An outdoor learning INSET day is a practical professional-development day that helps teachers and school staff use their existing outdoor spaces more confidently, purposefully and effectively.
Rather than simply giving staff a collection of outdoor activity ideas, a high-quality outdoor learning INSET day should help teachers understand why a lesson is being taken outside, how the outdoor environment improves the learning and how the approach can be managed across the whole school.
Outdoor learning training can be adapted for Early Years, KS1, KS2, SEND settings, alternative provisions, nurseries and mainstream primary schools.
The training might focus on curriculum teaching, outdoor play, continuous provision, inclusion, behaviour, staff confidence or the development of a consistent whole-school approach.
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.
Learn more about what curriculum-linked outdoor learning looks like.
An outdoor learning INSET day is a practical professional-development day that helps teachers and school staff use their existing outdoor spaces more confidently, purposefully and effectively.
Rather than simply giving staff a collection of outdoor activity ideas, a high-quality outdoor learning INSET day should help teachers understand why a lesson is being taken outside, how the outdoor environment improves the learning and how the approach can be managed across the whole school.
Outdoor learning training can be adapted for Early Years, KS1, KS2, SEND settings, alternative provisions, nurseries and mainstream primary schools.
The training might focus on curriculum teaching, outdoor play, continuous provision, inclusion, behaviour, staff confidence or the development of a consistent whole-school approach.
The Muddy Puddle Teacher® INSET days are created by teachers, specifically for schools and nurseries. Our approach helps staff take curriculum learning outdoors in practical, purposeful and inclusive ways.
We are not Forest School or bushcraft training. Instead, we show teachers how to take everyday objectives such as counting, poetry, SPaG, phonics, place value, multiplication, continents and countries, and historical timelines, and transform them into active outdoor lessons.
The aim is to make learning more accessible and engaging, particularly for children with SEND or SEMH needs who may struggle with long periods of desk-based teaching.
Our training is realistic, practical and designed around ordinary school grounds. Your school does not need a woodland, Forest School area or expensive outdoor equipment.
We help staff make better use of the playgrounds, fields, yards, courtyards and resources they already have.
The Muddy Puddle Teacher® is a trademarked approach, which means our programme, methods and easy-to-use Outdoor Learning Toolkit can only be taught by us.
Our work has also received national recognition. In 2022, The Muddy Puddle Teacher® was recognised in Parliament with an MP award, and our founder, Sarah Seaman PGCE MA, is a two-time bestselling author published by Bloomsbury.
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Your school does not need a woodland, Forest School area or expensive outdoor equipment.
We help staff use the playgrounds, fields, yards, courtyards and resources they already have.
Explore Our Outdoor Learning INSET Training Packages
What Does INSET Mean?
INSET stands for in-service education and training.
An INSET day is protected professional-development time when pupils are not usually attending school. It gives teachers and staff an opportunity to learn, plan, reflect and develop their practice.
Schools may use an INSET day to focus on curriculum development, safeguarding, behaviour, SEND, assessment or another whole-school priority.
An outdoor learning INSET day focuses specifically on helping staff understand how learning, teaching and play can be developed outside the traditional classroom.
The training should not feel like an entertaining day of disconnected outdoor games.
It should provide staff with clear professional learning that can be applied to their own classes, curriculum objectives and school environment.
Schools that are at the beginning of their journey can also explore our Beginner’s Guide to Outdoor Learning and Complete Guide to Outdoor Learning for Primary Schools.
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.
What Happens During an Outdoor Learning INSET Day?
Every school is different, so an outdoor learning INSET day should be tailored to the needs of the setting.
The day may begin by exploring what outdoor learning means and how it differs from Forest School, residential education and simply moving an indoor activity outside.
Staff can then explore The Muddy Puddle Teacher® approach and learn how to decide which curriculum objectives will benefit from being taught outdoors.
The training usually includes practical activities that staff experience as learners.
