Are you considering an outdoor learning INSET for your school, nursery or specialist setting?
Many teachers understand the potential benefits of learning outside but still feel uncertain about how to begin. Staff may worry about curriculum coverage, behaviour, weather, risk assessments, SEND, limited outdoor space or the amount of extra planning involved.
A practical outdoor learning training day can help remove those barriers.
An effective INSET should not leave staff with a collection of exciting ideas that are forgotten the following week. It should help teachers understand how to use the curriculum, resources and school grounds they already have more confidently.
The Muddy Puddle Teacher® delivers practical, teacher-led training for Nursery, Early Years, KS1, KS2, SEND, alternative provision and whole-school teams. Staff take part in curriculum-linked activities, explore realistic ways to use their own grounds and leave with methods they can begin applying immediately. The current training offer includes full INSET days, focused workshops and tailored programmes for different phases and school priorities. New to outdoor learning? Try this article: What is Outdoor Learning INSET Days?
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What Is an Outdoor Learning INSET?
An outdoor learning INSET is a professional-development session designed to help school or setting staff use outdoor spaces more effectively for teaching, play, communication, inclusion and wellbeing.
It may be delivered as a full day, half day, twilight session or longer programme of support.
The purpose is not simply to encourage staff to “go outside more”.
A good outdoor learning INSET helps staff understand why they are going outside, what children are expected to learn and how the environment can strengthen that learning.
Training may include curriculum teaching, outdoor play, behaviour and routines, sustainable resources, risk-benefit thinking, SEND adaptations, communication, emotional regulation and whole-school planning.
The session should be relevant to the outdoor space the school actually has.
A school does not need a woodland, purpose-built outdoor classroom or large equipment budget. Playgrounds, yards, fields, courtyards, nursery gardens and hard-surfaced areas can all become valuable places for learning. The Muddy Puddle Teacher® training page currently emphasises using ordinary school grounds and a small toolkit containing resources such as chalk, hoops, rope, bamboo, natural materials and loose parts.
Read our Beginner’s Guide to Outdoor Learning for a wider introduction to the approach.
Why Do Schools Book Outdoor Learning Training?
Outdoor learning often begins with one enthusiastic member of staff.
That person may introduce new ideas, gather resources and encourage colleagues, but it can be difficult to create long-term change when confidence and understanding are not shared across the team.
A whole-school outdoor learning INSET gives staff time to experience the approach together.
Teachers, teaching assistants, leaders and support staff can develop shared routines, language and expectations.
This is particularly useful when a school wants outdoor learning to become part of everyday curriculum practice rather than relying on occasional outdoor days or individual enthusiasm.
Schools may also book training because staff feel uncertain about managing children outside, using limited spaces, adapting learning for SEND or demonstrating clear curriculum purpose.
An INSET creates space to address those concerns practically.
Instead of telling staff that they should teach outside, the trainer can show them what an outdoor lesson looks like, allow them to experience the activity and help them consider how it could work with their own pupils.
Explore our main Outdoor Learning Guide and Outdoor Learning Training for Schools pages.
What Happens During an Outdoor Learning INSET?
Every school has different priorities, so the exact structure should be discussed before the training takes place.
A typical Muddy Puddle Teacher® INSET combines professional discussion, evidence-informed guidance, practical outdoor activities, SEND support and action planning. The current training description says staff may experience outdoor English and maths, Early Years outdoor play, curriculum-linked KS1 and KS2 activities and time to consider how outdoor learning can become part of everyday practice.
Understanding purposeful outdoor learning
The day normally begins by exploring what outdoor learning is and how it differs from Forest School, outdoor play and simply moving classroom work onto a clipboard.
Staff consider how outdoor learning can support curriculum understanding, physical movement, communication, engagement, creativity and wellbeing.
The central question is:
What does being outside add to this learning?
The outdoor environment may offer scale, movement, real objects, weather, sound, space, sensory experience or an authentic problem to solve.
