Continuing professional development: Go outside to improvise

Manor Farm Animal Centre and East Leake Day Nursery in Nottinghamshire is using its beautiful 100-acre site to deliver three CPD courses to extend practitioners' use of the outdoors in different areas of practice.

Outdoor Adventures is described by education officer Catherine Thomson as an exciting, motivational course for practitioners who want to know more about the opportunities the outdoors offer for learning and play, but may be lacking in confidence when it comes to taking learning outside.

'We have a wonderful woodland area close to our nursery,' she says. 'The aim is to boost enthusiasm as well as skills, modelled on what we do here. We highlight how the outdoors fits in with the EYFS and cover a range of practical considerations like risk assessments and how participants can adapt our ideas in their own settings.'

The course comes with a folder packed with resources. 'They leave with a wealth of information and ideas,' says Ms Thomson. 'There is everything they need to start exploring the outdoors, including an introduction to forest schools.'

Another course is Taking Storytelling Outdoors. 'Many practitioners would like to leave the book behind - and when you are out and about this is a practical consideration as well,' says Ms Thomson. 'This course, delivered by Maggie Weber and Susan Samm of StoryRoots, explains clear techniques for developing oral storytelling, right down to breathing.'

Practitioners do not have to be music specialists to participate in the third course, Taking Music Outdoors, which is designed to support the EYFS. 'This starts in our nursery using a conventional outdoor play area,' says Ms Thomson. 'The participants engage in a range of large-scale music activities for children aged three years and up. They then move through to the woodland for a musical exploration walk. The day includes singing songs and playing games to stimulate children's awareness of the cycle of seasons, creating and improvising with musical material for outdoor use and more.'

The courses were originally funded by Nottinghamshire County Council Early Years and Child Care for local authority staff, but are now available to everyone. Telephone 01509 852525 or visit www.manorfarm.info.