Location
This course takes place here:
MacRobert Building
Aberdeen University
Kings Street
Aberdeen
AB24 3FX
Taster session of Certificate in Outdoor Practice
For teachers and practitioners in schools and early years settings working within Early and First Level. Experience a taster of the course, reflect on how you can facilitate child led, self directed play and meet the trainers.
This course takes place on the following dates:
This course takes place here:
MacRobert Building
Aberdeen University
Kings Street
Aberdeen
AB24 3FX
The course has been specifically designed to extend the understanding and expertise of practitioners and teachers/TAs who have at least 2 years experience in early years practice. The course is also very suitable for those holding a nationally recognised level 3 qualification but with less experience in practice.
So as to complete the implementation aspect of the qualification, you will need to be working or on placement with children from 2 to 6 years in any private, voluntary or maintained early years setting, school or childminding service.
In general the course spans 12-14 months.
An example of a standard delivery of the full award would be one training day per month then to return to your setting to implement gained knowledge and experience. In this way you would complete a unit every month, a module every 4 months and complete the whole certificate over a 12 month period.
For Privately commisioned courses - This can be done over a shorter timescale but it is very important to allow enough time between each unit before moving on.
Employing a coaching approach, the course supports you to gradually develop a firm basis of understanding and competences in a long-term, incremental and stepped way. The structure allows you to gradually develop your own expertise across the year, providing a slow, regular and manageable approach.
Utilising a blended mix of face-to-face experiential sessions, in-person or online discussion and analysis sessions and guided study, you will be supported to work things out for yourself. Constructive observation, implementation and evaluation in your own setting’s outdoor space ensures that new understandings become embedded into your practice and are maintained. We aim for this training to work for everyone and to involve actual development of your setting’s outdoor provision and practice.
Undertaking the Certificate in Outdoor Practice will:
The qualification is content focused, incorporates active learning and supports collaboration and gradual progress. The course is:
Making a difference for practitioners and children.
The Certificate in Outdoor Practice from Outdoors Thinking has an enabling approach with the following ongoing impact and outcomes for practitioners, managers and settings:
Our course in England is accredited by Open College Network West Midlands.
Check out our FAQ page
Creative
Passionate
Curious
I love the peace I find outdoors, connecting with tiny and huge things, feeling part of something inter-connected and vast. I always feel at home outdoors, I feel free and I always get my best ideas when I'm walking somewhere wild.
I can't possibly choose between two, so I'll tell you about them both. I remember the first time I walked into the patch of woodland where I subsequently opened my setting. It felt so right - peaceful, grounded and homely. I now love watching the children and staff play and connect with the woodland and with one another. It's now the hub of a vibrant community, shaped and led by those who play there and I couldn't be more proud.
So many things!!! The whole team are incredibly passionate, dedicated and inspiring, it's a real joy to work with them, and learn from them. We are incredibly fortunate to have an incredible amount of support for outdoors and play in Scotland and I'm looking forward to working alongside participants to witness the changes in practice and environment that will unfold.