What are we trying to achieve?
Learning experiences outside the classroom are often the most memorable, helping young people to make sense of the world around them, and integrate new experiences and understandings into all aspects of their formal and informal learning. By realising that learning does not only happen within the classroom, young people start on the journey of lifelong learning.
To achieve our goal of making the UK the best place in the world to grow up in, children and young people need to have experiences that help them learn and flourish. They need to enjoy and achieve from their early years, through childhood as they become young people and young adults.
Learning outside the classroom clearly supports the principles and goals of the Children’s Plan and Every Child Matters, particularly in terms of identifying and realising the potential of all young people of all ages (an alternative view of ECM). The big picture expresses the entire planned learning experience for all young people.
In this way, learning outside the classroom is a key component in the organisation of learning.
Why? Making the case
There is an increasing body of evidence which clearly demonstrates the benefits for young people’s learning and personal development outside the classroom. In summary, when young people learn outside the classroom, they:
- are exposed to new experiences
- learn in different ways related to their learning styles
- are motivated to learn more and feel positive about learning
- become self-confident, developing self-esteem and self-awareness
- work collaboratively, fostering decision-making and teamwork
- improve communication skills with peers and adults
- are healthier, and their sense of well-being increases
- appreciate the links between formal and informal learning