Introduction
Merrylands Outdoors
A Centre of Excellence for
Outdoor Education in Primary Schools
Merrylands Primary School is located in the western part of Laindon, Essex, 20 kms from the Greater London eastern boundary, on the north facing slope of Langdon Hills, a sand, gravel, and clay upland surrounded by the flatlands of the south of the county, just five kms north of the River Thames.
During the early part of 2007 Barry Howard an outdoor education and training specialist who was at the time visiting Merrylands in his role as School Sport Coordinator [Outdoor Education] for the Basildon area, noticed the school's outstanding potential for sport-related outdoor education, wilderness based survival skills, and curriculum integrated outdoor environmental education.
In consultation with the SSCo Link Teacher, the then Headteacher Coryn Whymark, and school Governors, a comprehensive plan was drawn up to develop the site into a pupil-centered outdoor education workshop, living laboratory, and competition level orienteering course, and last but certainly not least, a wilderness survival training area on an area of 'scrubland' on the school site.
The Project started formally at the beginning of September 2007. Each curriculum subject for Years 4, 5 and 6 has been carefully analysed to identify where an outdoor learning component can be justifiably, and meaningfully included, as this is not just being out of the classroom for the sake of it.
By June 2008, the pupils in Year 6 had gone through the trialling of the subject-linked outdoor work. They realised what it meant to be away from central heating for a couple of hours in autumn and winter! The draft programmes of study have been very successful, and we were right to be excited about the formalisation of these in the 2008-9 academic year. 2009-10 sees the programmes firmed up and innovations can be built on knowledge of existing good-practice.
Year 5 last year went through a comprehensive outdoor challenge programme linked to survival skills through a wide range of problem solving exercises and orienteering techniques. This programme had been built on previous skills learnt throughout the term and also expected some transference to the classroom of some of the life-skills adopted week upon week through the challenges presented. Again we witnessed enthusiasm, and learning, and from the pupils a realisation that outdoor study, work, and pursuits is still a part of school and the learning environment.
We have been very careful to not make the outdoor learning components so super-structured that 'freedom' is inhibited. There is often no 'one-right-answer' to what we are studying, and pupils' individual expression is critical to much of what we do.
The current Year 5s have successfully developed foundational skills in first aid, survival skills, and mapwork/compasswork, all in the last academic year and we are seeing mature approaches to being 'out' - not just in the learning of subject-specific skills but also in their life skills of listening to, remembering, and carrying out instructions, working selflessly in teams, and developing grit and determination.
The current Year 6 have quite a comprehensive background already and are displaying sophisticated solutions to the many problems we present. Their imagination and manual dexterity, leadership skills, and enthusiasms are developing very well.
We hope you find this site useful whether you are a pupil, member of staff, a member of the wider environmental or wilderness survival skills community, or parent. If you have any suggestions for content, or links, or comments about the Project please do not hesitate to contact us via the addresses etc. below.
Barry Howard
Project Manager
Tel: 01268 417 893
merrylandsoutdoors@zoomshare.com
This website: All details, maps, and photographs © Merrylands Centre of Excellence Outdoor Education Project. For information and permission to copy contact WEBMASTER at :
merrylandsoutdoors@zoomshare.com
Updated 28-10-09