The benefits of risky play
School Outdoor Learning share this new advice from Canada’s pediatricians. Read on and learn more about the changing attitudes to play.
Outdoor practice articles
The Forest School Association latest news bulletin shares this EVC (Educational Visits Coordinator) Magazine summer edition. Set within an England/ Wales context, this includes articles of interest to outdoor practitioners more generally. Read about supporting swifts in school buildings (p 14), Forest School programme principles (p18), biophobia (p20), risk perception [...]
Game-changing new international benchmark gives a green light to more adventurous play
Play Scotland (10 July 2023) share the good news about this new benchmark that takes a ‘benefit-risk’ approach to safety. This promotes a balanced approach to safety in playgrounds and other leisure facilities, and the benefits of allowing a degree of risk and challenge. Read more here.
Warning – High Fire Risk across Scotland!
OWL Scotland have sent out this alert ( 12 June 2023) to remind all teachers, outdoor practitioners and leaders to refrain from having fires during this period of high wildfire risk. This warning to be extended by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service . Even if you have extensive experience [...]
Planning a school group off-site visit? The Going Out There toolkit is now updated!
The Going Out There (GOT) Toolkit has now gone live. The main change is to the format of the Risk Assessment templates and worked examples. The Toolkits supplement the advice in the main GOT document and provide everything required to plan and organise all categories of visits. This includes planning [...]
Finding new ways to promote adventurous play
School Outdoor Learning has shared an interview with Tim Gill (15 August 2022) on this topic. This is available in text format and an audio link. Tim refers to play in school time and in local neighbourhoods, with a cultural shift towards over-protection.
Water Safety Educational Resources
New educational resources for the senior phase are now available on Education Scotland’s Water Safety page. Water Safety Scotland is hosting a water safety open day on 25 July. This event is to mark the World Health Organisation’s second annual Drowning Prevention Day. Find out more.
Outdoor Challenge: Special Report – A taste for adventure… and risk
How can organised outdoor spaces compensate for children’s lack of risk and challenge in everyday life? Nursery World (March 29, 2022) explores this topic, with input from the Forest School Association. Sara Knight explores Forest School perspective on risk in this Early Education article .
