Making it count: Legitimising outdoor learning through school systems and supporting structures

Introduction and context 

Outdoor learning (OL) offers well-documented benefits for motivation, wellbeing and holistic development (Waite et al., 2016). Although national initiatives such as the National Education Nature Park highlight growing commitment, OL remains inconsistently embedded in English schools. The National Curriculum review (DfE, 2025) has renewed attention on OL, with the government committing to a core enrichment offer including access to nature and outdoor experiences (UK Government, 2025). Implementation, however, often depends on individual enthusiasm rather than structural support (Oberle et al., 2021). This article presents findings from a small-scale scoping project exploring the roles of wider stakeholders and resources, particularly local authority (LA) advisers, Ofsted and school websites, in shaping the status and practice of OL. It explores how pedagogical innovation becomes possible when OL is legitimised by policy, inspection frameworks and school leadership.