Learning Outside the Classroom

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Learning Outside the Classroom

• How far should you go?
• A survey report
• Robin Hammerton HMI

19 June 2009
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The survey
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Evidence base

• specific survey inspections of a sample of
  primary and secondary schools and colleges across
  England
• school sample not nationally representative but
  provides examples of good practice
• discussions with local authorities
• visits to providers of learning outside the
  classroom activity
• other recent Ofsted inspection evidence

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A broad range of learning outside the classroom
activity
Whitburn CE High School, South Tyneside
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Outcomes

• Ofsted judges outcomes not process.
• Inspection evidence indicates what can contribute
  to high quality outcomes.

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Key findings
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The value of learning outside the classroom (1)

• In the sample schools hands on activities in a
  range of locations were believed to contribute to
  improvements in
• achievement
• standards
• motivation
• personal development
• behaviour

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The value of learning outside the classroom
activity (2)

• Memorable activities led to memorable learning.
• The place where activities happened often added
  to their value.

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The value of learning outside the classroom
activity (3)

• Learning outside the classroom had positive
  benefits for all groups of young people,
  including those underachieving or not
  sufficiently motivated by mainstream provision.

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Key messages

• Schools (and some LAs) were unsure of how
  national programmes, especially the National
  Strategies, viewed learning outside the
  classroom.
• Most schools had not heard of the learning
  outside the classroom Manifesto.
• LAs were good at supporting schools with health
  and safety but had less time to improve and
  assure the quality of learning outside the
  classroom.

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The importance given to learning outside the
classroom activity

• The most effectively led, managed and confident
  schools included learning outside the classroom
  activity as an integral part of a well-planned,
  effective curriculum.
• However, much learning outside the classroom
  activity is not, in practice, provided free.
• This reflects its historic status as an extra
  or a treat.

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Self-evaluation of learning outside the classroom
activity

• Schools felt they knew the value of learning
  outside the classroom activity
• but few evaluated this rigorously
• classroom observations but few learning outside
  the classroom activity observations
• little analysis of take-up, inclusion or quality
  of extra curricular activities
• few schools analysed value for money of learning
  outside the classroom activity.

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Primary and secondary differences

• mixed practice in EYFS
• primaries good at using their own grounds and the
  local area flexibly
• secondaries good at promoting high quality
  integrated learning on day and residential
  visits.

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Overcoming barriers to learning outside the
classroom activity

• health and safety
• perception of learning outside the classroom
  activity as an extra
• financial costs
• behaviour
• staff workload
• The schools in the survey overcame all of these
  and provide models for others to consider.

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Leadership

• Passionate and confident about role of LOtC
• Promoted common purpose underpinned by good
  systems
• Staff understood expectations
• Used LOtC in all subjects, not a few
• Best cases evaluated outcomes of LOtC

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Recommendations
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Recommendation for the DCSF

• Reinforce the message to schools about the value
  of learning outside the classroom and support its
  appropriate use more widely across its
  programmes.

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Recommendation for LAs and their partners

• Build on their successful work in assuring
  appropriate health and safety practices by better
  supporting schools in enhancing the quality of
  learning outside the classroom as a means to
  raising achievement.

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Recommendations for schools and colleges

• ensure their curriculum planning includes
  sufficient well structured opportunities for all
  learners to engage in learning outside the
  classroom as a key, integrated element of their
  experience
• evaluate the quality of learning outside the
  classroom to ensure that it has maximum impact on
  learners achievement, personal development and
  well-being
• ensure equal and full access for all learners to
  learning outside the classroom by monitoring
  participation in activities by different groups
  of learners and removing any barriers.

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Thank you for your attention