Outside the Box Inside the Wild - Outdoor Learning & Play Conference 2025

Step outside your box (classroom) and join us at the 2025 Outdoor Learning & Play Conference....

‘Outside the box…inside the Wild’ is centred around the benefits of outdoor spaces on teaching & learning. It is about giving educators the knowledge, skills & most importantly...the confidence to take the curriculum outside. 


A message from Conference founders, Jo Clanfield & Rob Francksen: 

As educators, we know schools face challenges and pressures with the curriculum, namely time and content overload; as a result, a lot of learning time can be spent inside a school environment, often under-utilising or overlooking outdoor spaces as a natural antidote to the challenges faced by schools. 

Learning outdoors simultaneously supports children’s physical, cognitive, social, and emotional growth.

We want to provide you with the tools to achieve this by bringing specialist educators together for an unforgettable day of learning (outdoors, of course), PLAY and connection. 

Conference Agenda & Timings

9.00 am    Arrival/registration 

9.30 am    Welcome - Jo Clanfield & Rob Francksen

9.40 am    Keynote - Rob Bell

10.00 am  Workshop 1

11.30 am   Break

11.45 am   Workshop 2

1.15 pm     Lunch & Networking

2.00 pm    Workshop 3

3.30 pm    Closing Summary & Thank you - Jo Clanfield & Rob Francksen

3.45 pm    Travel home! 

Conference Format: 

Delegates are asked to select 3 out of an available 6 practical, hands-on workshops for the day 

Rob is an inspiring HT who believes that, first and foremost, it’s important to ensure that children are emotionally happy!

After twelve years working as a PE teacher and assistant headteacher in mainstream schools, Rob moved into alternative provision in 2016. He's spent the last nine years helping children who’ve struggled with mainstream education, ensuring they aren’t discarded and they get the chance to fulfil their potential.

Rob believes that education opens the door to support a happy and healthy lifestyle, but for many children, this has started to diminish.

His school, which is part of the Consilium Academies, is pioneering research into how some children interpret and access information both visually and aurally.

Find out more about Rob on LinkedIn

Meet our Workshop Practitioners:

Julie Mountain

Qualified in landscape design, Julie has specialised in supporting schools and early years settings so that they can make the most of the potential of the outdoors for learning and play.

An experienced trainer and facilitator, Julie launched Play Learning Life in 2010 in order to focus on outdoor projects in and with schools and families.

Recently, she has joined the OPAL revolution by becoming a Freelance Mentor.

'3, 4, Open the Door' Workshop - Julie will take you on a practical learning journey through a landscape workshop, which focuses on building confidence via natural materials for art and maths. The premise being ‘Use what you have’ in your immediate environment.

Find out more about Julie on LinkedIn

Felicity Robinson

Felicity is a landscape architect, author, trainer and educator with a wealth of expertise in working alongside Primary and Secondary schools and early years settings.

Felicity's work has included multi-site new build schools, local authority strategic planning and developing programmes to help reconnect children with the natural world. 

'The A for Art in STEAM' Workshop - Felicity will support learners to unlock curiosity and wonder by integrating arts, maths and sciences outdoors via a scientific approach to investigation, observation, prediction and evaluation, using fun outdoor practical art-based activities and real-world opportunities; giving ideas for engaging hands-on sensory learning, as well as presentation and communication.

Find out more about Felicity on LinkedIn

Angela Smith

Angela is an experienced & resilient SEND Education Partner with 26 years' experience in leadership and SEND across the full age range from 3-25 years within contrasting schools and colleges.

Angela has a particular interest in developing other professionals, supporting disadvantaged children and enabling pupils to be independent adults and life-long learners - offering them the very best chance of a successful, rounded life.

Angela has specialisms in Dyslexia Friendly Schools, Neurodiversity and SEBD.

'Adaptive Outdoor Learning' Workshop - Angela will lead a practical workshop on how adaptations can be made, via the outdoor environment, to meet learners' specific profiles, breaking down the barriers that we may all experience.

Find out more about Angela on LinkedIn

Annie Burnett

Having had 20 years of being a primary school teacher, 8 of which leading SEND provision in an ‘Outstanding’ school, Annie has a wealth of experience working with and supporting children and their families with differing needs. In 2011, she achieved her PGCE in SEND and in 2012 was awarded her Level 7 Diploma in Assessing and Teaching Learners with SLD (Dyslexia).

