Sheffield is affectionately known as The Outdoor City, and anyone who lives here understands why. With around 7 trees per person, lush green spaces running through the city and the Peak District right on our doorstep, the outdoors is part of everyday life. For our pupils, it is also a fundamental part of how they learn.
In the Infant and Junior School, our Explorer programme is a defining part of a Sheffield Girls’ education. From the very earliest years, our girls regularly step beyond the classroom to learn through movement, exploration and experience. This is not incidental; it is a carefully designed outdoor learning programme, delivered by Forest School accredited experts, that reflects both how girls learn best and the unique opportunity we have to educate pupils in Sheffield.
Our approach to outdoor learning is rooted in the belief that girls understand the world most deeply when they are actively engaged with it. By embedding outdoor experiences into the Infant and Junior curriculum, we give our girls the space to explore ideas, ask questions and develop confidence in their learning from a young age.
Learning Spaces inspired by the Outdoor City
Located in the leafy suburb of Broomhill, Sheffield Girls’ is neatly situated between the city centre and Peak District. Our spaces, which are uniquely designed with how girls learn best, are the perfect foundations for our pupils’ sense of belonging, allowing them to forge strong connections between their learning and growing up in the Outdoor City.
From their first days in Reception, girls have weekly sessions in our outdoor learning zone, with outdoor learning a natural part of the school day rather than a one-off occasion. Our playgrounds are vibrant, exciting spaces equipped for nurturing a natural love of the outdoors – with mud kitchens and outdoor instruments for the younger girls, and a sensory garden for our Juniors to encourage a natural connection between wellbeing and the outdoors. Whatever the unpredictable Yorkshire weather, our girls delight at bringing their learning to life during breaks.
Beyond our 9-acre school site, Infant and Junior girls benefit from an exciting trips and visits programme which sees us introducing them more widely to everything the Outdoor City has to offer. From regular visits to local parks and forests and to the Peak District, our educational trips ensure that learning feels real, purposeful and connected to the world around them. Through their explorations, our girls build confidence, curiosity and a genuine sense of connection to the city call home.
Learning Outdoors, from the very beginning
From their first days in the Infant and Junior School, our girls are encouraged to see learning as something that extends beyond the four walls of the classroom. Outdoor spaces become places for thinking, creating and discovering, not just for play.
Taking learning outdoors helps our girls’ ideas make sense. Maths concepts become clearer when girls are measuring, counting or mapping in real spaces. Stories and art feel richer when they are inspired by nature and changing seasons. Scientific thinking grows when girls can observe patterns, notice differences and ask questions about what they see for themselves. The natural sense of curiosity at the heart of our curriculum truly comes to life in our Explorer sessions.
Bringing Girls of Steel Outdoors
Our outstanding character education programme, Girls of Steel, sits at the heart of a Sheffield Girls’ education. Recognised as a significant strength during our recent ISI inspection, Girls of Steel allows pupils to develop their resilience, self-knowledge and self-belief through a comprehensive programme of co-curricular opportunities.
Our Explorer programme plays a vital role in complementing the skills nurtured by this programme. When learning takes place outdoors, girls are naturally encouraged to take initiative, collaborate with others and adapt when challenges arise.
These experiences help girls build resilience in a calm, supportive way. They learn that effort matters, that problem solving takes time and that it is okay not to get things right the first time. Over time, this builds a quiet self-belief that supports both academic learning and personal growth.
Over the years, I have witnessed first-hand the profound personal growth that takes place when girls immerse themselves in our Early Explorers programme. Girls who may begin the year hesitant or unsure of their own abilities gradually develop confidence in their decision-making, a willingness to try new things and a deeper trust in themselves. I have seen friendships strengthen through shared challenges and quieter pupils find their voice in outdoor problem-solving tasks. The transformation is often subtle but deeply powerful: a growing sense of independence, resilience and pride that extends far beyond the woodland and into every aspect of school life.
The Sheffield Girls' Difference
What sets outdoor learning at Sheffield Girls’ apart is the intention behind it. Our programme is thoughtfully planned and carefully integrated into the wider curriculum, ensuring that learning outdoors is purposeful, meaningful and always grounded in a strong sense of place and belonging.
Growing up learning in the Outdoor City gives our girls a unique connection to their environment. They learn that learning can happen anywhere, and that curiosity does not stop at the classroom door. What I see every day are girls who are confident outdoors, engaged in their learning and excited to explore the world around them.
Visit us
If you would like to see how outdoor learning is embedded into everyday life at Sheffield Girls’ Infant and Junior School, we warmly invite you to visit us. We would love to show you how our girls learn, grow and thrive through our outdoor learning programme.
Rachael Leslie
Deputy Head, Sheffield Girls’ Infant and Junior School
Frequently Asked Questions
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Our Early Explorers programme is designed specifically for girls, delivered by Forest School-accredited specialists, and integrated across the infant and junior curriculum to build confidence, curiosity and resilience from the earliest years.
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Outdoor learning strengthens problem-solving, creative thinking and understanding of key concepts by grounding them in real experiences, helping girls make deeper and more lasting connections across subjects.
To find out more about academic progression in the Infant and Junior School, click below.
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Yes. Families are warmly invited to book a visit to see how outdoor learning is embedded into everyday life at Sheffield Girls’ and how it shapes pupils’ confidence and enjoyment of learning.
You are welcome to visit us at any time for a private family tour, or visit our Open Events page to register for one of our events, usually held in the Autumn Term and Spring Term.
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Every girl participates in regular outdoor learning sessions as part of the curriculum, with weekly outdoor learning in Reception and structured Explorer sessions continuing throughout the infant and junior years.
Visit our Curriculum page to read more about our unique Infant and Junior School curriculum.
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Yes. Outdoor learning supports the development of independence, resilience, communication and teamwork — the core skills that form a strong foundation for moving confidently into Year 7 and beyond.
