From September 2019 OFSTED has changed its way of looking at schools, with greater emphasis on a more holistic view of education. A few points from the Government website give us a flavour of the new aims:

  • ‘OFSTED inspectors will spend less time looking at exam results and test data…’
  • ‘Personal development judgement….look at the ways in which schools build young people’s resilience and confidence in later life, including through participation in sport, music and extra-curricular activities’
  • There is now an overall ‘Quality of Education’ judgement, and inspectors will ‘de-intensify the inspection focus on performance data’.

Research over the years and the Government’s own advice tell us that Outdoor Education, as well as other types of school visit, are an excellent way to develop character, confidence and resilience. For example, the guidance on organising school visits says: ‘ …learning outside the classroom helps to bring the curriculum to life – it provides deeper subject learning and increases self-confidence. It also helps pupils develop their risk awareness and prepares them for their future working lives. Striking the right balance between protecting pupils from risk and allowing them to learn from school trips has been a challenge for many schools, but getting this balance right is essential for realising all these benefits in practice.’

Call us today on 01273 487509 or email: info@trekco.com to discuss the ways in which TrekCo, run by ex-teachers, can help you to develop a programme of Outdoor Education for your school or college..

Useful links:

A summary of OFSTED’s new strategy can be seen at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ofsteds-new-inspection-arrangements-to-focus-on-curriculum-behaviour-and-development

Organising school visits:

https://www.hse.gov.uk/services/education/school-trips.pdf

 

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