FSC Campaigns and Research

Our Response to the Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto

“We believe that every young person should experience the world beyond the classroom as an essential part of learning and personal development, whatever their age, ability or circumstances.”

This statement could have been lifted straight from any number of FSC documents. It is a sentiment that FSC’s founders would have applauded. The fact that it was published by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) at the end of 2006 in the much-heralded Learning Outside the Classroom (OoCL) manifesto seems to provide a strong endorsement of all that the FSC and like-minded partners working in the ‘outdoor learning’ sector have been fighting for (see information Box). It seems that our aspirations have moved into the mainstream of government policy. The reality, however, is that the blessings are mixed.

The manifesto
The manifesto brings together over 300 different organisations.
At the heart of the manifesto are pledges which individuals and organisations can sign up to.  The manifesto targets seven areas:
- Providing a range of experiences
- Strengthening the case
- Ensuring high quality
- Training teachers and assistants
- Enabling health and safety
- Providing information, guidance and resources
- Involving a wider community

The FSC can give itself a pat on the back. The FSC has always been an important provider of out of classroom learning, often working with subject organisations, curriculum developers and inspectors to achieve our charitable aims. But, politically, we were a rather inconspicuous charity and in a little over four years we have become, out of necessity, a strident and self-assured campaigning body. Initially our focus was to reverse the decline in science fieldwork, and more recently geography fieldwork which is also threatened by imminent changes to school curricula. The successes of this campaign have been the increasing profile given to these issues in many education reports, and strong demands for decision-makers to make sure that fieldwork is reinstated in schools.

The start of a much bigger campaign – the Real World Learning campaign – in which the FSC was a founding partner, alongside RSPB, WWT, PGL and the National Trust - has added further energy and lobbying weight to the outdoor learning cause. The objectives of the RWL are described elsewhere, but presented several challenges to the government in areas such as teacher training, funding, inspections and making outdoor learning an entitlement for young people.

At one stage the FSC has been accused by a senior minister as becoming an irritant – a compliment indeed! All of this has only been possible because of the tremendous support of our staff, members and many supporters in both subject associations and partner organisations. As you may recall through the efforts of the FSC and its partners all the main political parties included a pledge to support all young peoples’ access to the environment in their party manifesto for the 2005 election.

Despite some progress in reducing time consuming administration of various aspects of school visits, it has become obvious from our contact with many Headteachers and subject specialists, that senior management in many schools do not believe that the benefits of OoCL outweigh the costs (in time as well as money), and other threats (including being sued if things go wrong). 

The FSC needs to counter this resistance. Otherwise we will be failing our young people. The London Challenge courses which the FSC has been managing are a powerful reminder of what a residential visit can achieve. Thanks to government funding, the FSC has been able to offer  over 23,000 11-14 year olds from 330 of London’s secondary schools - 9 out of 10 of the capital’s total – an opportunity to take part in residential visits to some of the most stunning locations throughout the UK.  This project has been a revelation for all involved. If anybody doubts the capacity of these experiences to change lives, they need only read the accounts – from parents and teachers, as well as the young people themselves - which have been sent to the FSC. They remind us what we are really here for. So, well done to the Department for Education and Skills for recognising that these experiences should be supported. We now hope that the opportunities will be extended to other regions outside London in the future.

Despite its rather protracted gestation the publication of the Manifesto is an important milestone. One of the biggest gains has been that it has encouraged and supported many different out-of-classroom learning organisations to sit down and talk to each other. There is a real determination to work together to support each others work and this will improve the chances of more children having an outdoor experience. FSC senior staff made contributions to two of the main working groups representing outdoor adventure and fieldwork, and chaired a third, the environment. 

Worryingly in our view, the manifesto, however, is based on some questionable assumptions. Recent research commissioned by the government and launched alongside the manifesto has painted a rosy picture about the state of out-of-classroom learning, claiming that it has increased over the past five years, or broadly remained the same. However, a closer examination shows that this increase is only true for activities which include work in the school grounds. Less reassuring is the fact that fewer young people might be travelling away from school, particularly where the experience involves an overnight stay, and that this is particularly true for schools in poorer areas. The types of visits which have been so successful for London Challenge schools are under most threat. Similarly, academic fieldwork in our secondary schools – the very area in which the FSC is the UK’s leading provider - is under particular threat.

The manifesto also offers little real support, particularly in funding and resources. Nearly three million pounds is not an inconsiderable sum but when shared amongst the school population it works out at less than 35p per pupil. Graham Wynne, Chief Executive of the RSPB in responding to the Secretary of State’s launching of the Manifesto suggested that the economics do not add up. Many NGOs such as the FSC are ‘ready to scale up’ but need some financial support. Despite this, the strong message throughout the manifesto is that organisations like the FSC have a duty to sort things out for themselves and that there is no dedicated money for groups such as deprived young people or those with special needs.

Despite the paucity of our own resources, the FSC and like-minded organisations have dug into their own pockets to make a number of pledges because without our energy and resources it is difficult to see what will happen. We are working with subject associations, learning centres and teacher training departments’ partners to develop fieldwork in all of the areas listed in the manifesto – developing progressive curricula, experiences, resources, high quality standards and teacher support. The FSC will be a lead partner in developing provider standards in Health and Safety and Quality for the environment sector. We hope that our resources will be sufficient enough to deliver the changes that are needed. We doubt that this is true.

In particular, our efforts may only serve to be delay the demise of academic fieldwork, at a time when the government is telling science and geography teachers to transform their teaching style – to become more active and engaging. That is the reality with which we will continue to challenge the government and its advisers.  The DfES is establishing an Outdoor Council to support and monitor the implementation of the Manifesto. The Chief Executive of the FSC has been asked to represent the environment sector on the Advisory group that will set up the Council and produce its agenda. There still may be time to influence the precise outcomes of the Manifesto but unless the next Prime Minister or Chancellor of the Exchequer change their view, the financial shortfall leaves ‘Out of Classroom Learning for All’ beyond the reach of many.

FSC offices will keep members up to date with the work of the FSC and partners in trying to ensure that there is a meaningful entitlement for all young people to experience the environment – near and ‘far’.

Tony Thomas
Chief Executive