PQE0089
Written evidence submitted by the English Outdoor Council
Introduction
1. The English Outdoor Council (EOC) is the umbrella body for organisations involved in the provision of outdoor education, recreation and development training. It brings together a wide-ranging membership to promote the benefits of outdoor experiences for young people.
2. The EOC supports the underlying concept that the education system should equip young people with the necessary skills for life allowing them to grow and flourish as individuals and make a positive contribution to society.
3. These ‘skills for life’ are essential in supporting social mobility and preparing young people for a world characterised by increasingly rapid change and one in which people’s everyday lives become more and more segregated from the natural world and our stewardship of it.
4. The requirement of a school to develop students socially, morally, spiritually and culturally should be renamed as ‘character development’ and placed on an equal par with attainment measures. It should also replace the current requirement to encourage ‘British values’.
5. The current system of evaluating the quality of education solely through exams and testing stifles the ability of schools to provide the broad and balanced curriculum required by OfSTED, employers and society at large. We need to redress the balance and provide a greater emphasis on the development of life skills and encourage the importance of measuring and recording these alongside formal examinations.
6. Outdoor learning and adventurous activities can provides an evidenced medium for developing such ‘life skills’ and applying both these and formal learning in real world settings. There is strong evidence that outdoor learning and adventurous activities make a positive contribution towards the personal development and growth of young people.
Context
7. The concept of ‘life skills’ can be very broad and for the purpose of our response we have concentrated on the development of the individual, their relationship to others, their local community and the wider world. There is no doubt that young people must continue to develop their knowledge, understanding and skills in relation to Numeracy, Literacy, Science and the Humanities. We would go on to argue that young people should be confident in applying such knowledge and understanding in real world settings and that such knowledge and understanding should be supported by the development of skills to effectively prepare young people for their future lives.
8. Over the last few years a range of organisations have highlighted the importance of ‘character’, within a broader range of life skills, as being key to the development and growth of young people1,2. There has been an increasing concern that the pressures linked to examination results and corresponding league tables have shifted the focus of education too far away from the future needs of both employers and society. There has also been a growing recognition that young people need to have a balance of experiences to help develop their resilience and better cope with the demands of more formal education and the future demands on them in an ever changing world.
Evidence and Support
9. The CBI identified that a child’s chance of getting a good job depends on exam results, and a wider set of skills and experience. In their report ‘First Steps: A new approach for our schools’ (2013)3 they went on to state that ‘Employers want young people who are enthusiastic, confident, creative and resilient – not just exam robots’ 5
10. The CBI have also stated that ‘78% of employers rate attitudes as the most important factor when recruiting new staff’. This clearly highlights the direction that employers want to see education move towards. Measures of evaluation that solely rely on exams are not enough.
11. Making the case for a wider set of skills was highlighted by the ‘Institute of the Future’, based at Phoenix University who produced a report ‘Future Work Skills 2020’4, identifying a range of 10 key skills and abilities that will be required for employment and job settings in the future. These skills included the development of higher level thinking skills, the ability to connect with others; the ability to come up with novel solutions; the ability to work in different cultural settings; be media literate and multi-disciplinary for example.
12. This view was further reinforced in the UK Commission for Employment and Skills recent report, The Labour Market Story: Skills for the Future,20145, when it stated that ‘In addition to the broad levels of skills and qualifications predicted by Wilson et al. (2014a), the types of skills which will be in future demand may evolve (UKCES/Daheim et al., 2014). Existing trends suggest that a range of generic skills are likely to be particularly important. Skills related to communication, problem solving, team working and ICT skills are increasingly valued by employers (Felstead et al., 2013a, Felstead et al., 2007). In some respects these are the key skills, which employers demand and are needed to supplement the technical skills individuals possess alongside their creative capabilities’, p23.
13. The above clearly makes a case for the development of a broader set of skills in terms of employability, however, it is equally important in terms of addressing the issue of social mobility and the future life chances for all. The recent work of the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission1, has been a ‘breath of fresh air’ in this respect. Despite all of the opportunities and social reform Britain is still characterised as a nation where ‘being poor often leads to a lifetime of poverty’ with ‘glaring discrepancies in the life chances of children from different backgrounds’. Addressing this issue presents us with huge challenges, however, the All Party Parliamentary Group on Social Mobility concluded that ‘after reviewing evidence across all stages of the life cycle….personal resilience and emotional well being are the missing link in the chain’.
14. In fact the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission have gone onto say that in the light of recent reports and research it is evident that although ‘qualifications are the most important dimension of educational disadvantage the challenge goes beyond exams. The chances of doing well in a job are not determined solely by academic success – the procession of character skills like persistence and ‘grit’ also matter. So too do wider opportunities including work experience, extra-curricular activities and careers advice. But, from the earliest ages, social background strongly influences who has these other predictors of later success, meaning the better-off are multiply advantaged when it comes to winning the race for good jobs’ (Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission, 2014)2.
