Opportunities for learning outside the classroom has become a major issue in recent years with the largest school building programme underway across the UK.

The surrounding areas outside an educational establishment can be a cost effective and convenient resource for bringing the classroom outdoors.  Transforming outdoor areas around educational buildings allows young people to experience much more than books and computers.  As well as the benefits of fresh air, a change of environment stimulates different senses and enables learning to be undertaken in diverse and new ways.

Romy Rawlings, a Chartered Landscape Architect from Marshalls plc firmly believes that a sensitively planned and constructed educational landscape offers countless opportunities for learning, fun, achievement, exercise and play and says: “A school’s surroundings should be attractive and welcoming to all who use them - if the quality of the environment impacts directly upon the behaviour of those who use it, investment in the grounds of a school will surely reap many rewards  - staff retention, higher student numbers and an improvement in learning to name a few.”

The manner in which a school or college integrates into the community that surrounds it is key to its ultimate success.  A thriving school that fits cohesively into its surroundings will become a social hub and a valuable community resource for local people.

As with any development, first impressions count, but another important aspect of the design of school grounds is that they are distinctive and reflect the local identity.  Thoughtful planning will instil a clear sense of place, which in turn imparts a feeling of belonging in those who use the school.  Another important facet of the design is the reflection of cultural diversity both within the school and in its neighbouring community.

For the most effective education to take place, it is widely recognised that teaching techniques should encompass all the senses and learning outside the classroom provides wonderful opportunities for the full spectrum of sensory experiences. Outdoor spaces support holistic teaching techniques for a whole body experience that is often missing during traditional lessons and the entire learning experience can be made more tangible through a multi-sensory approach.

There are many possibilities for the incorporation of the five senses within a typical curriculum.  New tastes can be discovered through growing fruit and vegetables, the use of plant fragrances to relax or energise and artwork, particularly sculptures, are especially well suited for outdoor display.

A more tactile enjoyment of the landscape can be encouraged through the use of water, tactile plants and textural contrasts in hard materials and sound can be used to bring the outdoors to life through music trials for example.

The provision of secure cycle storage will support and encourage a sustainable transport strategy for the school and the entire grounds become a practical teaching resource in any number of ways, for instance studying the unique habitats and biodiversity of a neighbourhood.

Another major opportunity for every school lies within the area of environmental issues.  For decades, sustainability has been of interest only to fringe and minority groups, yet the application of sustainable practices now drives the design and delivery of every new development.  Protection and enhancement of our physical environment might be the prime focus but, with some thoughtful design, sustainable systems also offer students the perfect opportunity to study the natural world around them.

In every respect, it is clear that the quality of a school’s landscape is equally as important as that of its buildings.  Specific assessment audits exist for school building projects and companies who lead the way in sustainability such as Marshalls can help achieve the maximum BREEAM credits by recommending suitable landscaping products and offering its design expertise to ensure the best sustainable environmental performance. 

The aims and objectives of BREEAM include mitigating the impact of buildings on the environment, enabling buildings to be recognised for their environmental benefits and stimulate demand for sustainable buildings to raise awareness among stakeholders of the benefits of recycling.

Marshalls is the only hard landscaping company to complete Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) with The Building Research Establishment on all suitable commercial products and is leading its industry in ensuring its products are ethically sourced. 

In essence, a thoughtfully planned and constructed landscape offers countless opportunities for learning, fun, achievement, exercise, visual interest and play and working with organisations who understand and care about these issues can maximise the outdoor learning experience, bringing the classroom outside to continue the learning process.

Find out more about Marshalls work in education landscapes by visiting www.marshalls.co.uk/education or telephone 0870 200 9200 to find out more about creating outdoor learning areas and receive Marshalls free pdf brochure to give you ideas and inspiration.