{"id":234395,"date":"2025-09-10T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-10T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/?p=234395"},"modified":"2025-09-09T10:06:33","modified_gmt":"2025-09-09T09:06:33","slug":"how-much-does-ofsted-really-value-outdoor-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/how-much-does-ofsted-really-value-outdoor-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"How much does Ofsted really value outdoor learning?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Over several decades, governments of all stripes have encouraged schools to adapt and enrich their curricula with regular opportunities for outdoor learning<\/a>. They have done so in droves, but an analysis of Ofsted reports shows accountability has not kept pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As far back as 2006, the then-Labour government published its Learning outside the classroom manifesto<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was <\/em>followed two years later by an Ofsted report with the same title, but adding the question \u2018how far should you go?<\/a>\u2019<\/em> This concluded that, when planned and implemented well, outdoor education contributed significantly to raising standards and the quality and depth of learning. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2011, a senior HMI confirmed publicly that this report was the most compelling piece of evidence he had ever seen because learning was improved in all cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The following year, the coalition government published Leadership For Embedding Outdoor Learning Within The Primary Curriculum<\/em>, encouraging primary school leaders to \u2018develop a learning culture with the outdoors at its heart\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given all this positive endorsement, one might expect an analysis of 300 Ofsted primary school reports (covering schools with 3-11, 3-9 and 3-7 age ranges) published this year to highlight evidence of improvements in outdoor learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the reality is that fewer than 5 per cent of the reports make any reference to subject-based outdoor learning experiences and outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Residential visits are mentioned in 15 per cent of these reports, comprising mainly lists of activities undertaken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Some statements make outdoor education sound pedestrian<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Even worse, some of the report statements make outdoor education sound pedestrian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This begs two questions: what value is outdoor learning providing across the primary sector? And how are the best schools delivering on all of its promise?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ambitions for outdoor learning for all year groups often feature on primary schools\u2019 websites and in their brochures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not untypical to read statements like this, for example: \u201cWe prioritise hands-on learning experiences and real-world applications within the classroom and outdoor spaces to seamlessly integrate the various skills encompassed in all subjects.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The comments in Ofsted reports, on the other hand, are at best superficial. They link outdoor learning to enrichment and engagement, but seldom to deep curriculum connections:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOutdoor learning is an important, effective contributor to pupils\u2019 personal development, for example growing vegetables, building dens and toasting marshmallows over an open fire, which pupils enjoy considerably.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThemed trips outdoors provide pupils with the excitement of new places and experiences, such as dipping their toes in the sea.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is \u201ca \u2018buzz\u2019 of learning and excitement, for example in the class where children demonstrated what they are learning about bees from a visitor to school.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPupils enjoy a sleepover on the school grounds.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPupils look after frogs, chickens and fish which helps to increase their independence.\u201d<\/em>  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The jury\u2019s out on whether the last one refers to the pupils\u2019 independence or that of the creatures, but at least outdoor learning in these schools is noticed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Staff in 95 per cent of the inspected schools I reviewed received no recognition at all. Many of these will have implemented a meticulously planned and resourced curriculum underpinned by meaningful outdoor learning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is unsurprising. After all, they were encouraged by Ofsted to do so as recently as 2021. The subject-specific Research Review Series bemoaned: \u2018a paucity of meaningful fieldwork\u2019 in geography; the need for pupils to encounter \u2018laboratory\u2019 and \u2018fieldwork\u2019 in science; and in history, \u2018the importance of understanding [\u2026] historical context\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Provision for outdoor learning has increased exponentially since the start of this decade. A plethora of organisations now support schools with training and guidance on planning and resourcing curriculum delivery outdoors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Statistically, therefore, it is highly unlikely that the vast majority of schools in this sample had no subject-based outdoor learning during the inspection or no evidence of its central place in their curriculum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schools that have implemented meaningful outdoor learning deserve reports which clearly articulate the range and depth of pupils\u2019 learning outside of the classroom, in it, and across both contexts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The result of Ofsted\u2019s failure to recognise best practice in this space can only be to stifle improvement. The new inspection framework must put this right.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Analysis of reports shows a surprising discrepancy between what Ofsted has encouraged schools to do and its ability to recognise it<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":311124,"featured_media":234101,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"post-theme":[3559],"class_list":["post-234395","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinion","post-theme-opinion-accountability"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t