Teachers might explore how simple resources such as rope, hoops, cones, chalk, bamboo, clay and natural materials can be used across different subjects.
Staff may practise outdoor maths, English, science, geography, phonics, SPaG or other curriculum areas. Listen to a podcast episode with Executive Headteacher of the Churchside Federation Sarah Godbold and learn about why she chose The Muddy Puddle Teacher Training for her school. Listen in here.
The day can also include outdoor play, continuous provision, SEND adaptations, behaviour management, risk-benefit thinking and whole-school planning.
Throughout the training, staff are encouraged to think about their own pupils, school grounds and curriculum.
The purpose is for teachers to leave with approaches they can use rather than a long list of ideas that require expensive resources or hours of preparation.
What Is The Muddy Puddle Teacher® Approach?
The Muddy Puddle Teacher® approach is a trademarked outdoor learning method created specifically for schools and nurseries.
It is the only outdoor learning training programme created by SLT, who understood the pressures of the classroom, including limited preparation time, staff workload, curriculum expectations, behaviour, and inclusion. Plus, all of our staff also work as in-class teachers.
Our approach is not about taking every lesson outside.
It is about selecting the right objectives and adapting them so that the learning becomes better because it is happening outdoors. In a space where children can be active and express their learning using their bodies.
There should be a clear reason for changing the environment.
The outdoor space may give children opportunities to move, collaborate, talk, build, investigate, experience scale or use practical materials.
When a school leader or visitor observes the lesson, the benefit of teaching it outside should be visible.
The approach also uses a consistent Outdoor Learning Toolkit.
This helps staff reduce preparation and use the same simple, sustainable resources across different subjects and year groups.
Explore our What Is the Muddy Puddle Teacher® Approach? guide and Forest School vs The Muddy Puddle Teacher® Approach for more information.
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.
Is an Outdoor Learning INSET Day the Same as Forest School Training?
No. Outdoor learning INSET and Forest School training have different purposes.
Forest School is a recognised, long-term approach that is usually child-led and delivered through repeated sessions in a natural or woodland environment.
Forest School training may include tool use, fire, bushcraft, supported risk-taking and the management of a Forest School programme.
An outdoor learning INSET day focuses primarily on teaching the curriculum and developing purposeful learning and play outdoors.
Teachers learn how to adapt the lessons they already deliver and use ordinary school grounds to improve engagement, inclusion and understanding.
Schools do not need a woodland or Forest School practitioner to begin teaching curriculum subjects outdoors.
Both approaches can be valuable, but they are not interchangeable.
Explore Our Outdoor Learning INSET Training Packages
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Watch this short video to learn how we use our trademarked methods to teach Maths Outdoors.
Who Should Attend an Outdoor Learning INSET Day?
An outdoor learning INSET day can involve the entire staff team.
This might include headteachers, senior leaders, teachers, teaching assistants, Early Years practitioners, SENDCos, lunchtime supervisors and wraparound-care staff.
Training together helps create a consistent approach.
If only one enthusiastic member of staff understands outdoor learning, development can become dependent on that person.
Whole-school training gives staff shared language, routines and expectations.
It can also reduce uncertainty.
Teachers can discuss how outdoor learning will work across different year groups, how resources will be stored, how children will move outside and what leaders expect to see.
An INSET day can be adapted for Nursery and Reception teams, KS1, KS2, whole-primary teams, specialist schools, alternative provisions and mixed staff groups.
What Subjects Can Be Covered?
Outdoor learning can support almost every area of the primary curriculum when the outdoor environment genuinely improves the objective.
An INSET day might include outdoor maths, English, phonics, SPaG, science, geography, history, art, design and technology, music or physical development.
Training can also focus on broader areas such as outdoor play, continuous provision, communication and language, SEND, wellbeing, regulation and whole-school curriculum planning.
Schools do not need to cover every subject in one day.
The strongest training focuses on the school’s current priorities and helps staff understand approaches they can adapt across the curriculum.
