About the Book
This fascinating book equips readers with the ability to reconnect children with nature while enhancing their academic achievement. It offers ready-to-use schemes of work with cross-curricular applications and real-world case studies to show how outdoor spaces can be transformed into powerful learning environments that promote connection with nature while delivering curriculum objectives more effectively.
Although outdoor learning has the ability to boost children’s motivation, wellbeing, and engagement, many teachers often lack the confidence, time, and structure to implement it effectively. Learning Indoors and Out in the Primary School offers a practical solution: a strategic framework that seamlessly integrates outdoor experiences with classroom instruction. This essential resource provides primary educators with a whole-school approach that ensures progression in skills and knowledge across all learning environments – from classrooms to school grounds, local areas, field trips, and residentials. The author provides practical strategies that work in tandem with existing curriculum requirements and clear guidance for teachers and leadership teams on establishing sustainable outdoor learning practices.
This comprehensive guide empowers any teacher or school leader to weave outdoor learning into the very fabric of their school, creating more engaging, immersive experiences for all learners.
Table of Contents:
Introduction Part 1: Introducing Indoor–Outdoor Integrated Learning 1. What is it? 2. Why do it? Part 2: Strategically Embedding The Indoor–Outdoor Integrated Curriculum 3. Senior Leaders’ Role 4. Classroom Teachers’ Role Part 3: Putting Indoor–Outdoor Integrated Learning into Practice Chapter 5: How to Start Learning Outdoors 6. Applying the Indoor–Outdoor Integrated Framework 7. How to Ensure Progression Part 4: Schemes of Work and Lesson Ideas for Using the Indoor–Outdoor Integrated Frameworks 8. Subject Schemes of Work 9. Cross Curricular Application 10. Maintaining Momentum Final Thoughts Appendix
About the Author :
Dawn Thomas is the founder and CEO of Nature Days, an outdoor learning, consultancy, and training provider. She is a chair of the Institute for Outdoor Learning (IOL) Curriculum-Based Outdoor Learning (CBOL) Professional Practice Group and a qualified science teacher with over 25 years of teaching experience. She has worked with over 200 different schools supporting the embedding of outdoor learning into the curriculum through staff training, creation of teaching resources, talks, and presentations.
Review :
“A breath of fresh air—literally and pedagogically. This book is a powerful reminder that some of the most impactful learning happens beyond the classroom walls. With practical strategies and inspiring case studies, it equips educators to seamlessly embed indoor-outdoor teaching and learning in a cross-curricular way. Thoughtfully written and deeply rooted in both theory and practice, it empowers teachers to reimagine their environments as rich, dynamic spaces for curiosity, resilience, and connection. A must-read for anyone committed to holistic, engaging education.”
Cara Evans, Outdoors and Humanities lead, Glyncollen Primary School.
“A timely and much-needed, groundbreaking book with the power to transform outdoor learning. Dawn Thomas seamlessly integrates indoor and outdoor environments, creating a new pedagogy that engages everyone—from SLT to students. A future classic, it’s set to become the definitive guide for schools looking to embed outdoor learning into their curriculum. I really can't thank you enough for writing it - it is about time that someone took your approach, and I firmly believe that it can, and hopefully will, change the approach to OL in schools.”
Zana Wood, Founding Director, Grow to School.
“This book is an essential resource for anyone who is keen to use outdoor learning to teach curriculum content but is unsure where to start. Dawn provides useful, practical advice on adapting to an outdoor environment, alongside an abundance of suggested activities, providing inspiration for all areas of curriculum delivery.”
Anna Thompson, Education and Learning Manager at Nene Park Trust.
“Dawn Thomas delivers a powerful and practical guide for educators seeking to bridge indoor and outdoor learning in primary and special needs settings. Her book is thoughtfully structured and easy to navigate, making it an invaluable companion to curriculum planning. With an emphasis on creativity, engagement, and inclusive education, this resource inspires teachers and school leaders to cultivate enriching, flexible environments where curiosity and holistic development can thrive. A must-read for anyone committed to transforming learning through innovative, integrated approaches.”
Claire Williams, Special Educational Needs specialist and former Head Teacher at a school dedicated to supporting students with Autism.
"Learning Indoors and Out in the Primary School: An Integrated Approach provides a series of frameworks for using the outdoors to teach all subjects in the curriculum and embedding outdoor learning strategically across the school. This approach supports schools to use nature as a source of inspiration, and a way to apply the concepts taught in the classroom in real life. The method of weaving indoor and outdoor learning into the planning provides a progressive use of outdoor learning. For many children, being in a classroom is the hardest place to learn, but with an integrated approach to learning indoors and out, the indoor learning is linked to outdoor learning experience and therefore children can see the relevance of what they are taught inside the classroom.
This book will help class teachers and anyone using outdoor learning to teach curriculum content.”
Jo Barnett, CEO of Institute for Outdoor Learning, (IOL).
“This research-led publication introduces the concept of strategic indoor–outdoor teaching, highlighting its benefits and offering informed solutions to common barriers. It offers clear guidance on leadership roles, staff responsibilities, and effective planning to develop a fully integrated indoor–outdoor learning framework. It also covers lesson structure, progression and assessment, to monitor impact, all brought to life through practical ideas and case studies. With examples across eight curriculum subjects and 20 cross-curricular themes, it provides the tools to embed meaningful outdoor learning throughout your school. This book will empower your team to transform teaching and create an effective, connected learning environment that bridges the indoors and outdoors.”
Deborah Lambert, co-author of Bloomsbury's Sustainability and Climate Change Outdoors at KS2 (2024) and the 'National Curriculum Outdoors: A complete scheme of work' (2020) series.
“We are all surrounded by environments which have some degree of nature to share. This book will help teachers to find that element which can be used in the various subjects of the school curriculum. There is no subject that cannot be improved by being outdoors…School senior staff must give teachers the space and time to explore and provide innovative ways to develop meaningful learning for all youngsters. This book provides a guide for this. Behaviour is also likely to improve with such a teaching strategy. The adults will get a great deal from the experience as well!”
Chas Matthews, Former Head of Geography/Humanities, Walworth School, Southwark. Former Head of Ripple Down House Environmental Centre, Deal. Former Education Officer for East Kent, Kent Wildlife Trust. Former Chairman of the National Association of Field Studies Officers. Honorary Life Member of the Institute for Outdoor Learning.
"A companion book that will find welcome space for itself on the shelf of any outdoor leader’s classroom, shed, fieldwork kit store, or Celtic roundhouse. Dawn draws from years of experience bringing learners closer to nature, inspiring us with the shared benefits enjoyed by both teachers and students learning together outdoors. Learning Indoors and Out in the Primary School: An Integrated Approach anticipates our ambitions for experiential learning outdoors and recognises potential challenges that we may encounter, providing supportive guidance and accessible solutions on our journey together beyond the classroom to somewhere far muddier."
Tom Humphreys, Community Project Manager, North Devon UNESCO Biosphere and Chairman, Network for Environmental Educators in Devon (NEED).
