APPENDIX 25
Memorandum from Learning through Landscapes,
the National School Grounds Charity
LEARNING THROUGH
LANDSCAPES (LTL)
Following four years of detailed research 1986-90,
published a landmark report into the state of the nations school
grounds*, leading to the creation of DES Building Bulletin 71,
"The Outdoor Classroom"**
The research was a collaboration of the then
DES and 14 Local Authorities in England.
The charity formed in 1990 under the Chairmanship
of Lord Remnant, current Chairman Sir Bob Reid.
Areas of expertise are; the design, use and
management of school grounds for the delivery of the curriculum
and for the physical, social and emotional development of children
and for the benefit of the whole school community.
* ISBN 1 872865 01 1
** ISBN 0 11 270730 0
Ken Davies, Chief Executive, Member of The Sustainable
Development Education Panel and The School Playing Fields Advisory
Committee.
We wish to provide Evidence on two aspects of
the Sub-Committee's enquiry; the need for a national strategy
and existing education programmes. We wish to confine our remarks
to the formal school sector, including the many thousands of early
years settings for the delivery of the Foundation Stage Curriculum.
1. THE NEED
FOR A NATIONAL
STRATEGY.
1.1 This Evidence concentrates on the missed
opportunity for delivering Education for Sustainable Development
in schools and early years settings through the more efficient
and effective use, design and management of the education estate
itself and through more effective co-ordination and delivery of
Teacher Training.
1.2 Since 1997, there has been a substantial
number of Department Initiatives across many fields of education
which have relevance toEducation for Sustainable Development.
These include: Curriculum 2000, The Foundation Stage Curriculum,
Sure Start, Schools Capital, Teacher Training, including leadership
training and now the emerging 14-19 Curriculum. However, non of
these are yet being driven forward or co-ordinated at a strategic
level in respect of ESD
1.3 The conclusion is, therefore, that it
is not lack of investment that is holding back ESD but rather
a lack of strategic vision, leadership and direction in how these
funds might be better applied to achieve the added value of ESD
in schools and early years settings alongside the realisation
of existing mainstream Departmental goals.
1.4 Learning through Landscapes would like
to contribute evidence and recommendations for action in relation
to the part which could be played in such a strategy by the effective
use, design and management of school grounds. This is set out
below in relation to existing education programmes.
2. EXISTING EDUCATION
PROGRAMMES
2.1 The General Case for Delivering ESD in
School Grounds
(i) There are somewhere in the order of
40,000Ha of grounds attached to schools in England which could
play a significant role in the achievement of effective ESD in
the formal education sector.
(ii) LTL research, backed by Local Authorities
and the then Dept. of Education published in 1990, showed the
extent of the possibilities for using this as a learning resource
and the extent to which this was not being realised.
"Financial constraints and traditional management
practices mean that many (school grounds) are, at worst, close
mown windswept spaces or tarmac expanses making little contribution
to the school curriculum or to the environment in general."
(iii) There is no definitive research which
quantifies the extent to which this situation has been remedied
but the work of The Learning through Landscapes Trust since 1990
has seen 10,000 schools make contact with the charity with a view
to implementing improvements in use, design and management. This
suggests the continuing unfulfilled potential of school grounds
which urgently needs to be measured through the Asset Management
process.
(iv) LEA's and their schools are committed
to the physical maintenance of this land, which is a resource
in close proximity to the schools, the disposal of which is now
controlled through new primary legislation effected by the Government
(Section 77 School Standards and Framework Act 1998). It would
therefore make sense to take a fresh look at its potential value
in helping schools deliver and enhance the whole curriculum, particularly
those parts relevant to ESD. (Geography, Science, Citizenship,
Design & Technology, PSHE, ICT Foundation Stage)
(v) This view would appear to be supported
already within the DfES Schools Capital and Building Division
which in April 2002 wrote to all Chief Education Officers in England
asking for a dialogue to explore the link between capital investment
strategies and the delivery of Government priorities, which included:
— good stewardship of school buildings;
— raising educational standards;
— improving pupil behaviour;
— providing a better working environment.
The note also referred to Asset Management Plan
Guidance for 2003-04 where Departmental priorities for investment
include:
— more flexible school designs to enable
delivery of innovative teaching and learning;
— supporting the 14-19 agenda;
— high quality and sustainable building
design ( Schools for The Future. National Curriculum requirements
including Science and Design and Technology.
