Little Chatters

12/10/2026

Funding is open for schools to apply to Orchards for schools. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18UtRiDbGS/

📣 Announcement for schools!

Orchards for Schools is now open for applications!

Successful applicants will receive an orchard and/or hedgerow pack, along with a range of engaging educational resources and training. Developed by educators and experts, these curriculum-linked materials help schools make the most of their new orchard while bringing outdoor learning to life.

Follow the link to apply now! >> https://treecouncil.org.uk/grants-and-guidance/our-grants/orchards-for-schools/

07/10/2026

Yesterday started with a fully booked Forest School CPD delivered by the wonderful :Kindling: Playwork, Training, Forest Schools and creative workshops designed especially for school who are members of the Schools Outdoor Learning Network. More settings then joined for the afternoon for the Autumn term meeting of the Schools Outdoor Learning Network. I was so humbled by the enthusiasm and expertise in the room, fantastic advocates for Outdoor Learning.

So much is happening in relation to the network- if your school is not a member, please do get in touch.

Also if you are a provider and would like to contribute to a network meeting, be lovely to hear from you.
https://www.littlechatters.co.uk/outdoorlearningnetwork

Meetings are currently supported by the The Ernest Cook Trust and the The Outdoor Partnership Cumbria Always keen for more support to be able to engage more schools!

02/10/2026

Great to see so many schools signed up to the Schools Outdoor Learning Network meeting next week, it is going to be a very full room again. If you are an EY, Primary, SEND or AP setting and are interested in joining the Schools Outdoor Learning Network please do get in touch.

Our core focus areas are Cumbria, Lancashire and North Yorkshire, though we do have schools joining from further afield who are accessing the meeting minutes, an online meeting, up to date information on linked funding, discounted linked CPD, email support, continually growing resources and of course being part of a collborative learning community passionate about the value of Outdoor Learning for all students.

The network is currently support by The Ernest Cook Trust and The Outdoor Partnership Cumbria. Always looking for further funding and support to ensure access to all schools.

The Outdoor Learning Network supports schools in Cumbria, Lancashire and North Yorkshire to share best practise in relation to Outdoor Learning.

28/09/2026

Really looking forward to the Schools Outdoor Learning Network meeting hosted by Patterdale CofE School & Ullswater Nursery next week. Some fantastic inputs as always, including Alison Cross sharing work from the The Ernest Cook Trust foundations for Outdoor Learning Programme, linking learning to English, Science and Art (subjects chosen by the group) and Sarah Kendall, teacher at Patterdale CofE School & Ullswater Nursery sharing their wonderful grounds and outdoor learning practise. I'll be busy encouraging the group to vote on future provider inputs, plans for the network and focusing on advocacy for Outdoor Learning. Interested in joining the network, get in touch!

The network meeting is preceded by a special Forest School CPD session led by the wonderful Lily Horseman from Kindling: Playwork, Training, Forest Schools and creative workshops. The CPD has been fully booked for over a month, but we are repeating it linked to the network meeting on the 2nd March hosted by Kendal Nursery School at Brantfield Bookings and information via eventbrite. Please remember if you are one of the nearly 50 settings who are members of the Schools Outdoor Learning Network you can access this training at the discounted rate of £35 (rather than £50). Existing members, please visit the network padlet for the discount link.

Join us in person to refresh or start your Forest School journey.

28/09/2026

Applications for Learning through Landscapes my Nature Play project for Early Years settings closes on Sunday.

'My Nature Play is a 12-week, hands-on programme designed to transform how Early Years settings use nature and outdoor spaces for playful learning.

Each participating setting will receive six in-person training sessions, delivered onsite during the day by an LtL early years specialist, covering core themes such as ‘Why Nature Play’, ‘Playful Parents’, and ‘Playful Staff’. Optional modules, selected to meet the needs of your community, will include training such as ‘Playful Neighbourhoods’, ‘Playful Mud’, ‘Speech and Language’, ‘Risky Play’, and ‘Fine and Gross Motor Skills’.

The Application form should only take 30 minutes!

We want every child across England, Wales, and Scotland to have the opportunity to play, explore, and learn outdoors every day. That’s why our new My Nature Play project helps young children fall in love with nature by improving their outdoor experiences in their early years settings.

15/09/2026

I really enjoyed working with the staff team at Melling St Wilfrid CE Primary School yesterday afternoon in my role as trainer for Learning through Landscapes. The school received the Local School Nature Grant, providing 4 hours of on site support and £500 in free resources. In addition I like to take some bulbs to courses at this time of year and have been reflecting on the total numbers planted over 10 years...wish I had recorded this! Only one piccie as I am always too busy to take them!

09/09/2026

The Schools Outdoor Learning Network is now nearing 50 member schools. I get so carried away with the amount of time I give to this network, meeting with so many providers over the last week who are potential contributors to the network, signing up new members, planning the full academic year of meetings, responding to enquiries from schools, working on the linked padlet, and now a badge!!! Of course I give extra time as I feel Outdoor Learning in all its many guises is so important in schools and there is so much great working going on.

We still have 8 FREE places left to join the network for 2027 for West Cumbria Schools, thanks to funding from the The Outdoor Partnership Cumbria. Please do contact me [email protected] if this is of interest. We now have schools as far afield as Durham joining the network for the remote benefits.

Looking forward to our first network meeting on the afternoon of the 6th October. In the morning many network members will be joining on a fully booked Forest School training session led by Kindling: Playwork, Training, Forest Schools and creative workshops,. Network members receive discounts on linked training. This CPD is also repeated in March.

More information about the Schools Outdoor Learning Network can be found here. https://www.littlechatters.co.uk/outdoorlearningnetwork

The Ernest Cook Trust

04/09/2026

Gosh, I can very much tell that schools are back! So pleased to have already received 5 requests from schools wishing to sign up to the Schools Outdoor Learning Network, enquiries for whole school staff training, FREE pupil Climate Fresks being booked in and lovely stories schools are sharing, such as Outdoor Learning is now on our school development plan!

Had plans to do more interesting social media posts than this - but instead - please do take a peek at my website to find out more about forthcoming opportunities!

Little Chatters offers Oracy and Thinking Skills, Outdoor Learning and Global Education a training and advisory service for teachers, sessions for children and supporting resources. Delivery Focused in Northern England.

21/08/2026

If you've ever engaged in a session with me, I will l have facilitated in some way utilising the P4C approach, whether that was a Global or Outdoor Learning session. My next P4C Level 1 is in March, online. Read
more below about the value of P4C. Or book on my next course here.
https://www.thoughtful.org.uk/courses/level-one-course-9/
https://www.facebook.com/share/1AMoNRBdgd/

What's the strongest evidence for Philosophy for Children? It's not that it makes children better at tests – it's that it makes them better thinkers.

Two separate research reviews (2018 and 2025), covering dozens of studies and thousands of children worldwide, both found the same thing: P4C has a strong, consistent effect on children's critical thinking – reasoning, questioning, and evaluating ideas – even when its effect on standardised reading or maths scores is much smaller.

That's exactly what philosophical enquiry sets out to do. Read more about the research behind P4C https://www.thoughtful.org.uk/about/p4c-research-evidence/

11/08/2026

On a slow travel through Holland, Germany, Denmark and Sweden with the family for our summer break. Couldn't resist a visit to Hans Christian Andersens house and museum whilst staying near Odense.

Really looking forward to getting started on the With Tales for Children project as I was reminded of the power of fairytales.