Heather Large meets the team at Educating Kids Outdoors, a charity based at Weston Park that provides children with outdoor learning experiences Whether it’s learning about pollinators, building a den or toasting marshmallows around the campfire, Natasha Branston passionately believes that outdoor experiences and connecting with nature offer invaluable physical and emotional benefits.
That’s why she founded Educating Kids Outdoors (EKO), an organisation dedicated to inspiring pupils, teachers and families by providing outdoor learning sessions for children across the West Midlands.
Based at Weston Park, EKO, which has its own dedicated outdoor learning area and classroom, offers school visits, holiday clubs and family activities all year round.
EKO also runs curriculum linked in-school sessions and after-school clubs, along with training for teachers who want to take learning outside.
Natasha previously ran school expeditions overseas, and went on to develop educational programmes in deprived areas of the UK, as well as volunteering with young people.
She started EKO at her sons’ primary school in Shifnal in 2012.
“I had moved back to Shropshire with three young boys.
“I said to Adrian Marsh, the headteacher, ‘I’m not very good at organising school discos, but how can I help?’. And he said, ‘have you heard of Forest School?’.” Natasha completed her training to become a Forest School Leader in 2011, and gained her Teaching Assistant qualification in 2012.
“I started an after-school Forest School Club at St Andrew’s in 2012.
“After a while I began to be asked to set up clubs at other schools, and so decided to become a not-for-profit business.
“EKO became a registered charity in 2019, and since then we’ve just grown and grown,” she explains.
At Weston Park, EKO’s team of staff and volunteers welcome school children for outdoor learning days.
“We have lots of curriculum-linked days such as World War two, where children visit the walled vegetable garden and learn about the Dig for Victory campaign and rationing, explore our Anderson Shelter, do a coding challenge in the orchard, and make their own clay medals,” explains Natasha.
Other themes include Creative Art; Good Growing; Traditional Tales; Stone Age; Minibeasts; and Victorian Toys, but EKO is always happy to develop bespoke days for groups.
“Outdoor learning isn’t a subject, it’s a pedagogy – a way of learning,” says Natasha.
“All children learn in different ways. Some will learn by sitting down and listening, some learn by watching, but most learn by doing,” she adds.
There are many benefits of outdoor learning, from equipping pupils with important life skills to boosting overall wellbeing, says Natasha.
“It improves confidence and communication skills.
“It builds resilience and perseverance.
“It inspires curiosity and a caring nature, and it celebrates different skills and creativity.
“Importantly, it allows children to succeed in ways other than academia.
“Behaviour and levels of engagement usually improve too as the children feel relaxed and happy.”
EKO’s holiday clubs are attended by up to 40 children every day, with 75% of places fully funded by the Department of Education’s national HAF programme.
The children, aged between 6 and 16 years old, spend the whole day at Weston Park, playing outside with friends, away from screens, with the space and freedom to create their own fun, in their own way.
One of the popular holiday club activities is exploring the vegetable garden and participating in the weekly cooking workshop with Steve Guy, aka “the Hungry Guy”.
“It’s really inspiring for the children, and important for them to learn about where their food comes from,” says Natasha.
EKO’s Operations Manager, Amanda Adams, has worked in education for over 15 years, and particularly enjoys overseeing the Creative Art school programme through which hundreds of local children have been able to create natural art through observational drawings, print-making, collage, mini nature galleries, plaster relief and cyanotypes.
The team also includes Leader Kate Hermon, who has worked in education for 22 years across both primary and secondary sectors.
She joined EKO after developing a strong passion for supporting both children and adults through outdoor learning.
Rose Mercantas has been volunteering for the charity for three years after retiring from the Civil Service.
“I love walking, I love being outside and I love working with children – so this was perfect,” she says. Jeanie Battye has recently joined the volunteer team and has already seen the beneficial impact of the charity’s work.
“I think it’s absolutely invaluable what children can do here.
“They go back with skills and knowledge they couldn’t get without being outside and having these real-life experiences,” she says.
Natasha is delighted by the positive response to the charity’s work, and is actively seeking partnerships with other organisations who want to see children getting outside more to support their learning and well-being, as well as understanding how precious our natural world is.
“We recently held a very successful Charity Race Day at Ludlow Racecourse, and are so grateful to all our funders.
“Through their generosity we are able to offer disadvantaged children the fun of our holiday clubs, schools in deprived areas to experience our in-school sessions, and give local families opportunities to get involved in our community sessions.
“We are also launching the pilot of our nationally accredited ‘Learning Beyond the Classroom Programme’, in partnership with the newly formed Four Hills Education Trust in Shropshire. Like them, we want to prepare children not just for exams but for life,” she says.
Everyone is welcome to come and visit EKO to see what they get up to – just remember to bring your wellies and a waterproof coat!
For more information about EKO, see www.ekolearning.org.uk
