Recently, there has been significant development in inclusive mainstream research (Hong et al., 2020), with individuals with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) not only involved in the research as participants but as researchers themselves too; however, little is still known about pupils with Complex Severe Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (CSPMLD) who face a variety of additional learning challenges (de Haas et al., 2022 and require bespoke educational approaches, and outdoor learning is emerging as a potent methodology (Buli-Holmberg and Jeyaprathaban, 2016). The increasing importance of outdoor learning (OL) has been met with a myriad of studies extolling its benefits (Pierce and Maher, 2019; Prince and Diggory, 2023; Mann et al., 2021; Sekhri, 2019). Hence, I plan to explore the effects, benefits, and challenges, of OL in special schools for pupils with CSPMLD and the experiences of stakeholders involved. In their contribution, Sutherland and Legge (2016) state OL essentially occurs outdoors, as such, issues of environmental justice emerge with the use of the external environment to achieve OL. For example, how are the varying needs of CPSMLD students considered when designing and delivering OL? What are the injustices that emerge when we consider CPSMLD students in the outdoors? My systematic literature reviews that in the context of special schools, OL in CSPMLD is still understudied especially in England, warranting more studies to be done in this area (Guardino, 2019). I plan to conduct case studies (Yazan, 2015) on two selected special schools. In these schools, I intend to conduct semi-structured interviews with school staff and parents/guardians/carers and participatory observations on pupils with CSPMLD. Then analyse the data drawing from Braun and Clarke (2006) thematic analysis. I will put my findings into the context of wider Europe, to show how special schools in England contrast and compare with CPSMLD education strategies in other parts of Europe.

Buli-Holmberg, J., & Jeyaprathaban, S. (2016). Effective Practice in Inclusive and Special Needs Education. International Journal of Special Education, 31(1), 119–134. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1099986 de Haas, C., Grace, J., Hope, J., & Nind, M. (2022). Doing Research Inclusively: Understanding What It Means to Do Research with and Alongside People with Profound Intellectual Disabilities. Social Sciences, 11(4), 159. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11040159 Guardino, C., Hall, K. W., Largo-Wight, E., & Hubbuch, C. (2019). Teacher and student perceptions of an outdoor classroom. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 22(2), 113–126. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42322-019-00033-7 Hong, S.-Y., Eum, J., Long, Y., Wu, C., & Welch, G. (2020). Typically Developing Preschoolers’ Behavior Toward Peers With Disabilities in Inclusive Classroom Contexts. Journal of Early Intervention, 42(1), 49–68. https://doi.org/10.1177/1053815119873071 Mann, J., Gray, T., Truong, S., Sahlberg, P., Bentsen, P., Passy, R., Ho, S., Ward, K., & Cowper, R. (2021). A Systematic Review Protocol to Identify the Key Benefits and Efficacy of Nature-Based Learning in Outdoor Educational Settings. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(3), 1199. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18031199 Pierce, S., & Maher, A. J. (2020). Physical activity among children and young people with intellectual disabilities in special schools: Teacher and learning support assistant perceptions. British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 48(1), 37–44. https://doi.org/10.1111/bld.12301