7 Conclusions and recommendations
The value of outdoor learning
1. The
broad extent of this inquiry has convinced the Committee that
outdoor learning can benefit pupils of all ages and can be successful
in a variety of settings. We are convinced that out-of-classroom
education enriches the curriculum and can improve educational
attainment. Whilst recognising this cross-curricular scope, we
conclude that in order to realise its full potential, outdoor
education must be carried out properly, with sessions being prepared
by well trained teachers and leaders and in accordance with good
curriculum guidance as well as health and safety regulations.
(Paragraph 9)
2. Like all educational
processes, the benefits of education outside the classroom should
be rigorously researched, documented and communicated. Positive
and reliable evidence of the benefits of outdoor activities would
help schools determine the priority to afford to such work. (Paragraph
13)
The decline of education outside the classroom
3. It
is clear to the Committee that outdoor education is a sector suffering
from considerable unexploited potential. (Paragraph 18)
Risk and bureaucracy
4. Many
of the organisations and individuals who submitted evidence to
our inquiry cited the fear of accidents and the possibility of
litigation as one of the main reasons for the apparent decline
in school trips. It is the view of this Committee that this fear
is entirely out of proportion to the real risks. (Paragraph 19)
5. We welcome the
DfES health and safety guidance which clearly sets out what is
expected of all those involved in organising school trips. There
remain some concerns relating to guidance on trips involving children
with special educational needs, where there could be more specific
recommendations on levels of staffing and the right of children
to attend. This area is likely to be affected by the enactment
of the Disability Discrimination Bill and we recommend that the
DfES review its guidance in this context. (Paragraph 22)
6. We do not believe
that the NASUWT wishes to see the end of all school trips. We
therefore recommend that the union seriously reviews its advice
to members not to participate in school trips, which is not a
helpful attitude. (Paragraph 26)
7. We recommend that
the DfES makes it clear to schools and LEAs that it is unacceptable
to settle frivolous and unfounded claims out of court simply to
get rid of the problem. By working with teacher unions, including
the NASUWT, the DfES should be able to address their concerns
and persuade the unions to move forward from what is in our view,
a needlessly obstructive attitude. (Paragraph 29)
8. We recommend that
the DfES takes action to streamline the risk assessment system
surrounding school trips, promoting its standard forms more vigorously
and deprecating bad practice. We further recommend that AALA licensed
centres be subject to a much streamlined risk assessment process,
and that the DfES consider expanding the AALA licensing scheme
to include other sectors, such as foreign and voluntary operators.
(Paragraph 35)
9. We recommend that
the DfES thoroughly investigate the extent to which difficulties
securing insurance cover are a barrier to education outside the
classroom and develops options to resolve any problems. (Paragraph
38)
Teacher training
10. We
recommend that the DfES work with the Teacher Training Agency
to ensure that Initial Teacher Training courses demonstrate the
potential benefits of education outside the classroom and point
teachers towards ways to develop their skills in this area as
their career progresses. (Paragraph 43)
11. Any
attempt to raise the quantity and quality of outdoor education
depends crucially on the skills and motivation of the teachers
involved. We therefore recommend that the DfES give an explicit
commitment to support Continuing Professional Development in this
area. Any Departmental Manifesto for Outdoor Learning that may
emerge should include an entitlement to training for teachers.
Networks such as Teachers TV can also be of significant benefit
in spreading good practice and should be engaged in this project.
(Paragraph 44)
12. We recommend that
the DfES engage teachers' professional bodies and subject associations
in the provision of fieldwork training for science and geography
teachers, ensuring that appropriate programmes of professional
development are on offer to all those teachers who might benefit.
(Paragraph 47)
Schools
13. Our
evidence suggests that EVCs are working well in schools, but we
would re-iterate our comments on training. In order to be effective,
educational visits co-ordinators must have access to high quality
programmes of Continuing Professional Development. We also consider
that the EVC role should be developed further into that of a champion
for outdoor learning within a school. This should include not
only the promotion of off-site visits but also the benefits of
using the school grounds as a resource. (Paragraph 49)
14. It appears that
some new schools are being built without due regard to the educational
potential of school grounds. This is a result of the lack of leadership
and strategic planning from the DfES with regard to outdoor learning.