When the environment adds something meaningful, the lesson becomes more than classroom work completed in a different location.
Addressing common barriers
Staff are invited to consider what currently prevents them from teaching outside.
Common concerns include behaviour, time, curriculum pressure, lack of resources, staff confidence, weather, storage, safeguarding and unclear expectations.
A practical INSET should address those barriers honestly.
The aim is not to pretend that outdoor learning is effortless.
It is to help staff develop routines and methods that make it achievable.
Taking part in practical activities
Practical participation should form a substantial part of the day.
Staff might use chalk, hoops, rope, bamboo, natural materials, clipboards or simple reusable equipment to explore curriculum ideas.
When teachers experience activities themselves, they can see how instructions are given, how groups may be organised and where challenges are likely to arise.
They can also consider how the same method could be adapted for Nursery, Reception, KS1, KS2 or SEND.
Planning the next step
The training should finish with action rather than inspiration alone.
Staff may identify one subject, routine or age phase where they will begin.
Leaders may agree shared expectations, resource organisation or follow-up support.
A manageable plan is more likely to lead to change than an ambitious promise to take every subject outside immediately.
What Can Staff Learn to Teach Outdoors?
Outdoor learning can support the subjects and areas of learning staff already teach.
It should not become a separate curriculum.
English may move outside through storytelling, vocabulary, drama, reading trails, oracy, poetry and descriptive writing.
Maths may include measurement, shape, data, estimation, number, scale and practical problem-solving.
Science may involve habitats, plants, materials, forces, light, sound, weather and observation.
Geography may include mapping, fieldwork, local study, human and physical features and environmental change.
Early Years teams may focus on communication, physical development, PSED, outdoor play, continuous provision, early literacy and maths.
SEND teams may explore movement, sensory regulation, communication, engagement, accessible participation and predictable routines.
The Muddy Puddle Teacher® currently offers training that can be tailored around EYFS, KS1, KS2, SEND, outdoor play, communication, maths, English, wellbeing, behaviour and whole-setting development.
Visit EYFS Outdoor Learning, KS1 Outdoor Learning, KS2 Outdoor Learning and SEND Outdoor Learning for phase-specific guidance.
Looking to book? Head to the Outdoor Learning INSET Training Hub
Do You Need a Woodland for Outdoor Learning Training?
No.
One of the most common misconceptions is that meaningful outdoor learning requires trees, mud and a large natural area.
Woodlands can be valuable, but they are not essential.
A concrete playground can support large-scale number work, mapping, phonics, timelines, drama, measuring, chalk diagrams and collaborative problem-solving.
A school field can provide opportunities to explore distance, area, movement, habitats, geography and scientific observation.
A courtyard or small yard may support water investigations, storytelling, mark-making, sensory language, construction and focused group work.
Training should help staff notice the possibilities within the space they already use.
The goal is not to make every school look like a Forest School site.
The goal is to improve how the school’s existing grounds are used for purposeful teaching and play.
Read Ways to Improve Outdoor Areas for further practical ideas.
How Can an Outdoor Learning INSET Support SEND?
Outdoor learning can offer movement, practical activity, additional space and less pressured opportunities for communication.
However, being outside is not automatically calming or accessible for every child.
Open spaces, unfamiliar sounds, changing weather, unclear boundaries and additional sensory information may feel difficult for some learners.
Inclusive training should help staff consider visual instructions, communication systems, sensory needs, mobility, emotional regulation, anxiety, processing time and alternative ways to participate.
A child may need to see where the session will happen before leaving the classroom.
Another may benefit from a visual sequence showing what will happen and how the session will end.
Some pupils may need a quieter role, additional adult support or the opportunity to observe before joining.
Others may communicate through symbols, objects, signing, movement or assistive systems rather than spoken answers.
