Ahead of Outdoor Classroom Day, we’re shining a spotlight on our friends at BLES and the work they’re doing to support schools in transforming their outdoor spaces for nature and learning. Let’s hear from Cedric Ryckaert…

What is BLES?

BLES is a Flemish research program based in the Artevelde University of Applied Sciences in Ghent. We help schools to transform their school grounds into climate adaptive spaces via impact on the education program and codesign with landscape architects.

How does BLES see the playground?

This outdoor space is a nature-rich and climate-robust environment where there is room for biodiversity. We focus on caring for soil, permeability, water collection and reuse, and creating space for nature by planting local plants. Through nature, we create cooling and shade to combat heat stress and we focus on circularity by (re)using natural and sustainable materials.

BLES sees the playground as a shared outdoor space where children, young people and adults learn, live, and play together. The playground is a place:

• For meeting each other, the neighbourhood, and nature
• Where learning from, with, and for the environment is central
• Where multifunctional use of space is a dynamic priority
• For use both within school hours (curriculum and leisure activities) and outside (after-school activities, holiday activities, community initiatives)

We see education and participation as important levers to develop climate-adaptive schoolyards, so we encourage learning in, from, with, and for the outdoor space! BLES designs the use of outdoor space with school teams (teachers, parents, pupils, policy), and imagining the use of space is tested against support in the school. This exercise provides many principles for designers to work with, which are the building blocks for a strong story about the use of space, and learning, playing, and living outdoors.

How does BLES support schools?

BLES works on the greening of school grounds on a project basis for special, nursery, primary. and secondary education. Using a whole-school approach, we help follow up playground dossiers from A to Z with a team of experts such as landscape architects. We also support schools in the development of outdoor learning within the team.

Our BLES coaches work on the development of a playground design tailored to the needs and pace of an individual school. We work with the teaching team, pupils and landscape designers who speak the language of education to come up with an outline design. With that strong story, we submit grant applications to secure funding for school projects. Meanwhile, we provide teaching teams with training in outdoor learning, play, and life to develop a strong playground story!

What challenges has BLES faced?

Our challenges lie mainly in the rate at which we are growing. Over three years, we are transforming 50 school sites, so we need to train a lot of staff to work with schools. In addition, the slow speed of such processes is often a challenge. There are quite a few subsidies in Flanders to tackle playgrounds but teachers often have more concerns than just school playgrounds.

What positive outcomes have you seen?

We have a lot of work, through which we see that schools understand the necessity of creating a whole school approach and looking further  than the school grounds. Over three years, we have collected over 4 million euros to invest in outdoor spaces, so that goes a long way towards changing the minds of educators and the way they teach.

How do the school communities you work with feel about climate change in your area?

Personally, I notice a kind of resignation in our communities towards this issue. It was topical a few years ago, but now people are tired of talking about it, let alone adjusting their own attitudes. We need to show our children that, through targeted change, action can still be taken! School playgrounds are the ideal place for this!

Why do you believe your work is important?

Allowing our children and young people to grow up in green, nature-rich environments from an early age will undoubtedly have an impact on their wellbeing, health, and capacity to care for their environment. In addition, we should not underestimate the importance of play. Rich play environments with lots of loose, natural materials create places for children that are so important. By cleverly designing these places, we build strong play, learning, and living environments!

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Learn more about BLES

BLES or Klimaatspeelplaats to learn more, or visit the Sint-Paulus website to download resources (in Dutch) to support you in making the most of your outdoor classroom. Alternatively, download the ‘Toolkit voor jeugdruimte’, a toolkit designed for Flemish youth work organisations seeking to transform their outdoor spaces.

Don’t forget to sign up for Outdoor Classroom Day to join the global movement to make time outdoors part of every child’s school day!