the outdoors group

Alternative Outdoor Provision

Devon’s Outdoors Group revamps alternative education offer

The Outdoors Group has refreshed its alternative education provision making it easier for parents and educators to access and understand what’s involved.

Previously called the Transitional Learning Programme, this significant area of the group’s business has been renamed the Alternative Outdoor Provision (AOP). AOP offers support to learners who need time out from their main...

Home Education at The Forest School at Totnes

Extra sessions for Totnes home educated children

Due to popular demand, The Outdoors Group is adding an additional session to its home education provision at its Totnes site.

From November 14 the new Monday session will run from 9.30am to 3pm during term time. The existing Wednesday sessions will continue as usual.

As well as providing local home educated children with another option for activities, this extra day will also...

Working with neurodiverse children

The Outdoors Group seeks opinions from parents of neurodiverse children

Parents of neurodiverse children struggling in their educational setting or experiencing certain life issues are being invited to take part in a new research project.

The Outdoors Group will use the information to assess the current situation for neurodiverse children in Devon and to learn about the problems being faced by both the children and their families.

Neurodivergence...

Children in The Outdoors School

Ground-breaking SEND conference to take place in Devon

The Outdoors Group is holding its first ever conference ‘The Benefits of Outdoor Learning’ on July 6 with a programme designed for those working outdoors with students who have special educational needs and disabilities.

DFE stats from 2021 show that of all pupils in England, 12.2% had special educational needs (SEN) support. With the right support and educational provision in place...

Sitting around a campfire

National Award for Devon Outdoor Innovator

The Outdoors Group was named overall winner in the Rural Business Awards National Finals

The ground-breaking organisation which provides outdoors-based educational and recreational activities at sites across Devon picked up the gong for the Best Rural Recreational or Outdoor Pursuits category.

Director Shevek Pring said: “We were over the moon to be named category winners in...

New branding

Reinventing the Brand!

As 10-year anniversary celebrations continue for Devon innovator The Outdoors Group, the business has revealed compelling new branding.

While the original branding neatly portrayed nature and innovation, the team felt that a refreshed look could better convey the developments that have happened in the past decade.

The creative concept was sparked by a woodworking project when a...

Children in an outdoors school

New South Brent special school site fully open

The Outdoors Group’s newest special school is now ready to move forward to full capacity providing special needs provision to children in South Devon.

The new location on the edge of Dartmoor has dotted the i's and crossed the t's with the change of site use agreed, and improvements made to access.

As with the other two special schools run by the group in Shillingford and...

Outside of a building in Crediton

From little acorns: move to bigger HQ for growing outdoors specialist

Devon’s leading alternative outdoors-based educational provider has moved to new headquarters in Crediton after outgrowing its former base.

Previously at Exeter’s Basepoint Business Centre, The Outdoors Group purchased the former health centre Western Lodge earlier this year as staff numbers swelled to over 100.

The property is a single storey former health centre and provides...

Group in woodland

From the classroom into the great outdoors - helping teachers to take lessons outside

A new course has been launched at Exmouth’s Forest School for teachers who want to add a different dimension to teaching by taking classes outdoors.

‘Learning Beyond the Classroom’ from The Outdoors Group gives teachers and volunteers new skills to use nature and the environment to teach the curriculum outside of the classroom.

Course leader, Ali Taylor explains, “There’s...

Children in wheelbarrow

Outdoor learning programme set to help even more Devon youngsters struggling in mainstream schools

A Devon organisation offering an alternative educational provision based entirely outdoors is expanding with three new sites across the county.

The Outdoors Group is opening new sites at Ilfracombe, Totnes and Tiverton and appointing additional area managers. The expansion means more support for young people struggling in mainstream education, through the group’s innovative...