Outdoor Classroom Stories: Oxley Park Public School, NSW

21st October 2019

Oxley Park Public School is a suburban primary school in Western Sydney with approximately 600 students. We have two large fields, a variety of play equipment and two sand pits. Also we have a netball and basketball courts which can also easily be turned into volleyball courts. In addition, there are two paved areas for students to play and can access balls, hoops, skipping ropes and Duplo.

In addition to our play areas we have a garden and environment club were students can interact with nature. We have over sixty vegetable garden beds, a greenhouse, chickens, ducks and a rabbit. Students are often planting seeds, watering and talking to the plants to help them grow. We are also planning to make a sensory garden in 2020.

This is our third year celebrating Outdoor Classroom Day and we set up a timetable where each class can designate a time and place to go outdoors. Our school promotes other healthy lifestyle opportunities such as Ride2SchoolDay, Walk Safely to School Day, Nude Food, Clean Up Australia Day, The Big Vegie Crunch and Vegie Week.

Oxley Park Public School staff enjoy organising these types of events as they are a powerful way to get students motivated and engaged in their learning. Currently this year our school is involved in two major projects a Kreative Koala and a Litter Legends Grant from Eco Schools Australia. The students are involved in mathematics, science and geography just by being involved in sustainability and recycling projects. These lesson are more authentic and purposeful when delivered outdoors. We also have an outdoor kitchen made from recycled pallets and students enjoying painting and drawing outdoors.

The benefits to taking students outdoors for learning is measured by their high level of engagement and positive attitudes towards learning. Students are developing skills how to work and collaborate as a team even watering the garden as they need to work out who will use the tap, the hose, the watering cans, etc. These are real valuable, life lessons. Being outdoors students feel free to talk about a range of issues and I have noticed they are much more outgoing.

We are planning a new space in the schools garden for an outdoor classroom complete with benches, chairs, and a sink. We are also planning a new sensory garden in 2020. We are a member of Eco Schools Australia we recently achieved a Bronze Award for our sustainability projects. The staff and students are committed to the environment and encourage a love of learning outside, in nature.

The Outdoor Classroom Day Team would like to thank Oxley Park Public School for sharing their story with us.

WANT TO SHARE YOUR OUTDOOR CLASSROOM DAY STORY WITH THE WORLD?

If you’ve previously taken part in Outdoor Classroom Day, you’ve probably got some great stories to share – and we’d love to hear them!
To be featured in our Outdoor Classroom Story section on our website, please tell us a bit more about your school, and your participation in previous Outdoor Classroom Day campaigns.