Course Summary

Develop your confidence, knowledge and practical skills in using outdoor learning to support children and young people with SEND through this flexible Levels 2–4 training programme.

This course is designed for practitioners who already understand the foundations of inclusive outdoor learning and are ready to develop their practice further.

You will explore how to plan purposeful outdoor experiences that support curriculum access, communication, emotional regulation, physical development, independence and wellbeing. The training will help you adapt activities for children with a wide range of sensory, communication, cognitive, emotional and physical needs.

The programme begins with practical delivery at Level 2, develops more individualised and specialist practice at Level 3, and supports leadership, evaluation and whole-setting development at Level 4.

You do not need woodland, expensive sensory equipment or a purpose-built outdoor classroom. The course focuses on using playgrounds, courtyards, gardens, school fields and everyday outdoor spaces with simple, sustainable and reusable resources.

Course Level

Levels 2–4

Ideal for teachers, teaching assistants, SENDCos, specialist practitioners and support staff who have completed introductory SEND outdoor learning training or already have some experience of working outdoors.

Time to Complete

Complete the course online and work through each level and module at your own pace.

You can try the strategies in your own setting, reflect on children’s responses and return to the course as your confidence and practice develop.

What’s Included?

Practical training videos, specialist SEND guidance, inspiring podcast content, inclusive outdoor activity demonstrations, strategies for communication and sensory support, downloadable visual prompts, practical planning templates, reflective tasks, case-study examples, curriculum-linked ideas, support for specialist and mainstream settings, a CPD certificate on completion and an exclusive course crest to display within your setting, website or professional portfolio.

Level 2: Delivering Inclusive Outdoor Learning

Level 2 helps practitioners move from introductory ideas towards regular, purposeful outdoor learning for children with SEND.

Module 1: Building on the Foundations

Revisit the principles of inclusive outdoor learning and consider what effective practice looks like in mainstream schools, specialist settings, nurture provision and alternative provision.

Learn how to begin with the child’s strengths, interests, communication and current needs rather than starting with a fixed activity.

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Module 2: Identifying Barriers to Participation

Explore the barriers that may prevent a child from accessing outdoor learning.

These may include sensory discomfort, communication difficulties, mobility needs, anxiety, unpredictable routines, working-memory demands or previous negative experiences.

Learn how to identify barriers before the session and make practical adjustments.

Module 3: Planning with Individual Needs in Mind

Learn how to plan outdoor activities around individual outcomes, Education, Health and Care Plan targets, provision plans and curriculum objectives.

Explore how one activity can support communication, independence, movement, social interaction or academic learning without becoming overloaded with too many aims.

Module 4: Communication-Friendly Outdoor Learning

Develop strategies for supporting children who communicate using speech, symbols, signs, communication boards, objects of reference, gestures or augmentative and alternative communication.

Learn how to reduce language, model key words, allow processing time and create meaningful opportunities for children to make choices and initiate communication.

Module 5: Visual Support Outdoors

Discover how to use visual timetables, first-and-then boards, task sequences, photographs, symbols, timers and boundary markers.

Learn how visual information can reduce uncertainty and help children understand where they are going, what they are doing and when the activity will finish.

Module 6: Supporting Sensory Differences

Explore how wind, rain, sunlight, noise, smells, clothing, insects, uneven ground and natural textures can affect children differently.

Learn how to create sensory profiles for outdoor sessions and offer quieter spaces, tools, alternative materials or reduced exposure where needed.

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Module 7: Emotional Regulation Through Movement

Discover how purposeful movement can support some children before, during and after learning.

Explore carrying, pushing, pulling, walking, balancing, digging and repetitive movement.

Learn how to observe the child’s responses and recognise when they may need more movement, less stimulation or a predictable break.

Module 8: Creating an Inclusive Outdoor Toolkit

Build a simple toolkit using hoops, cones, chalk, buckets, beanbags, rope, communication cards, timers, clipboards, larger-handled equipment and familiar sensory supports.

Learn how to keep the toolkit clear and manageable rather than overwhelming children with too many resources.