The Muddy Puddle Teacher® training currently offers SEND-focused adaptations covering communication, sensory differences, mobility, emotional regulation, attention, anxiety and engagement.
Explore our Beginner’s Guide to SEND Outdoors and Outdoor Learning SEND Training.
Learn more about price and training formats in the Outdoor Learning INSET Training Hub.
Book an Outdoor Learning Training call with a teacher to discuss further options. Bespoke options are available.
Can All Members of Staff Take Part?
Outdoor learning training can include much more than qualified teachers.
Teaching assistants, nursery practitioners, SEND staff, leaders, lunchtime supervisors, subject leads and other relevant support staff may all contribute.
Whole-team involvement can be particularly helpful because children experience outdoor spaces at different points throughout the day.
Shared routines and expectations make practice more consistent.
Staff do not need to be highly active or physically confident.
Training should offer reasonable adjustments and allow people to participate through practical activity, observation, discussion and planning.
The current Muddy Puddle Teacher® offer states that training can include the whole team, can accommodate different confidence and physical-access needs and can be planned for up to 60 trainees.
What Should Staff Be Able to Do After the Training?
A successful outdoor learning INSET should increase confidence as well as knowledge.
Staff should leave better able to recognise when an outdoor experience will strengthen a lesson, use ordinary school grounds creatively, plan clear curriculum-linked sessions, establish predictable routines, select simple sustainable resources, adapt learning for different needs and explain the purpose of outdoor learning to colleagues and families.
They should also know where to begin.
The first step might be taking one familiar lesson outside, improving one area of provision or introducing one shared routine.
Outdoor learning becomes sustainable when staff feel that it is practical enough to repeat.
It should not depend on constant novelty, expensive resources or hours of additional preparation.
Is Outdoor Learning INSET Training Right for Your School?
Training may be helpful when staff are interested in outdoor learning but lack confidence, provision depends on one person, lessons outside feel disconnected from curriculum objectives, teams believe they need a woodland, behaviour concerns prevent staff from beginning, SEND adaptations are unclear or leaders want a consistent whole-school approach.
It may also support schools seeking to increase movement, improve communication, enrich curriculum experiences or make better use of an underused playground or field.
An INSET is not a magic solution by itself.
Long-term change is more likely when leadership remains involved, staff are given realistic expectations and the school agrees clear next steps after the day.
Some settings may benefit from a single training day.
Others may prefer a package that combines training with ongoing resources, courses, membership or mentorship.
The Muddy Puddle Teacher® currently offers a practical INSET option, training with continued website access and longer-term mentorship support. Learn more about what outdoor learning inset days are.
View Outdoor Learning Training Packages
What Happens Before and After the INSET?
Before the training, the provider should learn about your setting.
Useful information includes your age range, approximate number of staff, outdoor spaces, current level of confidence and the outcomes you want the day to achieve.
This allows the trainer to adapt the balance between Early Years, curriculum teaching, SEND, outdoor play, behaviour, wellbeing or whole-school development.
During the session, staff participate in professional discussion and practical learning.
Afterwards, the school should identify achievable next steps.
This might involve trialling one approach, organising a shared resource kit, agreeing outdoor routines, identifying staff champions or booking follow-up support.
The Muddy Puddle Teacher® booking process currently asks settings to provide their preferred dates, location, staff numbers, age range and training priorities before the most suitable format is recommended.
Learn more about price and training formats in the Outdoor Learning INSET Training Hub.
Book an Outdoor Learning Training call with a teacher to discuss further options. Bespoke options are available.
Why Choose The Muddy Puddle Teacher®?
The Muddy Puddle Teacher® approach was created by qualified teacher, educational consultant and Bloomsbury author Sarah Seaman.
Sarah holds a BSc, PGCE and MA and developed the approach after seeing that many teachers wanted to use outdoor learning but felt unsure about behaviour, resources, curriculum expectations, planning and safety.
Training is delivered by qualified teachers with current or recent classroom experience.
