Meet the Teacher An Interview with ‘Farmer Paul’ on Outdoor Learning
P
aul Crosdil, affectionately known as 'Farmer Paul', teaches pupils his outdoor learning programme in West Sussex. Given Paul's background in farming, horticulture, and even as an animal trainer on the set of blockbuster movies (such as Harry Potter) and TV shows, Farmer Paul brings a sense of magic to outdoor learning that delights pupils and brings them closer to the natural world. We sat down with Farmer Paul to learn more about his role based at Conifers Independant Day School and the school’s ambitions for its outdoor learning programme, which includes a Forest School strand of the curriculum.
What is the best part of your role at Conifers school?
Helping our students to connect with their natural environment is a really cherished part of my role at Conifers. I work with all our year groups as part of
our outdoor learning programme, showing them how to develop their abilities and knowledge about how to grow plants with the seasons, nature and the environment we live in. They love learning about insects, bees and birds, and I use every opportunity I can to teach them all about where their food comes from, and the labour needed to produce it. I am also passionate about protecting the environment, so I really enjoy teaching our more senior pupils about carbon footprints and what we can do to reduce ours.
Can you tell us about the outdoor learning programme and Forest School at Conifers?
We have an extremely popular outdoor learning programme at Conifers, which is designed to connect our adventurous students with their natural environment. Come rain or shine, there are weekly lessons for all pupils in our natural outdoor areas, which includes a shallow stream, woodland walk, den buildings and many magical places to explore. Our rural grounds which include the Paddock, and Forest School areas, provides the perfect arena for adventurous pupils to work together to problem-solve and overcome challenges. We also have allotments at Conifers, which pupils work together on as part of our outdoor lessons. The students prepare the planting beds, learn about seasonal crops, and help to grow and harvest produce. In addition to our outdoor learning programme, I am involved with the Forest School at Conifers, which teaches pupils valuable outdoor skills, such as bushcraft, how to start campfires, how to cook food outdoors, whittling, and other exciting outdoor crafts. The outcome we witness is wonderfully motivated, happy children who are engaged and full of positivity when they return to the classroom.
