OUTDOOR LEARNING LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
Monday 24th February 2025
We are delighted to announce the 2025 Outdoor Learning conference, which will take place at Thomas Hall School Exeter, with catering provided by Goosemoor Educatering.
The conference will:
Teach us how to increase the enjoyment of lessons by providing a refreshing change of environment, making lessons more engaging and enjoyable for students.
Show us how to improve engagement with learning outdoors, by stimulating curiosity and creativity, and enhancing social and behavioural development: Outdoor learning encourages teamwork, communication, and collaboration. Students interact with their peers in a different context, fostering social skills and positive behaviour. Additionally, exposure to nature can reduce stress and anxiety, promoting better mental health.
Land Physical Wellbeing: Spending time outdoors has proven health benefits. Fresh air, physical activity, and exposure to natural light contribute to improved physical fitness and overall wellbeing. Students who engage in outdoor learning tend to be happier and more motivated.
We’re excited to have some amazing guest speakers including:
- Mike King from the Institute of Outdoor Learning (IOL)
- Dr Chris Martin from Tiverton Adventure Playground (and an experienced playworker)
- Anna Harris from the National Trust
- Ben Slater from Fiveways Devon
- Steve Foster from Foster Leadership
- and many more!
From 08:30 Refreshments and Registration.
09.15 – 09.20 Welcome and housekeeping – Phil Arnold Headteacher Thomas Hall School
09.20 – 09.25 Welcome, Introductions and Day’s Objectives – Shevek Pring, Managing Director The Outdoors Group
09.25 – 10:25 Keynote – Ben Slater
10:30 – 11: 15 Workshop 1a – Experiential learning / Play pedagogy Chris Martin
10:30 – 11: 15 Workshop 1b – Outdoor Learning to support SEND –Craig Vincent
11:15 – 11:45 Refreshments and Exhibition marketplace
11.45 – 12:15 Workshop 2a – Forest School and the curriculum- Nick Murphy
11.45 – 12:15 Workshop 2b – Outdoor Leadership – Steve Foster
12:15 – 13:00 Workshop 3a – Behaviour management in the outdoors- Shev Pring
12:15 – 13:00. Workshop 3b – RPIOL, CPD for leading in the outdoors- Mike King
13:00 – 14:00 Buffet lunch, Networking and Exhibition Marketplace
14:00- 14:45 Workshop 4a – Outdoor Learning in the Nation Trust- Anna Harris
14:00- 14:45 Workshop 4b – Outdoors as a space for staff welfare- Pete Shepherd
14:50 – 15:45 Final Keynote/plenary – Research evidence supporting outdoor education – Professor Justin Smith
15:45 Summary / Prize Draw / Wrap up.
Guest speakers
Ben Slater - Out of Office: Can Time in Nature Build Better Leaders?
With three decades of experience behind him, today Ben combines his dual passions in his FivewaysDevon consultancy: learning and mental health. A former multi-site complex and medical PRU headteacher, Teacher of the Year nominee and outdoor enthusiast, he brings his 5* training to companies, charities, dioceses and sporting bodies. A little bit lost with mental health training? He can help with that
Chris Martin - Experiential learning / Play pedagogy
Dr Chris Martin is a playworker, writer/researcher, and playwork activist whose work primarily explores the intra-actions between children, outdoor play, and technology. He is the chair of the International Play Association for England and Tiverton Adventure Playground and a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. Chris has published and presented academic and professional papers both in the UK and internationally. He was the primary author and project lead for the UK Play and Playwork Education and Skills Strategy 2011–2016, facilitated the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Play, and served as the National Playwork Convenor for the Community, Youth, and Playworkers' Section of Unite the Union.
Craig Vincent - The Outdoors School
Craig is currently the executive assistant Head at The Outdoors School with responsibilities focused on school improvement. His background is in English Teaching and before he went to The Outdoors School, he worked as an assistant principal for a mainstream academy trust school. Craig realised, once he got into senior leadership, that he wasn’t promoting or supporting the ethos that he fundamentally believed in and that Craig wanted to be a apart of changing the face of education rather than supporting the direction of travel that he felt was restrictive and so went to an independent special needs school and started with curriculum focus and a middle leader and went from there.