For further guidance, explore our Teaching Maths Outdoors Complete Guide and Teaching English Outdoors Complete Guide.
Can an INSET Day Focus on SEND?
Yes. Outdoor learning training can be tailored for schools that want to strengthen provision for pupils with SEND.
The outdoors can provide additional space, movement, practical experiences, visual learning and meaningful contexts for communication.
Some children may find it easier to engage when they can use their bodies, handle real objects and take part in collaborative tasks.
However, outdoor learning is not automatically suitable for every child.
Noise, weather, transitions, sensory input and less predictable movement can create barriers for some pupils.
A SEND-focused INSET day can help staff consider communication, regulation, sensory needs, visual support, physical access and individual adaptations.
The aim is not to create separate outdoor activities for SEND pupils.
It is to help staff design inclusive teaching that removes barriers while maintaining meaningful learning.
Explore our SEND Outdoor Learning Hub, Outdoor Regulation Resources and Inclusive Outdoor Learning Training.
Do We Need a Large or Natural Outdoor Area?
No.
Outdoor learning can happen on playgrounds, yards, paths, courtyards, decking, artificial sports surfaces and small areas of school grounds.
A natural environment can provide useful opportunities, but it is not essential for curriculum-based outdoor learning.
During an INSET day, staff learn how to view their existing space differently.
A fence can hold vocabulary, sentence parts or number cards.
A path can become a number line, story journey or measuring route.
A wall can be used for chalk, mapping or collaborative mark-making.
A playground can support large-scale maths, science investigations, phonics games and practical English.
The training is about using the environment creatively and purposefully rather than comparing your school with settings that have fields or woodlands.
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Do We Need Expensive Outdoor Equipment?
No.
The Muddy Puddle Teacher® approach is designed around low-cost, reusable and sustainable resources.
Our Outdoor Learning Toolkit includes familiar items such as hoops, cones, rope, bamboo, chalk, clipboards, clay and natural loose parts.
The same equipment can be used in different ways across Early Years, KS1 and KS2.
This helps reduce staff workload and avoids the need to purchase new resources for every lesson.
An effective outdoor learning lesson does not need an elaborate setup.
The teaching objective, adult interaction and children’s thinking are more important than the appearance of the activity.
Will Staff Have to Go Outside During the Training?
The Muddy Puddle Teacher® INSET days are practical, so staff will usually spend part of the training outside.
Experiencing the activities helps teachers understand how children may feel, how resources can be organised and how instructions need to be communicated.
Staff should be told in advance to wear comfortable clothing and suitable footwear.
The day normally includes a mixture of indoor discussion, professional reflection, demonstrations and practical outdoor activities.
Training can be adapted around the school’s site, weather and accessibility requirements.
Light rain does not always stop outdoor training, but severe weather or unsafe conditions may mean that activities are adapted or moved indoors.
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.
How Does Outdoor Learning Support Behaviour and Engagement?
Outdoor learning can support engagement by giving children different ways to participate.
Movement, talk, practical experiences and collaboration can help children who find long periods of desk-based learning difficult.
However, outdoor learning does not automatically improve behaviour.
Children need clear routines, boundaries, stop signals and purposeful tasks.
An outdoor learning INSET day helps staff think about how activities are structured.
Teachers learn how to reduce unnecessary waiting, organise groups, introduce equipment and keep the learning objective clear.
The training also encourages staff to reflect on behaviour differently.
Sometimes a child who appears disengaged is struggling to access the way the lesson is being delivered.
Changing the environment may give that child a new way to understand, communicate or demonstrate their learning.
Will Outdoor Learning Increase Teacher Workload?
It should not.
One of the main aims of The Muddy Puddle Teacher® approach is to make outdoor learning manageable for busy teachers.
Staff learn how to adapt existing objectives rather than planning an entirely separate outdoor curriculum.
They also learn how to use a small collection of reusable resources across different lessons.
