Utilising the outdoors to support your class this SATs season
We know the deal when it comes to SATs, we lived it in our teaching careers so we know how all consuming this time of year is, not just for Year 6 but the entire school. Noise has to be kept to a minimum around the KS2 classrooms. Senior leaders push back on any other distractions. Everything that is not directly SATs related gets pushed down the agenda.
But when we started Alfresco Learning we noticed a couple of schools who were bucking this trend. Other than allowing specialist days to go ahead for other year groups during SATs (like our workshops), we noticed that these schools had their sights set firmly on something everyone says they’re championing but not always achieving – supporting pupil wellbeing.
Whilst visiting these schools we would know exactly when a test had finished because Year 6 would often come barralling out of the doors into the sunshine afterwards. Some students would sit around in groups chatting about the test. Others were straight into a game of football. A few took themselves off to quiet corners for some reflection.
We marvelled as we watched these older children being given the time & space they needed to regulate themselves after the intense experience of sitting different papers.
At some schools, after around 20 minutes the staff would gather them up either as a class or in friendship groups for a snack and a discussion. There was a real sense of community and sharing in these schools. Staff took their time to check in with each pupil. One school we witnessed went a step further and delivered outdoor activities pupils could opt into, a welcomed distraction by many.
For us it was warming to see. Not only because it was child wellbeing truly being put at the centre of SATs season but because we know what time outdoors during demanding times has the potential to do to human brains.
In prioritising outdoor time between papers, these Year 6 pupils will have had their attention and focus refreshed, potentially had their working memory boosted ready for the next paper and definitely lowered their cortisol levels. All of which will have resulted in a happier frame of mind and reduced mental fatigue.
How you may be wondering, well this is simply achieved by being outdoors and is especially prevalent when humans interact with green spaces. Read more about the science behind it here . . .
But these benefits don’t need to wait until SATs week arrive . . . You could be utilising them all year round, through curriculum outdoor learning. If you haven’t tried this type of teaching and learning before, we encourage you to try for just a single revision session and see if you notice any differences in your children! We’re willing to bet that you will!
Our outdoor lesson plans combine the curriculum with active outdoor learning providing you a 2 in 1 approach to revision – covering the curriculum whilst supporting pupil wellbeing. These are available to members of The Alfresco Hub only but you can browse them freely below:
If you are more on the lookout for stand along outdoor activities that you could be using during SATs week to support pupil wellbeing, you are in luck!
To further help you support your Year 6 children this SATs season, we’ve put together a series of 10 minute outdoor mindfulness activities and they are available freely below. These 10 different activities can be repeated as often as you like, used in the run up to SATs and on the week itself, offering different outdoor experiences to support your pupils’ wellbeing. Download using the button below!