Nick Murphy - Forest School and the curriculum
Nick has been involved in Forest School provision for 13 years, running a broad range of sessions for a diverse range of learners, alongside setting up and establishing Forest School settings before becoming appointed in his current role overseeing Forest School and Training within The Outdoors Group.
Steve Foster - Outdoor Leadership
Steve has been a teacher and qualified mountain leader for over 25 years. With a real heart for seeing people fulfil their potential, Steve trained as a leadership trainer and coach in 2020 after a transformative experience teaching in Kenya. Using courses including '5 Voices for Teams', Steve's training and coaching develop leadership culture and language that help to create high performing teams, led by leaders who people want to follow. And when all this can be delivered in the outdoors, even better!
Shevek Pring - Proactive pastoral behaviour strategies with learners in an outdoor environment
As an award-winning Business Owner, Educator, Governor and Trustee I support the growth of many educational projects across the SW region. With a strong focus on building passionate, dedicated, and skilful teams, and an equally strong focus on environmental, social and educational impact, my companies and projects provide deep and meaningful impact. I have worked across the range of education from primary, secondary, FE and alternative provision over the last 15 years. For more info please see my website www.shevekpring.com
Mike King - RPIOL, CPD for leading in the outdoors
I started working in the outdoors when I was a 16yr old apprentice and now 30 years later I have the privilege of continuing to enable people to engage with the outdoor environment. Through this journey in the outdoors, I have overseen the development of Releasing Potential which is an education charity that comprises of an Independent Special School, Alternative Provision and Professional Development Programme (with a particular focus on the Management of Challenging Behaviour) amongst its interests. I was appointed as a Trustee to the Institute for Outdoor Learning in Feb 2010 and now have the privilege of supporting IOL in becoming the Chair of the Trustee Board. I started Releasing Potential because I believe that interaction (in any form) with the outdoors is a positive vehicle for change in people’s lives, enabling them to understand who they are and what they can become.
Anna Harris - National Trust
Anna Harrison is the National Trust's first 'Nature Engagement Officer', working in the countryside team on the Killerton Estate in East Devon to connect local people with nature. In her talk, Anna will explain what she is doing for local young people across the region to improve wellbeing and contribute to landscape-scale nature recovery across the 6,500-acre estate. From supporting farmers with curriculum-led visits to involving children in species reintroductions, this project responds to a growing need to repair the natural world and, crucially, inspire the next generation.
Pete Shepherd - The Outdoors Group Welfare
Pete spent much of his adolescence in the outdoors playing, learning, becoming. The sense of space, possibility, and adventure the outdoors provides has enabled Pete to develop his awareness of himself and others in ways that have supported personal growth and wellbeing. As a Counsellor, Pete has found the outdoors environment supports the authentic enquiry into the fundamental questions, who am I and how do I belong to others and to the wider world? Pete prides himself in being a life-long learner open to learn, to grow and to become.
Prof. Justin Smith
Justin Dillon is professor of science and environmental education in UCL’s Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Education. He is Guest Professor at Zhejiang University, China and was the 2024 CJ Koh Professor in Education, at the National Institute for Education, Singapore. Justin taught in London schools for 10 years before joining King’s College London in 1989. In 2014, Justin was appointed Head of the Graduate School of Education at the University of Bristol. He joined the University of Exeter in 2017 where he was Director of Research in the School of Education. He returned to London in 2022 to take a chair at UCL. Justin was President of the European Science Education Research Association from 2007-11. He is President of the National Association for Environmental Education. Justin was given ‘The Outstanding Contributions to Research in Environmental Education Award’ by the North American Association for Environmental Education in 2013 and, in 2023, was presented with a Mariano Gago lifetime achievement award by Ecsite, the European association for science and discovery centres, for his commitment to science engagement. He edits the journal, Studies in Science Education, is Associate Editor of Environmental Education Research and is an editor of the International Journal of Science Education.