Module 9: Inclusive Outdoor Maths

Explore practical ways to teach number, shape, measure, pattern, data and problem-solving outdoors.

Children may match numerals, count real objects, build shapes, compare quantities, follow routes or explore capacity.

Learn how to adapt the task, language and expected response while preserving the mathematical objective.

Module 10: Inclusive Outdoor Literacy and Communication

Discover ways to support phonics, vocabulary, storytelling, mark-making, reading and communication outdoors.

Activities may include sound walks, object matching, story trails, large-scale mark-making and practical word building.

Learn how children can participate through pointing, matching, choosing, moving or recording orally.

Module 11: Inclusive Outdoor Science and Nature Learning

Explore habitats, plants, weather, materials, seasonal change and sensory observation.

Learn how to narrow the search area, reduce unpredictable demands and allow children to observe without touching.

Level 2 Challenge

Plan and deliver one curriculum-linked outdoor activity for a child or small group with SEND.

Identify the intended learning, likely barriers, communication support, sensory adjustments and flexible ways to participate.

Reflect on what worked and what you would change.

Level 3: Specialist and Individualised Outdoor Practice

Level 3 develops more detailed understanding of different needs and helps practitioners make increasingly individualised decisions.

Module 1: Outdoor Learning for Autistic Children

Explore predictability, focused interests, sensory processing, communication and anxiety.

Learn how to use visual structure, clear boundaries, familiar routines and interest-led activities without assuming that one approach will suit every autistic child.

Module 2: Outdoor Learning for Children with ADHD

Discover how short tasks, purposeful movement, clear roles and reduced waiting can support attention and participation.

Learn how to avoid activities with too many steps, unclear expectations or excessive verbal instruction.

Module 3: Supporting Speech, Language and Communication Needs

Explore shared attention, vocabulary, commenting, modelling, waiting and repeated language.

Learn how to create communication opportunities without turning the session into constant questioning or demands for spoken answers.

Module 4: Supporting Children with Physical Disabilities

Consider access routes, surfaces, positioning, fatigue, equipment, personal care and alternative methods of participation.

Learn how children can take part from seated positions, use adapted tools, work with partners, direct others or complete tasks at an accessible height.

Module 5: Supporting Children with Learning Disabilities

Explore repetition, task breakdown, concrete resources, meaningful routines and careful pacing.

Learn how to keep learning ambitious while reducing unnecessary cognitive load.

Module 6: Supporting SEMH Needs Outdoors

Explore how anxiety, trauma, attachment needs, low self-esteem and emotional dysregulation may affect participation.

Learn how predictable adults, achievable challenges, relational practice and calm transitions can support engagement.

Outdoor learning should complement appropriate pastoral and therapeutic support rather than replace it.

Module 7: Outdoor Learning for Children with Dyslexia and Dyscalculia

Discover practical, multi-sensory approaches to literacy and numeracy.

Children can build words, move through sounds, organise quantities, compare groups and use large-scale visual models.

Learn how to reduce pressure while maintaining clear teaching and progression.

Module 8: Supporting Pre-Verbal and Non-Verbal Children

Explore how children can communicate through movement, eye gaze, symbols, objects, photographs and partner-assisted choice-making.

Learn how to recognise intentional communication and provide time for children to respond.

Module 9: Supporting Children with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities

Develop ideas for sensory exploration, cause and effect, shared attention, movement, positioning and interaction.

Learn how to focus on meaningful engagement, comfort, anticipation and communication rather than expecting all children to complete a conventional task.

Module 10: Outdoor Nurture and Regulation Sessions

Explore how to create predictable small-group or individual sessions that support relationships, emotional literacy, communication and self-regulation.

Learn how to avoid using outdoor time only as a reward or as somewhere to send children when classroom learning becomes difficult. Upgrade to a Ultimate Account to Access This Course

Module 11: Observing and Responding to Behaviour

Consider behaviour as possible communication of anxiety, discomfort, sensory overload, confusion or unmet need.

Learn how to adjust the environment, language, timing or demands rather than focusing only on compliance.

