Evaluating learning outside the classroom further afield
Hannah Kennard, Swavesey Village College
Planning for residential visits, day visits further afield, or even abroad is time-consuming and labour intensive. However, the benefits to students are perhaps the richest, most memorable and long lasting.
At Swavesey Village College – SVC – an outstanding school within the Meridian Trust, there are three educational visits which have developed social skills, provided deep learning in cultural capital, and have benefited generations of students who have come through the school.
Swavesey Village College has just celebrated 40 years of reciprocal exchange visits to countries throughout Europe. Each year up to 30 students stay with a host family and, not only develop their language skills, but also begin to understand the culture of the host country and some of its customs.
The impact, not always measured through data, anecdote or GCSE results although it can be, is certainly evident in increased self-esteem and confidence in the host country’s written and spoken language. Deep friendships have been formed between students and families and there are many examples of these being intergenerational and for life.
For many years SVC have offered a year 7 four-day experience in the Peak District where students camp, cook and conduct activities which are arduous and exciting. This collective experience enables friendships to develop, provides opportunity for staff to build positive relationships and shared experiences.
The building of positive relationships through activities which demand teamwork and social skills is at the core of Swavesey Village College’s behaviour management culture. Giving staff and students the opportunity to talk, listen, share and role model provides conversation for not only their entire time at SVC, but for life. Although measurements of enjoyment are collected and collated through a Microsoft Form, parental feedback, and staff conversations, it is testament that the Peak District residential trip has for many years been a feature of a student’s year 7 school experience.
Outcomes at GCSE are perhaps one of the easiest ways to measure impact. At SVC there is a yearly art trip to London. Students not only experience the sites and history but look at the architecture and colour. They take part in outside workshops in both photography and art and the skills learned are translated back into the classroom, evident in coursework and during examinations.
It is the difference, in some cases, between grade boundaries. The experience of learning seeing and doing in a different environment stimulates motivates and creates a desire to emulate.
At Swavesey Village College ‘Learning Outside the Classroom’ and the impact this has in the classroom canteen and school hall can be measured in student and staff behaviour school culture as well as positive outcomes.
Swavesey Village College featured as a case study in the Department for Education’s 2019 Framework Guidance on Character Education (see page 24).
