Nursery World - Nursery Management: Outdoors

How do you audit your outdoor provision and draw up plans for improvement? Workforce, environment, and practice are the key factors, according to Gail Ryder Richardson.

Does the outdoor environment matter? What is the role of leaders and managers in relation to outdoor provision? How can we ensure that our practice outdoors is as good as our practice indoors? How can we support staff to make better use of the outdoors? How can we make sure that our outdoor space is valued by parents, and meets the needs of our families? What does good outdoor practice look like, and how can we improve our own outdoor provision?

In my work with schools and settings across the UK, these are the questions that are often asked by leaders and managers. In this article I will set out to provide some answers, mindful of the value of the outdoor environment to young children's health, well-being, learning and development. I will examine the interrelated key elements of good practice, and offer tips and strategies for involving everyone in auditing and improving outdoor practice.

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