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FEATURE: OUTDOOR LEARNING
Why outdoor learning could be key to ‘levelling up’ the education system
The recent Opportunity for All White Paper
released by the Government promises to deliver ‘real action to level up education’ in response to the impact on children left by the Covid-19 pandemic. It promises to deliver for every child, living anywhere from rural villages to the largest cities, access to education that meets ‘best standards’. But within the measures outlined to achieve this, the White Paper fails to address the deepening inequalities in access to nature for children, or to recognise the potential that outdoor learning can have in helping children to improve their wellbeing, happiness and academic attainment.
I
n our annual feature-length look at outdoor learning, we’re delighted to hear from
Elaine Skates, Head of Learning and Skills at the Heart of England Forest, who argues that the failure by policymakers to address inequalities in access to nature for children, and the lack of recognition of the importance of outdoor learning in helping children improve their wellbeing, happiness and academic attainment, will create lasting harm and increase societal inequalities.
Inequalities in access to nature The importance of this cannot be understated. We know that the pandemic exacerbated inequalities in access to nature, with research by The Childhood Trust showing that the societal gap between more affluent and less affluent families has widened, with children from affluent families being more likely to spent time outdoors and as such, experience better connectedness with nature. And household income was not the only factor
influencing children’s access to nature during two years of lockdowns and disrupted learning. Children from urban communities and marginalised backgrounds were also less likely to
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spend time in the natural environment. This has had a knock-on effect on children
already feeling the impact of disrupted learning and isolation. Recent research has shown that children who were deprived of access to nature during the pandemic displayed increased problems of wellbeing, manifesting as ‘acting out’ or sadness and anxiety. Inversely, research by Natural England in October found that eight in ten children interviewed agree that being in nature makes them very happy, and 44% of children reported wanting more time outdoors at school. By providing greater access to nature at school
through outdoor learning opportunities, we can help to address some of the societal inequalities that are impacting our children’s wellbeing as well as their academic attainment.
Making the case for learning outside the classroom Learning outside the classroom can help children to thrive in a different environment and has been proven to have a positive impact on both their behaviours and their academic performance. When given the opportunity to learn, explore and discover in an outdoor setting through a structured and progressive outdoor learning programme, many children who struggle to thrive in a traditional classroom environment develop
May 2022
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