The joy of learning outdoors!

I was excited when the university told us we would be going on placements outside of a normal primary school. Thankfully, I managed to get a space at Creekside. My colleague (also a student) had the privilege of visiting when she was in school, and I must say I’m rather envious.

It is a joy to see children able to explore their environment and experience the feeling of standing in the middle of a river. I feel a very childlike glee stepping into the river, even just putting on waders is quite a fun experience, I think.

It's so vital that children have these chances to connect to their local environment. And crucial too for adults who so often have to watch children have all the fun. The team has worked hard to provide bespoke activities both on-land and in the water. The days we couldn’t go in the river, as we are ‘ruled by the tide’ (Paddy, 2025), classes got to travel back to the stone age! They learned how to build shelters, make paint from plants and even toasted marshmallows on a fire. It was awesome.

The best parts about working at Creekside for this short time was feeling like part of the team. We were involved right from the beginning, meeting and working alongside the passionate people here has certainly been the highlight. I’ve learned how important it is for children to have experiences outside the classroom – and, while Creekside is certainly a special place, it has shown me that we can do more to connect with the urban wildlife on our doorstep.  After finishing my placement here, I hope that I can stay a part of Creekside and one day bring a class of my own to come and experience the awesome stuff they do.

Matthew with his clay portrait!