This means sessions are shaped around the realities of teaching, including limited budgets, busy timetables, curriculum pressure and diverse pupil needs.
The approach focuses on simple, sustainable methods and ordinary school grounds.
Staff are not expected to purchase large amounts of specialist equipment or completely redesign the environment.
The aim is practical change that can be maintained after the trainer has left.
Read Our School Outdoor Learning Case Studies
Listen to an Outdoor Learning School Story
Podcasts can help staff and leaders hear how other educators have approached outdoor learning.
Outdoor Learning Training for SEND learners with Lorriane Peterson. Listen in now:
Teacher Podcast: Practical Ideas to Support SEND Children in the Classroom
Watch Outdoor Learning Training in Action
Outdoor Learning INSET FAQs
What is an outdoor learning INSET?
An outdoor learning INSET is a professional-development session that helps staff develop the confidence, knowledge and practical methods needed to use outdoor spaces for curriculum teaching, play, communication, SEND and wellbeing.
Do we need a woodland?
No. Training can take place in playgrounds, fields, yards, courtyards, nursery gardens and other everyday school spaces.
Is the training suitable for Early Years?
Yes. Sessions can be shaped around Nursery, preschool, Reception and wider Early Years priorities, including outdoor play, continuous provision, communication, physical development, early literacy, maths and PSED.
Can the training focus on KS1 or KS2?
Yes. The examples and level of challenge can be tailored for one phase or a whole primary team. KS1 may include phonics, vocabulary and early maths, while KS2 may include enquiry, fieldwork, English, problem-solving and independence.
Can outdoor learning training support SEND?
Yes. Training can include sensory needs, communication, regulation, mobility, anxiety, attention, predictable routines and accessible ways for children to participate.
Do staff need previous outdoor learning experience?
No. Training can support complete beginners as well as experienced teams wanting to develop curriculum links or improve consistency.
Is the training practical?
Yes. Staff take part in adaptable outdoor activities using simple and reusable resources rather than spending the whole session listening to a presentation.
Are certificates available?
The current Muddy Puddle Teacher® training offer states that certificates can be provided for staff who participate.
What happens if the weather is poor?
Light rain or cooler weather does not necessarily prevent training. The timetable can use sheltered outdoor spaces and indoor discussion where necessary, with arrangements agreed before the day.
How do we book?
Contact The Muddy Puddle Teacher® with your preferred dates, location, staff numbers, age range and training priorities. The team will discuss your needs and recommend the most suitable format.
Ready to Build Staff Confidence Outdoors?
Outdoor learning should not rely on one enthusiastic teacher.
A shared approach helps staff understand how the outdoors can support curriculum learning, play, communication, SEND, movement and wellbeing.
Tell us about your school, nursery or setting and what you would like your team to achieve.
We will discuss your priorities and recommend a practical training format that works within your grounds, staff structure and available time.
Not ready to book training yet?
Start exploring outdoor learning through our 60-Day Free Trial or sign up for the Free Muddy Puddle Teacher® Magazine.
Learn more about price and training formats in the Outdoor Learning INSET Training Hub.
Book an Outdoor Learning Training call with a teacher to discuss further options. Bespoke options are available.
Author
Written by Sarah Seaman BSc, PGCE, MA
Founder of The Muddy Puddle Teacher®, qualified teacher, Bloomsbury author and educational consultant supporting schools, nurseries and specialist settings to develop practical, inclusive and sustainable outdoor learning.
This rewrite keeps the page informational enough to rank for outdoor learning INSET, while directing readers towards the main training page, discovery call, free trial and magazine. It follows your pulling-page guidance by using a keyword-led title, short paragraphs, clear headings, internal links, multimedia, FAQs, calls to action and an author box.
Learn more about price and training formats in the Outdoor Learning INSET Training Hub.
Book an Outdoor Learning Training call with a teacher to discuss further options. Bespoke options are available.
