Last month, Trudy Harrison, MP for Copeland and Minister for Natural Environment and Land Use, along with Robbie Moore MP for Keighly, Martin Gilchrist from Natural England and Dr Anne Hunt from the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom, paid a visit to Eastwood Community School.
It was a fantastic opportunity for Minister Harrison to see how the school has fully embraced learning beyond the classroom (LOtC). Staff and students demonstrated how LOtC has become part of their daily teaching practice and school culture.
Positive impact on the local community
The school is particularly adept at taking their teaching and learning into spaces beyond the classroom, whether these are indoors or outdoors, near or far – making excellent use of their school grounds and local spaces. This has helped the children to engage with the world around them and it was evident that they had developed strong pro-environmental behaviours.
One of their recent activities was to go litter picking in their local area, and after finding that a large proportion of the litter collected was packaging from a fast-food chain, they started writing letters to the fast-food chain to work with them to come up with ideas for reducing the litter on the streets. This just goes to show that LOtC doesn’t have to be extravagant to have impact, it can take place close to home and without any costs. This type of LOtC not only helps children engage more effectively with learning, but it has a hugely positive impact on the local community to.
“It was a joy to interact with children who were so engaged with their learning, and we were all struck by the energetic, informed, and empowered pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours. It sent a powerful message about the role that schools can play in supporting communities to address sustainability issues (with the right determination, leadership, and support).”
Dr Anne Hunt, CEO, Council for Learning Outside the Classroom
Aiming high
Last year, Eastwood School was awarded the Gold LOtC Mark which is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the staff who ensure their students benefit from regular, high-quality LOtC experiences that support the delivery of the curriculum. There is mounting evidence that highlights how LOtC in natural environments can positively impact learning outcomes, health, and well-being. It can be particularly beneficial for those children facing inequalities. In 2022, two evidence reports by Natural England found that children facing inequalities are the least likely to have the opportunity to experience LOtC, but they are likely to be the ones who could benefit the most.
Support from the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom
Whether you are just starting to develop your LOtC practice, or you’re already starting to embed it within your school curriculum, our Learning Beyond package of support for schools has different levels of support tailored to your needs. If you’re a provider of educational visits for children and young people, we also have a package of support to help you communicate effectively with educators and ensure your learning offer has maximum impact.
