1. Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC)

2. LOtC Grew out of a need to rebalance a prescribed curricula
There had been a move away from field trips-didn’t link to assessment easily, lack of time, health and safety, cost
No. of factors causing concern came together: lack of exercise, poor diet, disconnection with environment and understanding of food production, growing concern about the lack of learning through play and exploration
Number of initiatives put together by the government supported Learning outside the Classroom
(Harlen and Qualter, 2009)

3. Initiatives & LOtC Every Child Matters
The Early Years Foundation Stage guidance
National Curriculum programmes of study
Excellence and Enjoyment
Sustainable Schools
Healthy Schools Initiative
Growing Schools
The Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto provides a powerful route supporting these agendas

4. Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto (DfES 2006)
‘The use of places other than the classroom for teaching and learning’ (DfES 2006:1)
‘We believe that every young person should experience the world beyond the classroom as an essential part of learning and personal development, whatever their age, ability or circumstances’.

5. Where and when School Grounds-daily
Immediately Outside the school-shops/local parks/industries using planned for activities
Local but needing transport- INTECH
Day trips with transport-Science Museum in London
Overnight stays sometimes linked to activity weeks

6. Learning Outside the Classroom
When these experiences are well planned, safely managed and personalised to meet the needs of every child they can:
Improve academic achievement.
Provide a bridge to higher order learning.
Develop skills and independence in a widening range of environments.
Make learning more engaging and relevant to young people.
Develop active citizens and stewards of the environment.
Nurture creativity.
Provide opportunities for informal learning through play.
Reduce behaviour problems and improve attendance.
Stimulate, inspire and improve motivation.
Develop the ability to deal with uncertainty.
Provide challenge and the opportunity to take
acceptable levels of risk.
Improve young people’s attitudes to learning
(DfES 2006:4)

7. Benefits …
Develop active citizens and stewards of the environment

8. Benefits
Nurture creativity

9. Benefits … Reduce behaviour problems and improve attendance
Stimulate, inspire and improve motivation

10. Benefits … Develop the ability to deal with uncertainty
Provide challenges and the opportunity to take acceptable levels of risk

11. Benefits … informal curriculum
Providing pleasant spaces within the school grounds encourages positive behaviour. Places to socialise and/or be quieter are also invaluable.

12. Learning Outside the Classroom http://www.lotc.org.uk/
The Manifesto for Learning Outside the Classroom partnership has created this resource with the help of many experts and practitioners in learning outside the classroom. The resource is designed to help professionals working with young people aged 0–19 to provide high-quality experiences.

13. Ofsted Learning outside the classroom; how far should you go-2008
When planned and implemented well, learning outside the classroom contributed significantly to raising standards and improving pupils’ personal, social and emotional development
Learning outside the classroom was most successful when it was an integral element of long-term curriculum planning and closely linked to classroom activities
Should provide well-structured opportunities for all
The quality of learning should be evaluated
Should become integral and not an add-on

14. Learning through Landscapes

15. Health and Safety Core function of the Outdoor Education Unit
Headteacher has the key role in school …
delegates to … Educational Visits Coordinator…
advises Group leader …
oversees volunteers.
Duty of care
Employer’s H & S Policy – Risk Assessment
Children should be aware of hazards (risk assessment) and know what to do about them (risk management).
Use the University science format on the Learning Network.

16. Assessing Risk
A Y5 school group wish to do a nature trail around the University of Winchester.
Do a risk assessment in preparation for their visit.
Consider the hazards arising from their surroundings-physical/weather/ accidents
Consider the hazards that could arise from the nature of the activities
Consider any other issues which arise from bringing a class of 30 Y5 onto the site for the duration of the day.
Consider the barriers that the school may have in taking up this opportunity

17. Professional Standards for QTS (2007)
Q10 Have a knowledge and understanding of a range of teaching, learning and behaviour management strategies and know how to use and adapt them, including how to personalise learning and provide opportunities for all learners to achieve their potential.
Q22 Plan for progression across the age and ability range for which they are trained, designing effective learning sequences within lessons and across series of lessons and demonstrating secure subject/curriculum knowledge.
Q30 Establish a purposeful and safe learning environment conducive to learning and identify opportunities for learners to learn in and out of school.
Q31 Establish a clear framework for classroom discipline to manage learners' behaviour constructively and promote their self-control and independence.

18. Suggest ways you might use this location for science learning
… beyond Sc2
Brunner, C. and Windell, A. (2008) Developing
the Language of Enquiry through Science, Primary Science, 102, pp.22-24;

19. Getting Out of the Classroom - A Day with the RSPB
Ailsa Martin, teacher at Bowes Primary School in north London, takes her Year 4 class to Rye Meads RSPB reserve in Hertfordshire. For many of the children, visiting the countryside is a completely new experience (Published: 13 March 2008).
Identify science learning – and other
Identify potential barriers and suggested ways to overcome them
Consider the role of teacher subject knowledge. Your thoughts?
Look for creative approaches.

20. Consider… Consider … Identify, in the context of this setting:
creative possibilities for enhancing learning in ALL core subjects
opportunities for cross curricular learning
preparatory and follow up work that might further enrich learning
how you might use other adults to support learning
the learning value of repeat visits throughout the year.
Reflect on:
How you feel about learning LOtC, as a learner and as a teacher, and how this might affect your practice.
What you perceive as barriers to LOtC and how you might overcome or re-conceptualise these.

21. Reflection
Experiences of science conducted outside the classroom are more effective than similar experiences conducted within the classroom. Based on study of year olds on a 5 day residential. (Nundy,1999 cited in King and Glackin, 2010)
Reflect on your own experiences of school trips. What are your views about taking children off site:
to support classroom work,
to develop science learning,
to improve attitudes to science,
to challenge science stereotypes?
Is it always about Sc 2 or can LOtC experiences contribute to Sc1, 3 and 4?
Health and safety?
Cross-core?

22. Before the trip
See directed reading on learning outside the classroom in Science handbook. Read the article written by Peacock and Dunne on Learning science outside the classroom.
Other readings you may wish to do:
Waite, S. (2007) ‘ Memories are made of this.’ Education (4),
O’Brien, L (2009) ‘ Learning Outdoors: the Forest School Approach’ Education 3-13, 37( 1), 45-60
Blain and Eady (2002) ‘The WOW factor’ International Journal of Research and Method in Education, 25(2),

23. In preparation for the trip:
Consider your own memories of primary school. What are some of your favourite memories? Do they involve learning beyond the classroom?
Reflect on your experiences of and attitude toward learning beyond the classroom.
After the trip:
Evaluate and reflect on the trip. You will be expected to share your evaluation in core sessions.