Module 12: Recording Progress Without Overloading Staff

Explore practical ways to record progress through observations, photographs, communication samples, engagement scales, child voice and curriculum evidence.

Learn how to gather useful information without creating unnecessary paperwork.

Level 3 Challenge

Choose one child or small group and plan a short sequence of outdoor learning experiences.

Identify individual outcomes, adaptations and communication strategies.

Evaluate changes in engagement, participation, confidence, communication or curriculum understanding.

Level 4: Leading SEND Outdoor Learning

Level 4 supports practitioners who want to lead inclusive outdoor learning across a class, department, school or specialist setting.

Module 1: Auditing SEND Outdoor Provision

Review how accessible your current outdoor spaces, routines, resources and teaching approaches are.

Identify physical, sensory, communication and organisational barriers.

Consider where small changes could make the greatest difference.

Module 2: Developing a Whole-Setting Vision

Create a clear and realistic vision for inclusive outdoor learning.

Consider how outdoor provision supports curriculum access, communication, wellbeing, independence, physical development and preparation for adulthood.

Learn how to avoid broad claims and focus on the outcomes that matter in your setting.

Module 3: Building Staff Confidence

Explore how to support teachers, teaching assistants, lunchtime staff and therapists in using outdoor spaces consistently.

Learn how to model practice, share manageable ideas and respond to concerns about behaviour, safety, weather and workload.

Module 4: Planning Progression

Develop progression across different ages, developmental stages and levels of need.

Consider how children can move from supported exploration towards increased communication, decision-making, independence and curriculum application.

Module 5: Connecting Outdoor Learning with EHCP Outcomes

Explore how outdoor experiences can contribute to communication, cognition and learning, social and emotional development, sensory and physical development and independence.

Learn how to keep activities purposeful without trying to address every outcome in one session.

Module 6: Working with Families

Develop ways to explain outdoor learning to parents and carers.

Share practical strategies that families can use at home while respecting individual routines, cultures, access needs and outdoor spaces.

Module 7: Working with Multi-Agency Teams

Explore how teachers, SENDCos, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, physiotherapists and pastoral teams can contribute to inclusive outdoor provision.

Learn how to use professional advice within everyday practice while maintaining clear roles and responsibilities.

Module 8: Outdoor Learning in Specialist Schools

Consider curriculum design, personalised pathways, communication, sensory support and life skills within specialist provision.

Explore how outdoor environments can support pupils with a wide range of complex and profound needs.

Module 9: Outdoor Learning in Alternative Provision

Explore practical approaches for children and young people who may have experienced disrupted education, exclusion, anxiety or difficulty engaging in formal classrooms.

Learn how outdoor learning can provide purposeful activity, relationships and routes back into curriculum participation without lowering expectations.

Module 10: Safety, Risk and Individual Planning

Develop an approach to risk management that considers individual medical, sensory, physical and behavioural needs.

Explore staffing, communication, emergency procedures, personal care, boundaries, equipment and environmental conditions.

Module 11: Evaluating Impact

Learn how to assess whether outdoor learning is improving access, engagement, communication, regulation, independence or curriculum understanding.

Use observations, pupil voice, family feedback, staff reflection and existing assessment information.

Module 12: Creating a SEND Outdoor Learning Action Plan

Develop a practical action plan for your class, department or whole setting.

Identify priorities, staff responsibilities, training needs, resource requirements and realistic review points.

Level 4 Challenge

Lead and evaluate a SEND outdoor learning improvement project.

This may involve developing one area of provision, supporting a team, introducing a shared toolkit, improving transitions or creating a sequence of curriculum-linked experiences.

Present the impact, challenges and next steps.

Who Is It For?

This course is ideal for SEND teachers, mainstream teachers, teaching assistants, higher-level teaching assistants, learning support assistants, SENDCos, specialist-school staff, alternative-provision teams, nurture practitioners, pastoral staff, Early Years practitioners, curriculum leaders, outdoor learning coordinators and school leaders.

What Will You Learn?

By the end of Levels 2–4, you will feel more confident delivering, adapting and leading outdoor learning for children with SEND.

