Thank you to all the schools who heeded the call from the last newsletter and booked their 2026/27 field trip early.

Just a reminder Availability is tighter this year as I am taking on an exciting new challenge this year, which means fewer field trip slots throughout the year. Please check your school’s topics, especially for summer term, and book early to secure your date.

Especially important if you are planning GCSE Geography fieldwork for Unit 2 WJEC or other exam boards.

GCSE Geography Fieldwork (WJEC Unit 2, Made for Wales) Choose from Mitigating Risk or Place and Space for next year. Flexible formats include:

• Two full days in the field
• One day teaching in school + one day in the field
• One day in the field with pre-teaching training videos

Book early – find out more here.

Dates are filling fast – email dawnnaturedays@gmail.com to book or chat about your outdoor learning journey.

This term has been very busy with full calendar of field trips for many primary schools, and sixth form classes as well six INSET training days for various schools covering:

• Integrated outdoor learning
• Maths and numeracy outdoors
• Problem solving
• Team building
• Using local area for teaching science
• Outdoor numeracy where learning comes to life

We have had some great feed back from our training with City and County of Swansea on Maths outdoors.

“It was a fantastic day to share ideas and activities.”

“Dawn was amazing with her knowledge and understanding of the outdoors and the learning that can take place.”

“Just a wealth of ideas and how to use same activities across progression steps.”

If you missed out we have a second opportunity to take part in this popular training.

Outdoor Numeracy: ‘Where Learning Comes to Life’

Knelston Primary SchoolSwansea, Swansea

Wednesday, January 27th 2027  9:30 AM – 3:30 PM

Explore how maths comes to life outdoors. Practical ideas to support meaningful, engaging numeracy across the primary phase.

This full-day session aims to support primary practitioners to make better use of the outdoors to support maths and numeracy. Across Swansea, many schools are already investing in their outdoor spaces, and the next step is to ensure these environments are used in meaningful, purposeful ways that truly enhance children’s learning.

This session focuses on how maths and numeracy naturally comes to life outdoors. You’ll explore what good outdoor numeracy actually looks like, how to spot maths in everyday experiences, and how to support children’s thinking through real-life, purposeful contexts. The session will be practical, interactive and full of ideas you can take straight back to your setting.

Target Audience

• Primary teachers (Foundation Learning to Year 6)
• TAs and HLTAs
• Senior leaders
• Maths/Numeracy or curriculum leads

Please note: this session is for Swansea school employees only.

Session Aims

• Understand what high-quality outdoor numeracy looks like
• Plan meaningful maths opportunities in real-life and outdoor contexts
• Develop practical ways to support children’s thinking, problem solving and progression in an outdoor setting

Tickets available on Eventbrite here

Council for Learning Outside the Classroom Conference

Next month I will presenting a workshop at CLOtC conference in RHS Wisley

From learning to action: Using LOtC to build citizenship and civic engagement

How can learning outside the classroom (LOtC) help young people connect learning to real-world issues and inspire meaningful civic action?

This workshop explores practical frameworks for linking classroom learning with LOtC experiences to develop citizenship, civic responsibility and learner agency. Delegates will discover how activities such as data collection, environmental monitoring, local campaigning, enterprise projects and community action can help children and young people engage with contemporary issues including climate change, sustainability and social responsibility.

Through case studies of how schools have embedded LOtC to create impactful projects which extend beyond the school, and hands-on discussion, the session will demonstrate how schools and providers can use LOtC to connect learning with real-life contexts, empowering learners to investigate challenges, gather evidence, influence decision-making and contribute positively to their communities.

Relevant across all sectors of learning outside the classroom, the workshop will also highlight how these approaches support governments’ enrichment aims, particularly around civic engagement, while also strengthening life skills, communication, problem-solving and environmental connection. Delegates will leave with practical ideas to create purposeful, integrated and impactful learning experiences that extend beyond the classroom.

Book the conference here with a great opportunity to meet other providers of learning outside the classroom and also win my book Learning indoors and out in the primary school. An integrated approach.

Book sale now on!

Also this month there is a sale for my book Learning indoors and out in the primary school. An integrated approach.

For only £15 (£21.99 RRP) on the Nature Days website, find out how to fully embed outdoor learning across your school.

“A breath of fresh air—literally and pedagogically. This book is a powerful reminder that some of the most impactful learning happens beyond the classroom walls. With practical strategies and inspiring case studies, it equips educators to seamlessly embed indoor-outdoor teaching and learning in a cross-curricular way. Thoughtfully written and deeply rooted in both theory and practice, it empowers teachers to reimagine their environments as rich, dynamic spaces for curiosity, resilience, and connection. A must-read for anyone committed to holistic, engaging education.”

Cara Evans, Outdoors and Humanities lead, Glyncollen Primary School.

INSET training

If you school would like support in integrating progressive outdoor learning into your school through value for money teacher training and mentoring then contact nature days.

“Potentially the best training I have ever had”,

“You were able to run with all of our tangents and questions and help us formulate that knowledge into activity specific ways”,

“Very insightful and massively valuable in helping us apply the knowledge”,

“How small of a vicinity we covered but yet how much we were able to explore”

I look forward to working with you and your school.

Dawn Thomas