School Zone

Introduction

For Key Stage 1 and 2 teachers, parks are an easily accessible and rich resource for areas of learning, including, historical, geographical and social understanding, and understanding physical development, health and wellbeing. For young children, parks are places of fun, activity and discovery, and applied projects that involve visiting them will be a memorable experience.

For Key Stage 3 and 4 teachers, parks can be the focus of a compelling learning experience, spanning the curriculum, and which develops students’ personal learning and thinking skills. Engagement with these vital open spaces will help young people appreciate their community value and how parks contribute to a healthy lifestyle.

Using parks also underpins the government’s ambitions for The Children’s Plan, realises the expectations of the government’s Every Child Matters agenda and reinforces the aspirations of the Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto.

The following activities are supported by extensive resources that can be used on an interactive whiteboard or printed off for use in a classroom. Teachers will be able to personalise them for children of differing ages and levels.  

KS1 Parks for people and animals
KS2 Respecting parks as public property
KS2 A local history study – How has our park changed?
KS3 Designing a new playground
KS4 Restoring a historic park

Specific curriculum links are detailed in the introduction of each section.

Exploring historic parks is a suggested teaching sequence with practical activities that can be adapted for any key stage. These will also help leaders of groups such as cubs, scouts, brownies and girl guides to help members achieve their badges.

Exploring Parks Activity Sheets are downloadable activities for shared exploration of a park, suitable for families with young children.

Explore and Find Places & People provides specific information about parks and gardens, including an illustrated glossary, details of historic parks and gardens and information about people involved with their design.

The Resource Area contains a large archive of images for downloading and using in the classroom which tie directly into the activities provided.