You will understand how to identify barriers, provide communication and sensory support, connect activities with curriculum and individual outcomes, and offer different ways for children to participate.

You will also develop the skills to support colleagues, audit provision, evaluate impact and create a more consistent whole-setting approach.

What Will You Receive?

After successfully completing the programme, you will receive a CPD certificate and an exclusive Outdoor Learning Training SEND Levels 2–4 course crest to display within your setting, website, business or professional portfolio.

Why Choose The Muddy Puddle Teacher®?

The Muddy Puddle Teacher® approach is designed for real mainstream schools, specialist settings, nurture provision and alternative provision.

You do not need woodland, expensive equipment or a perfect outdoor environment.

We help practitioners use ordinary outdoor spaces, simple resources and flexible teaching approaches to support children’s communication, regulation, confidence, independence and curriculum access.

Our training recognises that inclusion does not mean expecting every child to complete the same task.

The environment, language, resources and expectations should adapt to the child.

Begin Your SEND Outdoor Learning Training

Start at Level 2 to develop practical delivery, progress through Level 3 to build specialist and individualised practice, and complete Level 4 when you are ready to lead inclusive outdoor learning across your setting.

Upgrade to a Gold Account to Access This Course

Uncover more specialist guidance, practical resources and professional development in our SEND Outdoor Learning Training Hub.

This specialised outdoor learning training course focuses on how natural environments can positively impact behaviour and support children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs.

You’ll learn how to use outdoor spaces to:

• Reduce dysregulation and stress
• Improve focus and engagement
• Support emotional wellbeing
• Build positive relationships

This training is ideal for schools and settings looking to take a more proactive, holistic approach to behaviour management.

Looking for outdoor training options?  Outdoor Learning Training Hub.

Why Outdoor Learning Supports Behaviour and SEMH

Outdoor environments naturally provide the space, freedom, and sensory experiences that many children need to regulate their emotions and behaviour.

Through this training, you’ll understand how outdoor learning:

• Lowers anxiety and stress levels
• Reduces classroom-based triggers
• Encourages movement and self-regulation
• Supports children who struggle in traditional settings
• Builds confidence and resilience over time

By shifting learning outdoors, behaviour challenges can often be prevented rather than managed.

What You’ll Learn

This outdoor learning training course is packed with practical, real-world strategies you can apply immediately:

🌿 Understanding Behaviour Through an SEMH Lens

• What behaviour is really telling us
• How trauma and stress impact learning
• Identifying triggers and unmet needs

🌿 Using Outdoor Learning to Support Regulation

• Creating calm, structured outdoor environments
• Activities that support emotional regulation
• Using nature as a sensory tool

🌿 Practical Behaviour Strategies Outdoors

• De-escalation techniques in outdoor settings
• Building routines and boundaries outside the classroom
• Encouraging positive risk-taking

🌿 Inclusive Outdoor Practice

• Adapting activities for different needs
• Supporting neurodiverse learners
• Creating safe, supportive environments for all

Who Is This Training For?

This course is perfect for:

• Teachers and teaching assistants
• SENCOs and inclusion leads
• School leaders
• Early years practitioners
• Alternative provision settings

Whether you’re new to outdoor learning or looking to deepen your practice, this training will give you the tools and confidence to make a real impact.

Benefits of This Outdoor Learning Training

By the end of the course, you will:

• Feel confident using outdoor learning to support behaviour
• Have a toolkit of practical SEMH strategies
• Be able to create calmer, more engaged learners
• Understand how to prevent behaviour challenges
• Improve wellbeing across your setting

Why Choose The Muddy Puddle Teacher?

We specialise in outdoor learning training that is:

• Practical and easy to implement
• Rooted in real classroom experience
• Focused on behaviour, wellbeing, and inclusion
• Designed for immediate impact

Our training goes beyond theory—giving you strategies that truly work in everyday school environments.

Book Your Outdoor Learning Training Today

If you’re looking to improve behaviour and support SEMH through outdoor learning, this course is the perfect place to start.

Get in touch today to book your Outdoor Learning Training: Behaviour and SEMH course and transform the way you support your learners.