Once routines and methods are established, taking learning outside can become part of normal classroom practice.
The aim is not for staff to create highly decorated activities or spend hours preparing resources.
The most effective outdoor lessons are often simple, focused and easy to repeat.
What Are the Benefits of Whole-School Outdoor Learning Training?
Whole-school training helps staff develop a shared understanding of outdoor learning.
Teachers can agree on routines, terminology, resources and expectations.
This consistency benefits children because they do not need to learn completely different outdoor systems in every year group.
Whole-school training can also support progression.
Staff can consider how outdoor experiences develop from Early Years through KS1 and into KS2.
Leaders can begin identifying how outdoor learning supports curriculum development, inclusion, physical activity, wellbeing and school improvement priorities.
A shared INSET day can also create enthusiasm and give staff the confidence to try something new together.
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Two Outdoor Learning Ideas Staff Can Try Tomorrow
Try a Vocabulary Rope
Place a rope in the outdoor space and ask children to position vocabulary cards or natural objects along it.
In English, children might place words in order of intensity, sequence a story or organise vocabulary for a character description.
In science, they might classify objects or show the stages of a process.
The rope gives children a physical way to organise, discuss and adjust their thinking.
Create a Human Number Line
Use chalk, cones or number cards to create a large number line.
Children can move along it to explore counting, addition, subtraction, negative numbers, fractions or rounding.
The activity allows children to see mathematical relationships at a larger scale and explain their thinking through movement.
Keep the objective clear and avoid adding unnecessary competition.
For more ready-to-use ideas, explore our Outdoor Learning Resource Hub, Outdoor Maths Activities and Outdoor English Resources.
Is an Outdoor Learning INSET Day Suitable for Early Years?
Yes.
Early Years teams can explore how focused teaching, continuous provision and child-led outdoor play work together.
Training can cover communication and language, early literacy, maths, physical development, sensory experiences, understanding the world and meaningful pure play.
The aim is not to turn the outdoor environment into a copy of the indoor classroom.
Outdoor provision should offer different experiences, movements, materials and opportunities.
An Early Years INSET day can help staff assess their current space, review adult interactions and create a stronger balance between teaching and uninterrupted play.
Discover more about our pedagogies in outdoor play. The Early Years Outdoors Hub.
Is Outdoor Learning INSET Suitable for KS1 and KS2?
Yes.
Outdoor learning should not stop when children leave Reception.
KS1 teachers can use outdoor learning to support phonics, storytelling, number, measure, science and practical curriculum experiences.
KS2 teachers can use the outdoors for reading comprehension, extended writing preparation, grammar, reasoning, investigations, geography fieldwork and collaborative problem-solving.
The academic expectations should remain high.
The outdoor environment is used to deepen understanding, discussion and application rather than make the curriculum easier.
Explore KS1 Outdoor Lessons Hub.
Explore KS2 Outdoor Lessons Hub.
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Can Pupil Premium or PE and Sport Premium Be Used?
Schools may be able to use existing funding when the training clearly supports the intended outcomes of that funding.
PE and Sport Premium may be considered where training creates sustainable improvements to staff knowledge, physical activity or active learning.
Pupil Premium may be appropriate where outdoor learning is being developed to address identified barriers affecting eligible pupils, such as engagement, communication, participation or access to learning.
SEND or professional-development budgets may also be relevant depending on the school’s plans.
Schools should always check current funding guidance and ensure that spending decisions are linked to identified needs and measurable outcomes.
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.
How Long Is an Outdoor Learning INSET Day?
A full INSET day usually provides enough time to explore the approach, experience practical activities and begin whole-school planning.
Schools can also book shorter workshops or twilight sessions when they have a more focused priority.
A full day may be most suitable for schools that are beginning their outdoor learning journey, training the whole staff team or developing a consistent approach across several phases.
Shorter workshops can work well when the school wants to focus on one curriculum subject or specific area of provision.
