Select Committee on Environmental Audit Written Evidence


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;

    —  promoting inclusion;

    —  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 esteem57%
Improved attitudes to learning60%
Increase in use of grounds for learning 60%
Improved environmental quality90%
Additional funds attracted59%


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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