Learning Outside the Classroom Curriculum Planning

This section deals with planning a whole curriculum, and follows from deciding what you want to achieve through planned progressive and regular experiences for all young people and developing a LOtC policy.

The case has been made for learning outside the classroom as an essential way of learning. This means that every learner should be given these compelling learning experiences frequently. Just how frequently will depend on a range of circumstances, but it should be remembered that the richest resources for learning lie just outside the classroom — starting in the school grounds and within walking distance of every place of learning. Learners should not have to wait for a week or more before they access what is for many their preferred way of learning!

As well as being continuous, a learning outside the classroom curriculum needs to be progressive. It needs to build on the experiences and skills developed in the early years by providing activities more suited to older learners as they mature. As within the classroom, learning outside the classroom should be closely linked to the curriculum.

Who is it for?

Learning outside the classroom is not an addition to the curriculum but should become integral to it and a regular part of teaching and learning. To make sure that happens, it is important to build learning outside the classroom into the development of schemes of work and into curriculum planning at every stage. This section and the accompanying PDF documents outline that process. It is for anyone engaged in promoting learning outside the classroom within schools, youth projects or early years settings. In particular, it needs to be read by curriculum planners.

What might a school Learning Outside the Classroom curriculum look like?

As an essential part of learning, every learner needs frequent, continuous and progressive learning outside the classroom experiences. Changes to the curriculum are giving schools greater flexibility to tailor learning to their learners’ needs. The school curriculum is now seen as the entire planned learning experience. It includes classroom lessons, but also the events, routines, visits and activities that take place out of the classroom and beyond the school. This approach also applies to those making provision for the Early Years Foundation Stage, the extended day, for the 14-19s and provision for youth work. This section will help you plan a continuous and progressive Learning Outside the Classroom curriculum for all young people.

The example of a Learning Outside the Classroom curriculum below might help you start thinking about planning!

Issues of frequency, continuity and progression are best approached from a whole school/key stage or whole programme approach to curriculum planning. The following steps may help in assessing the situation, planning your curriculum and evaluating achievements. They are built around three curriculum questions:

1. What do you want to achieve?
2. How will you organise learning?
3. How will you know when you are achieving your aims?

To shape your thinking about planning, it may help to reflect on the ‘Beehive’ concept curriculum as you consider how to build on your current provision for learning outside the classroom.  The suggestions are intended only as prompts to show how you could begin planning frequency, continuity and progression.  The 'Beehive' concept can be used as a starting point for meetings of staff when planning Learning Outside the Classroom.

Click on the image below to enlarge the ‘Beehive’ concept curriculum (this version is accessible to screen readers):

Or click on the image below to see a pdf version which can be printed:

Should you wish to download this pdf as a PowerPoint presentation then you can do so by clicking here.

Download the PDF Planning Learning Outside the Classroom within the School Curriculum to find out more.

There are three further PDFs to download which may help with different aspects of this planning:

How does learning outside the classroom contribute to the Extended Services agenda?

How does learning outside the classroom contribute to the Early Years Foundation Stage?

How does learning outside the classroom contribute to Youth Matters and the 16 - 19 Agenda?