Explore our Outdoor Learning Workshops for Schools and Outdoor Learning Webinars for Teachers for alternative formats.
How Should Schools Prepare for the INSET Day?
Before the training, schools should identify what they want staff to understand or change.
It is helpful to share the school’s age ranges, approximate staff numbers, outdoor spaces and current level of experience.
Schools should also mention any specific priorities relating to SEND, behaviour, curriculum subjects, continuous provision or staff confidence.
Staff should be told that the training will include practical outdoor activities and should wear suitable clothing and footwear.
Access to an indoor presentation space and an ordinary area of the school grounds is usually sufficient.
Schools do not need to purchase specialist resources before the day unless this has been discussed with the trainer.
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What Should Happen After the Training?
An INSET day should be the beginning of development rather than an isolated event.
After the training, staff should agree on a small number of manageable actions.
This might include introducing shared outdoor routines, organising a central toolkit, trying one outdoor lesson or identifying curriculum objectives that can be strengthened outside.
Leaders can provide time for staff to share what they have tried and discuss what happened.
Schools can monitor changes in staff confidence, curriculum planning, pupil engagement and the quality of outdoor learning.
The approach should develop gradually.
Attempting to transform every subject and year group immediately can create pressure and make the work difficult to sustain.
Book an Outdoor Learning INSET Day
The Muddy Puddle Teacher® provides practical outdoor learning INSET days for schools, nurseries, special schools, alternative provisions and education organisations.
Training is created by Sarah Seaman and delivered by qualified, experienced teachers who understand the realities of working in schools.
Sessions can be tailored around your phase, outdoor space, staff needs and school priorities.
Training can cover curriculum teaching, Early Years provision, KS1, KS2, SEND, outdoor play, continuous provision, behaviour, staff confidence and whole-school development.
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Continue Developing Outdoor Learning
Schools can continue their professional development through The Muddy Puddle Teacher® online training and resource library.
Ultimate members receive access to our complete collection of online outdoor learning courses, including accredited training pathways and specialist courses.
Explore Ultimate Membership
Schools and individual teachers can also access ready-to-use outdoor learning resources through our membership library.
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For regular ideas, practical guidance, new resources and professional-development updates, join our free teacher publication.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is an outdoor learning INSET day?
An outdoor learning INSET day is a professional-development day that helps teachers and school staff use outdoor spaces for purposeful curriculum teaching, play and whole-school improvement.
Do we need a Forest School area?
No. Outdoor learning training can take place on playgrounds, yards, fields, courtyards, decking and artificial sports areas. Schools do not need woodland or specialist facilities.
Will the training be practical?
Yes. Muddy Puddle Teacher® INSET days usually include practical activities alongside professional discussion, demonstrations and planning.
Can the training be adapted for SEND?
Yes. Training can include communication, regulation, sensory needs, physical access, visual support and inclusive outdoor-learning strategies.
Can Early Years, KS1 and KS2 staff train together?
Yes. A whole-school INSET day can include ideas and approaches for Early Years, KS1 and KS2 while helping staff develop consistent routines and expectations.
Do teachers need an outdoor learning qualification?
Teachers do not normally need an additional qualification to teach ordinary curriculum lessons in their school grounds. They should follow their school’s policies, safeguarding procedures and risk-assessment processes.
How much equipment do we need?
Very little. The Muddy Puddle Teacher® approach uses simple, reusable resources such as rope, hoops, cones, chalk, bamboo, clipboards and natural loose parts.
Can we book a shorter outdoor learning session?
Yes. Schools may choose a full INSET day, a focused workshop or a live webinar depending on their priorities, available time and budget.
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Author
Written by Sarah Seaman PGCE MA
Founder of The Muddy Puddle Teacher®
Teacher for over 19 years
Bloomsbury author
Trainer of thousands of teachers across the UK
Learn more about Sarah on the Bloomsbury site: Sarah Seaman PGCE Author & Educator.
