About Tirlun

Tirlun is a portal to a wide range of learning experiences that aim to embed outdoor learning, in a variety of forms. All have elements of working outside and bringing the outdoors back into the classroom.  

The learning experiences are designed to be used flexibly to enhance learners’ journeys to fulfil the four purposes. They enable the twelve pedagogical principles to enhance learners’ experiences and give many opportunities for learners to be more metacognitive, to take responsibility for their own learning and work well with others. 

The experiences have been sub-divided into two areas. Firstly, there are those that are designed to be used in school and the local area – the Key Activities. Then, there are activities designed to take learners from their school and local area into the Designated landscapes of Wales. 

All the learning experiences are cross-curricular in nature, involving multiple Areas of Learning and Experiences (AoLEs). They have been developed for learners working within Progression steps 3 and 4.  

Prior to selection, viewing the coverage chart for each activity should enable a better understanding of the range of opportunities learners may have to access the Statements of what matters (SoWMs). However, learners could have opportunities to access other AoLEs and SoWMs, especially if elements of each activity are used flexibly or adapted for learner needs and interests.

For example, the Case Study, How can we develop a trail?, exemplifies one school’s approach to adapting a Key Activity to use within the local area with a focus on electric scooters, which have become a key part of the school’s ambition for more Active Travel. The school developed trails around St. David’s, produced leaflets and posters, all of which were housed in a local library. People were asked to try the trails and give feedback, which was implemented to improve the leaflets and trails themselves.  

All the experiences focus on improving learners’ skills of problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creative thinking and research. They also are designed to enable learners to develop the cross-curricular skills of Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Competence.  

The experiences aim to stimulate learners’ curiosity, so that they will be more engaged and therefore better motivated to succeed. The experiences are centred around tasks with focus questions, which could provide a basis for teachers to adapt and extend to more Socratic questioning, depending on learners’ needs and interests. 

The Case Study, How do we use energy?, shows how a school embarked on an exploration of energy and forces. They followed the outline of the activity, utilising the focus questions but then extended them to align with local interests and developments.  Learners engaged in a thought-provoking debate on a local solar farm proposal, which provided valuable opportunity to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of such a development locally.   

As effective collaboration is key to developing higher-order thinkers, the experiences give opportunities for pairs or small groups of learners to work together to discuss the focus questions, develop their own ideas and personalise their learning.   

The Case Study, Explorers and Expeditions, shows how learners worked collaboratively, adding their own tasks depending on their interests to create a whole-term theme inspired by the resource. For example, considering Sir Henry Morton Stanley’s expedition in Africa, and the barriers he faced crossing rivers in the Congo learners decided to design and build their own bridges. Bringing in local explorers and a personal trainer made the activity bespoke to the learners and gave them further opportunities to develop quality questions. 

Each activity has Useful links, giving a range of websites and links, and Support materials, giving approaches that could be used to enhance the learning experience.