most vivid childhood memories”.
‘LEEFlet’ The Newsletter of the London Environmental Education Forum October 2008
Learning outside the classroom manifesto Quality Badge scheme launched for providers of out-of-classroom learning By Anna Portch (LEEF Coordinator) A new Quality Badge scheme for providers of out-of-classroom learning has been launched as part of DCSF (The Department of Children, Schools and Families) “The Out and About package”. The Quality badge will be awarded to organisations that provide high quality experiences for visiting school groups and manage safety effectively, this will include all sites that schools visit for environmental education, including parks, environmental education centres, nature reserves and recycling centres. “The Out and About package”, was launched at first ever Learning Outside the Classroom National Conference held on Thursday 2nd October 2008 and backed with £4.5 million of funding, it is designed to give schools much clearer information on how to organise effective learning outside the classroom activities for all pupils. At the Conference Ed Balls said: “It is wrong to wrap children in cotton wool as they grow up. Trips and getting out of the classroom should be part and parcel of school life and always form people’s
“Learning outside the classroom is not some optional extra. It should excite young people, deepen their understanding of classroom subjects and is vital for young people to become independent, confident and motivated”. The package includes the new Quality Badge scheme for providers of out-ofclassroom learning which will help teachers to identify organisations provide high quality experiences and manage safety effectively - from field study centres and outdoor activity centres to museums and historic houses, this will include all sites that school visit for environmental education, including gardens and city farms. The first badges will be awarded this year. The scheme is non-statutory but in practice, if a local authority were to tell its schools only to go to places that had the badge, it could effectively become compulsory. It is important that site based environmental educators make sure that their organisations are aware of this scheme. Otherwise they could potentially lose school visits to. To find out more look on the new Learning Outside the Classroom web site. http://www.lotc.org.uk/ Organisations can register their interest in the Quality Badge scheme online: www.lotcqualitybadge.org.uk/ Reference; Nigel Flynn, Sussex Wildlife Trust
News Woodberry Down Primary School wins award for Learning outside the Classroom At the Learning outside the Classroom National Conference the first ever national Learning Outside the Classroom Awards rewarding outstanding provision in