Outdoor Education Advisers' Panel

Europe is looking to the UK for advice on developing educational activities away from the classroom, but we can still improve what we provide

Britain leads in learning outside

Europe is looking to the UK for advice on developing educational activities away from the classroom, but we can still improve what we provide Debbie Andalo guardian.co.uk

The UK is emerging as the European leader in developing learning outside the classroom. Education experts from nine different countries, funded by the EU, gathered in the Lake District in November to see what they could learn about how to enrich children's education by taking them outdoors.

The event was the first of its kind to be held in the UK and shows how Europe is looking across the Channel to help shape outside learning. It was organised by Geoff Cooper, who runs the Wigan council outdoor education centre at Low Bank and has more than 30 years' experience in outdoor education. "I think the UK is leading the way compared to other countries in Europe that don't have the same wealth and richness of opportunities as we do here," says Cooper. "Our whole system of outdoor education centres – something like 100 in Britain – is linked to the curriculum in schools and, compared to other parts of Europe, this is quite unusual."

Another indicator of how outside learning is becoming embedded in education is the number of organisations and venues accredited under the government's Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) quality badge scheme, launched a year ago. More than 500 different companies and venues – from nuclear power stations to the offices of the Guardian newspaper – have been awarded a quality badge under the scheme in recognition of being able to offer a high-quality educational visit within a safe environment.

School trip organisations, however, express disappointment that the scheme is still not widely known in schools. Ian Pearson, development officer for the School Travel Forum, which represents 21 educational tour operators, and who is also a member of the LOtC committee and its advisory group, says: "The quality badge is there but it isn't fully recognised through education – that is the task for today, the task for yesterday was to get it established."

The intention is that the LOtC database of badge holders will become the first port of call for teachers looking to organise a school trip – but that has yet to happen, says Martin Hudson from the British Activity Holiday Association (Baha) which represents 200 activity centres. "Schools don't seem aware of the benefits that the scheme can bring them. The whole thing needs to raise its profile."

One school that has embraced LOtC is Sandhill View school in Sunderland. Last year, the 972-pupil institution beat off competition from 120 other schools to win the 2009 LOtC award for excellence and innovation. Joan Nix, school curriculum area manger, says: "I think it is important that our children get as many different experiences as possible. Learning outside the classroom gives them an extra dimension and engages them academically. It's also good for their social learning as well."

Mick Brookes, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers and a member of the LOtC's board of trustees, shares the same view: "Taking children out into wilderness experiences and showing them what the world is like is very much about real, deep education." But he is concerned that school trips will be marginalised as schools focus increasingly on attainment and targets. "The environment needs to change and that needs to be led by teachers and schools because they need to move away from that focus of 'bean counting'."

Effect of the downturn

Another factor influencing the availability of school trips has been the downturn in the economy. The market has held up better than the general tourism market in the past 12 months, according to school trip organisations, with more interest coming from primary schools than secondary schools.

"Primary school is where the UK market is and that's where it's growing," says Hudson from Baha.

Schools are increasingly looking to add an "adventure element" to a trip according to Pearson who says: "There is a hybrid emerging between what you might think of as a traditional school trip and an expedition. For example, a trip to Morocco might now include gorge walking and camel rides along with studying the indigenous population."

Schools are also looking for trips that cover more than one subject. Pearson says: "It's no longer just about doing a 'foreign language' trip or a 'geography trip' – it's become cross-curricula."

As pressure on the public purse strings mounts in the next 12 months what will this mean for school trips? Pearson is confident that they will still thrive: "It's never really been about the money, although schools do increasingly look for value for money."

Brookes is equally optimistic that they will survive. "It may be tougher in a period of austerity and it's about wherever possible you can find some additional funds, but you must realise that headteachers are extremely entrepreneurial."

And as Nix from Sandhill View says, "learning outside the classroom isn't always about the big things "like taking a group of year 10s to Washington", it can also be about getting pupils out of classroom into the school grounds and using the environment on your doorstep.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/schooltrips/learning-outside