops?, or discovering freely within the outdoor space. We are also able to take learning outside in our Cottage Garden, where girls learn about growing vegetables and then using the ingredients in cookery, while the Gardening Club sees those who are keen and green-fingered planting, weeding and looking after our raised beds and pots around the school. The girls thrive at our outdoor classroom, Little Wood Lodge, an eco-cabin which hosts science lessons, drop-in board game sessions at break time and the girls? very own pop-up classrooms. The girls choose to teach on a topic in which they excel to fellow pupils and staff. We?ve had pop-up classroom sessions on Scottish dancing, space, ska...