Outdoor Play Lead for KS2: Ollie West

Curriculum Intent

At Marlborough St Mary’s, our engaging, active curriculum is inclusive, experiential and rooted in our Christian values. We enrich children’s learning through practical, cross-curricular experiences that spark curiosity and resilience, enabling every child to thrive. We place a strong emphasis on the fundamental skills of reading and talk, ensuring our pupils develop a love of reading that opens doors to knowledge and imagination and the ability to communicate with clarity, confidence and respect.  We want our pupils to feel a strong sense of connection: to each other, their families, our school and the wider community. Through partnerships with local schools, businesses and community groups, children learn to see their place in the wider world and understand how they can contribute positively to it.  We also believe that joy should be at the heart of childhood. Our curriculum is deliberately designed to create moments of happiness, wonder and delight - experiences that make pupils smile, laugh and love learning.

Our curriculum is challenging, sequential and aspirational for all. It builds knowledge and skills over time while linking learning to real-life experiences. In doing so, we support children to grow independence, creativity and self-belief, preparing them to take their place as responsible and compassionate citizens of the Marlborough community and as citizens of the wider world.

Outdoor Play – KS2

Intent

At Marlborough St Mary’s, we believe outdoor play is an essential part of childhood — a time for discovery, imagination, and connection. Our intent is to provide rich outdoor learning and play experiences that develop our pupils’ confidence, communication, curiosity, and sense of belonging in the world around them. Through our four drivers — Talk, Read, Connection, and Joy — outdoor play becomes a meaningful extension of classroom learning, encouraging children to explore language, stories, and relationships in natural, purposeful ways.

Implementation

Outdoor play is planned and delivered as an integral part of our KS2 curriculum.

• Talk: Children are encouraged to express themselves, problem-solve collaboratively, and communicate effectively during outdoor play. Adults model rich vocabulary and questioning, supporting children in articulating ideas, negotiating roles, and reflecting on shared experiences.
• Read: Outdoor areas are used to bring reading to life — from storytelling circles and nature-inspired reading corners to text-linked exploration activities. Books and stories act as a bridge between imagination and the natural world, inspiring curiosity and creativity.
• Connection: We design outdoor experiences that foster meaningful connections — between pupils, staff, families, and the wider community. Whether through environmental projects, partnerships with Marlborough College, or shared community events, children learn that they are part of something bigger than themselves.
• Joy: Outdoor play is a celebration of childhood. We deliberately plan moments of wonder — climbing, creating, building, exploring — that spark laughter and joy. These experiences nurture well-being, resilience, and a lifelong love of learning.

Impact

Through our outdoor play provision, KS2 pupils become confident, articulate, and connected learners who see the world as a place of discovery and delight. They demonstrate strong communication and teamwork skills, a developing understanding of environmental responsibility, and a deep sense of joy in learning and play. Our pupils leave KS2 with memories of shared adventures, strengthened relationships, and the belief that learning can happen anywhere.