Learning beyond the classroom at Fircroft

We recognise the importance and value of learning which takes place beyond the classroom. Learning outdoors creates memorable, shared, fun experiences for pupils which can not only enhance subject learning but develop a range of essential personal and social skills such as problem solving and collaboration.

Our curriculum map has opportunities for pupils to learn within our school grounds, out in the local area and further afield. Recent activities on our school site have included:

• Planting heritage daffodil bulbs as part of our involvement in the ‘Blooming Tooting’ project, created to celebrate the local Victorian horticulturalist Peter Barr, known as the ‘Daffodil King’.
• Using our newly-installed weather station to collect weather data.
• Creating our own journeys in the style of the character from ‘The Journey’ by Aaron Becker.

We consider educational visits to be an essential part of our curriculum provision. We therefore first and foremost, make the most of the vibrant community on our doorstep Recent local trips have included:

• Visiting the local Sikh Gurdwara.
• Taking a guided local history walk with a local historian.
• Looking for signs of seasonal change on Wandsworth Common.
• Conducting a bug hunt on Tooting Common.
• Visiting our local library.
• Visiting the Imperial War Museum: Churchill War Rooms

We also make the most of our excellent transport links into central London and our trips include a range of galleries, museums, attractions and also the chance to see a West End theatre production.

School Journeys

We also believe in the importance of providing pupils with opportunities to experience outdoor learning much further afield. Therefore both our Year 3 and Year 6 pupils have the chance to take part in residential trips and we know that their memories of these experiences are amongst their most treasured from their primary school years!

Our Year 3 pupils stay at Gaveston Hall, which lies in the pretty village of Nuthurst, near Horsham, in West Sussex. During their stay, pupils take part in a wide range of fun and challenging outdoor activities including pond dipping, shelter building, following trails, playing sports and generally exploring the great outdoors! In Year 6, our pupils stay at the PGL centre in Liddington, near Swindon – a huge, landscaped site which features lakes for water-based activities. Whilst there, pupils take part in a range of adventurous activities such as abseiling, climbing, kayaking and quad biking, designed to build confidence, promote teamwork and, of course, provide lots of fun!

Click here for more information about our school journeys.