We urge the Department to take action to ensure that new capital
projects incorporate good design of outdoor spaces into their
plans. (Paragraph 53)
Cost
15. Much
of our evidence cited cost as a significant barrier to the organisation
of educational visits, yet we do not believe that cost alone is
responsible for the decline of education outside the classroom,
or that simply throwing money at the problem would provide a solution.
(Paragraph 56)
16. We urge the DfES
to monitor any unintended consequences of the Workforce Agreement
to determine whether it has led to an increase in the cost of
arranging supply cover during school trips. (Paragraph 57)
17. Parliament is
currently legislating on school transport, an area we considered
during our previous inquiry into the draft School Transport Bill.
As we recommended in that report, we would expect the DfES to
strongly encourage local authorities trialling alternative arrangements
for school transport under the new legislative framework to include
transport for school trips in their pilot schemes. This should
lead to a reduction in costs. (Paragraph 58)
18. Given the strong
evidence for the benefits of education outside the classroom,
we recommend that a Manifesto for Outdoor Learning should be issued
by the DfES, giving all students a right to outdoor learning.
This Manifesto should attract a similar level of funding to the
Music Manifesto in order to deliver real change. In particular,
schools in deprived circumstances should be enabled to enhance
their facilities, to offer professional development programmes
to their teachers and to fund off site visits. (Paragraph 60)
Centres and operators
19. In
its Five Year Strategy, the Government proposes that all secondary
schools should become independent specialist schools and that
LEAs should lose control over school budgets. We recommend that
the DfES give serious consideration to how it will structure funding
for central outdoor activity services under this new system, or
help schools access private and voluntary provision, so that students
still have access to high quality outdoor education. (Paragraph
64)
20. It is essential
that the DfES and DCMS develop a strategy for the long-term viability
of activity centres, helping them to retain staff, build strong
links with schools and develop expertise. (Paragraph 65)
The role of the DfES
21. We
conclude that the DfES has a vital role to play in demonstrating
the value of out-of-classroom learning to schools and spreading
best practice across all schools. The future of outdoor learning
depends on clear direction and leadership from the DfES that has
so far been woefully missing. (Paragraph 67)
22. The Department
as well as LEAs should take care to ensure that schools and activity
centres are not becoming overloaded with risk assessment bureaucracy
from different, overlapping organisations, as this can be a significant
deterrent. (Paragraph 68)
23. The DfES needs
to take the lead by demonstrating the low levels of risk attached
to school visits. This could perhaps be achieved via a statistical
comparison with other everyday activities. Given the relatively
low levels of risk attached to outdoor activities, the Department
should now give a clear steer to schools that educational innovation
outside the classroom is to be welcomed and even to be expected.
(Paragraph 69)
24. The Committee
believes that current Government initiatives do not go far enough
in overcoming the barriers to outdoor learning. What is needed
is a coherent strategy for education outside the classroom that
brings together good practice from around the country, rather
than a small number of limited, if worthy projects. (Paragraph
71)
25. The Committee
supports the idea of a Manifesto for Outdoor Learning, but it
must be more than 'warm words'. (Paragraph 75)
26. Whatever mechanism
is used, the Department's role must be expanded from its current
reactive work to a more proactive function, championing the benefits
of outdoor education. We regret that too often in education, the
General Teaching Council and professional organisations do not
have the will or the capacity to promote best practice effectively
and so the Government is left with the responsibility of driving
change. (Paragraph 76)
27. We recommend that
the DfES set up a structure to promote education outside the classroom
at all levels. Within the Department, a dedicated team of officials
should have responsibility for outdoor learning across curriculum
areas and should tap into other Departmental initiatives, such
as the extended schools programme and the provision of before/after
school activities. A high profile 'champion' for outdoor learning
should be appointed to lead this team. In each LEA, an Outdoor
Education Adviser should be in place, promoting and co-ordinating
outdoor learning locally and liaising with the Department. Each
school should have a well trained Educational Visits Co-ordinator,
whose role should be strengthened and expanded to act as the local
champion for outdoor learning. A nationwide network of support,
guidance and innovation would move outdoor education forwards
from its current, patchy position to a more uniform provision
of high quality opportunities throughout the country. (Paragraph
77)
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