Transforming Education Outside the Classroom, 2010

This report from the Children, Schools & Families Committee establishes the extensive benefits of education outside the classroom. It argues that tThe funding of learning outside the classroom initiatives remains inadequate; teachers’ health and safety concerns, which have been a significant barrier to school trips, have yet to be assuaged; and teacher training continues to pay scant attention to preparing teachers to lead learning outside the classroom. In the context of the ‘rarely cover’ provisions, it appears that some schools are not able or willing to plan learning outside the classroom provision far enough in advance to ensure that it is not adversely affected. 

It calls on the Department to increase substantially the resources devoted to learning outside the classroom, particularly the funding for the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom and the Quality Badge scheme, so that they can achieve much greater impact. 

March 2010