Outdoor Learning
At Erskine Stewart Melville Junior School the children take part in a wide range of outdoor activities and residential field trips from age 3 upwards.
From Forest Kindergarten for Nursery and Primary 1 children, to the JASS awards scheme for Primary 5-7 as well as residential camps from Primary 4 onwards, the children learn to explore nature, overcome physical challenges, test their commitment and their resolve, build their confidence and have fun with their friends in the great outdoors.
Erskine Stewart Melville has been running outdoor learning for 55 years.
It is an essential part of school life.
Forest Kindergarten
Nursery and Primary 1 children have the chance to take part in our Forest Kindergarten initiatives. These take place outdoors in the extensive school grounds, supported and encouraged by recognised Forest Kindergarten leaders. Activities include:
- Hunting for minibeasts
- Natural crafts – grass-weaving, picture-making
- Mud sculptures
- Shelter building
- Knot tying
- Tree climbing
Unforgettable Adventures: Residential Camps for Primary 4-7
Every year, our Primary 4-6 students eagerly look forward to their camp adventures in Scotland at Dalguise, Lockerbie, and Lagganlia, culminating in a trip to the Lake District in Primary 7. These camps offer a progressive journey of skill-building and memorable experiences, with each year adding new challenges and excitement. Packed with activities like climbing, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, cycling, hiking, and archery, these camps are designed to push boundaries and ignite a passion for adventure. And, of course, no camp is complete without the classic tradition of toasting marshmallows around the campfire!
Beyond the fun, these experiences play a crucial role in fostering independence, boosting confidence and self-esteem, strengthening relationships, honing problem-solving skills, and teaching real-life risk assessment. They prepare our pupils for even greater challenges and adventures as they progress into Senior School, setting the stage for continued growth and learning.
Next
West Highland Way
Each year a hardy team of 26 Primary 7 students and accompanying staff embark on an unforgettable journey along the West Highland Way. This is a big undertaking for students lucky enough to be selected, but the rewards are huge helping them to tackle challenges with resilience, a positive attitude, and a smile. This trip also makes a meaningful difference by raising significant funds for chosen charities.
Helping our Communities and Protecting the Environment with JASS
The Junior Award Scheme for Schools (JASS) programme is similar to the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme, which is popular with Secondary School children. Students who undertake their JASS award find DofE a logical and easy step to make. The programme is available to all Primary 5, 6 and 7 children and offers recognition in four key areas – regular physical activity, exploring personal interests, working for the good of the community or the environment and completing an outdoor activity or challenge.
Enhancing Wellbeing Through Outdoor Learning
Our outdoor learning programme also complements our wellbeing programme. Erskine Stewart Melville was one of the pioneers of outdoor education in Scotland and we believe it plays an instrumental role in developing confidence, strengthening friendships and giving children a strong sense of belonging. While the children are having fun exploring the natural world around them they are also developing a host of essential life skills which will help them to deal with the challenges and stresses they encounter both in childhood and later as adults.
A recent addition to our programme has been our very popular P6 winter night walks which allow pupils to explore familiar local areas at night using torches and bat detectors! These experiences give students the chance to explore the outdoors at times of the day and year they typically wouldn’t, sparking their curiosity and interest in these enjoyable, developmental activities. This not only deepened their connection with nature but also allowed them to experience the wellbeing benefits of outdoor activities year-round.
Building Confidence Through Outdoor Adventures
Outdoor Education at the Junior School helps the children to become more confident and to develop skills, interests and friendships that last a lifetime.