'Literacy Outdoors' Workshop - Annie will lead a session which provides delegates with the knowledge and ideas of how to use the outdoor environment, within their literacy lessons, to support children who find literacy skills and/or learning in a conventional classroom difficult.

Find out more about Annie's work at Nurture Dyslexia

Lavinia Dowling

Lavinia is a Psychiatric Nurse, Consultant & Founder of The M Word CIC. She has practised as a licensed mental health clinician for 25 years.

She works with children, adolescents, young adults, and older adults with a broad range of mental health issues, and has a wealth of experience helping clients who have Autism and military trauma.

'Supporting Anxiety & Neurodiversity' Workshop - If you are curious,  open to learning around mental health and neurodiversity, and wish to be proactive and preventative in your approach, this workshop is for you. Lavinia will be identifying what poor mental health looks like, exploring interactive and hands-on outdoor tools, games and activities, and techniques to support individuals with self-regulation, self-esteem and managing anxiety through the use of the outdoor environment.

Learn more about Lavina's work at The M Word CIC

Sam Fletcher

Sam is an accomplished and passionate educator with over a decade of experience, marked by a profound affinity for outdoor learning and a relentless dedication to creating enchanting and immersive environments.

With roots in outdoor education that extend back more than 12 years, Sam first discovered her passion for experiential, nature-based learning during her early career in Forest School.

'Did someone say Health & Safety?' - Sam will lead a practical workshop (using mini-loose parts) to explore the concept of 'benefit-risk assessing' when planning for outdoor learning opportunities. Sam will use HSE’s Guidance on Promoting a Balanced Approach to Play, Leisure & Recreation as a stimulus for how this could sit within planned curriculum activities.

Find out more about Sam on LinkedIn

                                                    

About the conference organisers: 

‘Outside the box…inside the Wild’ is brought to you by Jo Clanfield (Teach Outdoors Founder) & Rob Francksen (OPAL Leicester Founder). 

Teach Outdoors was founded by Jo Clanfield, an experienced primary teacher with a passion for getting children learning outside. With over eight years of experience supporting teachers and schools nationwide, Jo has the knowledge and enthusiasm to help bring any outdoor environment to life. She has a specialised understanding of the benefits of outdoor learning, and – along with her team of skilled educators – is on a mission to share this with schools across the country. 

Learn more about Jo on LinkedIn

OPAL's goal is that regardless of gender, race, ability or location – every child should have access to outstanding play opportunities every school day of their lives. Rob is a passionate and motivated former primary school Executive Headteacher who strongly believes that there are few things as important to the future wellbeing of our world than the quality of play our children receive.

Rob has a first-class honours BSc Science degree, PGCE, Masters in Education degree, National Professional Qualification of Headship (NPQH) and he has written several thesis papers on ‘Green Exercise’, and outdoor learning. He has taught and led across primary, middle and secondary school settings over the past 15 years. 

Learn more about Rob on LinkedIn

 EVENT FAQ'S (FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS): 

• Will there be food? Yes! Hot & cold beverages will be available throughout the day, and lunch will be served at 1:15 pm. 

• Where can I park my car & do I have to pay? Parking onsite is available at the Waterside Campus (near the Creative Hub conference building). Parking charges apply to all visitors, except Blue Badge holders and motorbikes. Parking payments must be made on arrival* by cashless payment machine (contactless or chip and pin) or RingGo.

*Payment and parking are linked via the Automatic Number Plate Recognition system, so there is no need to display a ticket in your vehicle.

For guests travelling by car who wish to reserve a car parking space, please use the link below for Car Park 2 – postcode NN1 5PH, via Bedford Road, University Drive, Northampton: https://www.northampton.ac.uk/guest-parking.

For those travelling via public transport: https://www.northampton.ac.uk/about-us/contact-us/find-us/getting-to-waterside/.

• Where will the conference take place? Inside the 'Creative Hub',  and the outdoor space (the green area to the east of the Creative Hub). 

• Is there a dress code? During the day, you will have the opportunity to participate in 3 practical workshops, which will take place outdoors. Please wear appropriate outdoor shoes (such as trainers) and bring clothing suitable for the weather. This could be a raincoat or a sun hat, and sun cream!