The Learning outside the classroom report by Ofsted published this month comes out in strong support of the value of learning outside the classroom in raising pupil motivation and attainment.

What was particularly good to see, was that some of the points raised by Ofsted directly support Digital Explorer’s work.

Learning outside the classroom was most successful when it was an integral element of long-term curriculum planning and closely linked to classroom activities.

This is exactly what the expedition to Dubai and Oman achieved, with every pupil at one school involved in curriculum learning in every subject based on the expedition.

The second section that supports Digital Explorer’s work:

Some schools have made an explicit link between the use of school grounds and education for sustainable development. They effectively promote pupils’ understanding that care for their immediate surroundings is the first step in caring for their planet [...] The survey showed that primary schools were more effective than secondary schools in using their grounds and locality to support learning about sustainability.

These findings were backed up by the recommendation that leadership and management need to:

[...] make better use of the grounds and immediate locality to promote learning outside the classroom

The manual on School Grounds Projects enables schools to do exactly this and is designed for the secondary curriculum.