— National Curriculum requirements
including Science and Design and Technology.
The missing strategic link to the delivery of
ESD would appear not to be too difficult to deliver.
(vi) Learning through Landscapes recent
research in London schools points to the way that school grounds
could support the delivery of ESD. A sample of 198 schools that
had invested in school grounds improvements over the past six
years showed the following measured results:
Improved pupil social interaction
| 84% |
| Improved self esteem | 57% |
| Improved attitudes to learning | 60%
|
| Increase in use of grounds for learning |
60% |
| Improved environmental quality | 90%
|
| Additional funds attracted | 59%
|
2.2 Schools Capital
| |
(i) Capital investment in education has risen from £680
million in 1996-97 to £3.7 billion in 2002-03 and is set
to reach £7 billion in 2005. This represents a major change
process and development taking place within the learning environment.
(ii) The question is to what extent the Dept sees this
investment having an impact on teaching and learning about ESD
? There would certainly be a major inconsistency if this investment
did not support a sea change in sustainable school management
and pupil involvement in ESD.
For example, should all Government and Local Authority School
refurbishment and new build contracts carry an implicit requirement,
not only for best practice in sustainable design and technology,
but also a requirement for specific ESD learning outcomes for
the pupils and the ongoing school management?
2.3 14-19 Curriculum
(i) The new 14-19 Curriculum places significant emphasis
on the need to develop quality vocational opportunities available
to all levels of ability within the secondary sector.
(ii) There is also emphasis on pupil choice with a clear
implication that a wide range of education providers could be
involved. This includes an expectation of private sector involvement,
with the engagement of local small to medium enterprises.
(iii) The suggestion LTL would wish to make is that the
Dept. and LEA's grasp the opportunity of making this happen by
bringing together suitable elements of their Schools Capital programme
to create opportunities for site based vocational project work
whereby staff and pupils, in the 14-19 age group, could work through
elements of the Citizenship, Design Technology and ESD curriculum
in partnership with the private sector contractors and funders
(iv) Our suggestion is that this could operate through
the PFI and/or contract system as referred to in 2.2 above, supported
by expert professional guidance which is available locally if
properly resourced and co-ordinated.
2.4 The Foundation Stage Curriculum
(i) With its emphasis on developing children's values
and skills, the Foundation Stage is perhaps the most under rated
means of delivering fundamental ESD concepts. The learning here
happens at a stage in each childs life when this will have a maximum
positive impact on their future behaviour and attitudes to stewardship
of the environment.
(ii) Evidence of this already exists in Ofsted reports.
LTL would wish to direct the Sub Committee to the report on The
Coombes Infant and Nursery School (Unique Ref. No. 109885, Inspection
Report No. 246947 dated 30/9/02 to 3/10/02.)
(iii) This contains a wealth of practical teaching based
evidence of the breadth and sophistication of techniques which
can be brought to bear to involve the whole school community in
a sustainable approach to teaching, learning and living. Needless
to say, these techniques make great use of opportunities for learning
through creative and imaginative use of the outdoors.
(iv) A key issue in making the most of the Early Years
opportunity is the lack of training and support available in many
schools and settings. This leaves staff unable to realise one
of their strongest ESD teaching assets which is the child's overwhelming
curiosity and enthusiasm for the natural environment.
2.5 The International Dimension to School Grounds
(i) In 1997, Learning through Landscapes hosted the first
international gathering of school grounds programmes supported
by the OECD. Ten countries were represented
(ii) This event has led to the formation of an international
"Learnscapes" network supported in Europe by the Environment
and School Initiatives ( ENSI ) under the umbrella of the OECD's
Centre for Education Research and Innovation (CERI )
(iii) ENSI member countries include: Australia, Austria,
Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands,
Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK where Ofsted provides
the overview.
(iv) The network also includes partner institutes and
school ground projects from; Belgium, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New
Zealand and the USA.
(v) Learning through Landscapes suggests to the Sub Committee
that this existing international programme of school based outdoor
learning and community initiatives could enable the UK to contribute
significantly to the forthcoming International Decade for Education
for Sustainable Development if the UK partnership were resourced
and managed to deliver this objective.
February 2003
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