15. Such inequalities matter and are a barrier to both learning and a young person’s life chances. It is also clear that developing character and resilience in young people will benefit their progress, attainment and behaviour. This should not just be tagged onto more formal class based learning and seen as ‘enrichment’, but be part of the ‘entitlement’ and development of the whole child throughout their education.
16. Character, does count and evidence from the DEMOS Report6 in 2015, ‘suggests that character matters hugely for a variety of later life outcomes. It can help boost educational attainment and motivation to learn among young people as well as facilitating positive later life outcomes, such as good mental well-being, positive health behaviours, and more success in the labour market. While the majority of this research has focused on the impact and development of ‘performance virtues’, more recent research from the Jubilee Centre is shedding light on the moral and civic virtues – crucial components to an accurate and desirable conception of character. It is the development of such virtues, as a part of Character Development that, can support work around the PREVENT agenda, for example, which in turn is linked to ‘resilience’.
The importance of Resilience and impact on attainment
17. Why resilience in particular? Because it is one of the key skills that enables young people to ‘bounce back’ from adverse experiences and can support them during periods of change. It is an adaptive capacity to grow.
18. Recent work by Leeds Beckett University highlighted why we need to develop this particular skill in young people. Their work initially focused on undergraduates7 and used ‘adventure residential programmes’ to support students during their transition into University. More recently, the approach has been used to support ‘transition programmes’ in secondary schools8. The research found that young people developed strong personal relationships during such residentials, something also picked up in research undertaken by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation9, as everyone shared a common experience and that these relationships endured to provide support when ‘times got tough’. The researchers have since gone on to analyse why such ‘adventurous’ experiences are so effective at producing such positive outcomes10. It seems we, or at least our brain, needs to be ‘challenged’ or exposed to a level of ‘stress’ in order for it to develop and grow. In addition, such ‘common experiences’ were found to encourage the development of positive relationships and improve team work, two vital life skills that have been shown to not only support improved attainment but better mental health. In fact, recently, strong evidence has been produced that goes on to support the relationship that good mental health and well-being has on improved attainment, as shown in the paper produced by Public Health England and the NAHT11 in November 2014.
19. In terms of mental health and well-being it has been recognised that in itself access to the outdoors is ‘good for you’. In his report ‘Natural Childhood’12, Stephen Moss, makes a clear case for the health and well-being benefits of access to the outdoors and he recognised that young people today were in danger of developing ‘nature deficit disorder’ as a result of their lack of contact with the outdoors. This distancing of ourselves from nature can also impact on views and understanding regarding ‘sustainable issues’, an increasing challenge for us now and into the future. A need to re-engage with nature has impacts on many fronts, our education system should support this engagement.
20. Over the years the ‘outdoors’ has been recognised as a valuable tool in developing ‘personal confidence’; ‘self awareness and social skills’; ‘healthy active lifestyles’ and ‘extending key skills of communication, problem solving, leadership and teamwork’ as identified in High Quality Outdoor Learning, 201513.
21. These are exactly the range of outcomes that the outdoors delivers so well. A meta-analysis of 96 studies14 shows that there are significant improvements in independence, confidence, self-efficacy, self-understanding, assertiveness, internal focus of control and decision-making as a result of outdoor adventure programmes. This work, supported by John Hattie, has been further developed by him and in a recent presentation to the New Zealand Treasury identified Outdoor/Adventure interventions as one of the ‘must have’ influences on pupil progress15. This is further supported by Rickinson, M et al, 200416, who found that ‘there is substantial research evidence to suggest that outdoor adventure programmes can impact positively on young people’s attitude beliefs and self-perceptions’ and their ‘interpersonal and social skills.’
22. In 2004, Ofsted17 stated that ‘Outdoor education gives depth to the curriculum and makes an important contribution to students’ physical, personal and social education’. A view repeated by Ofsted in 200818 in ‘that first-hand experiences of learning outside the classroom can help to make subjects more vivid and interesting for pupils and enhance their understanding. It can also contribute significantly to pupils’ personal, social and emotional development’, further supported in ‘Engaging and Learning with the Outdoors’, 2005, J. Dillon et al19.
23. Many activities undertaken as part of both formal and informal learning in the ‘outdoors’ supports the development of a wide range of life skills. In particular it contributes to team working, which is often a key characteristic of many outdoor programmes. Developing skills as an independent enquirer is a characteristic of fieldwork programmes, and access to hands on real world learning provides an excellent preparation for employment. Working together to overcome challenges and solve problems encourages ‘creative thinking’, an element of many outdoor activities. Being in a new settings, such as on a residential, and working in new contexts also provides an environment conducive to reflection, review and the development of supportive relationships. We recognise and support these as some of the key skills for life, both now and into the future.
24. The use of regular and frequent access to the outdoors characterises education in Early Years settings and is a key element of the Ofsted Early Years framework. However, This evidenced-based approach to learning adopted in Early Years settings is then very much abandoned as a child moves to Year 1, as if the evidence ceases to exist! We have to ask the question why we suddenly change the way we teach young people so radically? Reducing access to the world beyond the classroom only serves to make the transition to the world of work and family at a later date even more demanding. Access to a broad range of progressive outdoor experiences is essential to the development and education of young people.
25. Such progressive outdoor experiences also allow young people to develop increasing independence. This is exemplified through the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, National Citizen Service, John Muir Award and school groups organising their own expeditions at home or abroad. However, to be really effective such ‘schemes’ should be integrated within a whole school approach to ‘character development’ and not as isolated experiences. We would ask that the Inquiry recommends that exemplar ‘good practice’ approaches and programmes are developed that include progressive and integrated experiences for young people throughout their education.
26. In terms of delivery, we feel that much could be achieved by combing both ‘personal development’ and ‘social, moral, cultural and spiritual’ elements of the Ofsted framework and renaming it ‘character development’. This could also replace the current requirement to encourage ‘British values’.
27. We feel that not only should a wide range of skills be taught but captured through a variety of awards and skills assessments and brought together in a school based certificate that sits alongside their formal qualifications, something akin to the ‘leaver’s Certificate’ of old and an approached recommended by DEMOS in their report, Character Nation, 20156. This could bring together the achievements of young people both within and beyond school an approach similar to that being developed in Nottingham City Council through their ‘Opportunity Notts’ programme, an on-line record of non-academic skill-based achievement for young people. We would also support the DEMOS view that a new National Baccalaureate for 14-19 (2015, p59) should include character and volunteering components as well impact and understanding of the world beyond schools and the local neighbourhood.
28. Outdoor learning makes a powerful contribution to the broader curriculum – Outdoor Learning effectively contributes to the delivery of a broad-based curriculum equipping young people with valuable life skills and experiences.
29. Good quality day and residential fieldwork helps improve education standards and should be a vital element of an imaginative and contemporary education. Fieldwork is essential in developing a student’s understanding of subjects such as geography and science. There is no substitute to the first-hand experience of exploring and learning in contrasting landscapes and environments.
30. Fieldwork brings to life what is learned in the classroom and also allows students to develop STEM skills so essential to our economy. Investigation, observation, experiment design and data capture can all be carried out in real world settings. This also exposes students to the realities and difficulties of ‘messy data’, how collecting data in the real world can be challenging and difficult and how this impacts on the conclusions that can be drawn.
31. Furthermore, in a recent study undertaken by the University of Hull, 201320 that looked at the impact of a simple child-led field-based learning task on children’s scientific knowledge and literacy skills revealed that:
“On average children who had undertaken the fieldwork activity achieved higher literacy scores than children that did not.”
32. Outdoor and adventurous activities are already a component of the PE Curriculum, however we need to ensure teachers are confident and competent in delivering high quality learning in this area. Initial Teacher Training and Continuing Professional Development must take on board the changes outlined above. The success of any approach will depend on the pedagogy behind it.
33. ‘Early exposure to outdoor activities can make a lasting impression. More who are introduced to outdoor activities as children and adolescents grow up to choose an active outdoor lifestyle’ Getting Active Outdoors21, 2015, p61. Outdoor activities often provide a range of alternative activities for young people to engage in al of which will contribute to increasing physical activity within young people.
Conclusion
33. There is a very strong case for increasing the role and importance of the teaching of life skills, through ‘character development’ and ‘resilience programmes’ in schools.
34. The development of such skills is vital in improving the life chances of all young people and to prepare them for a rapidly changing world
35. The assessment and evidence of progress in developing life skills should be recorded alongside formal qualifications and where possible integrated with them through a new National Baccalaureate.
36. We would ask that the Inquiry recommends that exemplar ‘good practice’ approaches and programmes are developed that include progressive and integrated experiences for young people throughout their education.
37. Our evidence suggests that outdoor learning makes an important contribution to the development off life skills and provides an environment in which to apply learning in real world settings.
38. As part of any educational reform young people should have regular and frequent access to the outdoors to increase physical activity, improve health and well-being and to reconnect with nature so that we can better understand our impact upon it. Such outdoor experiences will enhance a young person’s ability to grapple more successfully with the long term social and climatic changes they will likely encounter in later life.
REFERENCES
Outdoor Adventure residential experience in higher education. Assessment, Teaching and Learning Journal (Leeds Met) Number 4 (Summer), pp.6–9.
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/outdoor-education-aspects-of-good-practice
http://www.nfer.ac.uk/nfer/publications/OCR01/OCR01.pdf
January 2016