heart of heartlands lessons

Growing up in the suburbs of Glasgow, I was surrounded by the Campsie Hills and Milngavie was the ‘Gateway to the Highlands’, the starting point of a 90-mile hike to Fort William, ‘West Highland Way’. Despite the countryside being on our doorstep, our school never participated in residentials, such as The Duke of Edinburgh, and it was an untapped resource. This experience has fuelled my desire for students at Heartlands to have the chance to access new learning opportunities.

I am proud to be with a school that recognises the importance of Outdoor Education, which we promote well through SEARCH days, residential trips, ski trips, the Duke of Edinburgh expeditions, Prudential Ride London and by way of our exciting links to universities, galleries and professionals. For me, Heartlands recognises the need to make education more than just about classroom practice, and encourages students to find context in whatever they are learning. For many people outdoor experiences are the most memorable of their school lives.

Why is it important

A BBC study showed that busier family lives, combined with an increased sense of fear in society, encourages today’s young people to lead far more enclosed lives. A recent study found that three-quarters of UK children spend less time outside, than prison inmates. This has a damaging impact on young people’s health; outdoor play increases fitness levels and raises levels of vitamin, and it also has consequences for children’s educational and emotional development and their wellbeing.

At the same time, services that have traditionally been offered, such as youth clubs, are being cut back due to lack of funding, and establishments like the Boys Brigade, Brownies or Cubs are not available to many inner city London schools. The responsibility for providing outdoor experiences and learning outside of the classroom, is now integral to the curriculum in many schools.

Heartlands recognises the need for Outdoor education experiences. Many of the staff share the same view and volunteer their time and energy in making sure that the students have access to outdoor learning. There are obvious benefits such as improved health and fitness, however other benefits which are not measurable, are the improved personal, social, and emotional development for our students; forging new friendships, experiencing challenges and pushing themselves beyond their limit.

Duke of Edinburgh

The school has been working with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) programme for a number of years. Currently we are piloting a scheme with Year 9s with the aim of these students undertaking the silver award next year. This is a positive step forward and underlines the school support of extra curricular activities. Having assisted last year, I was overwhelmed at the dedication students showed and the sustained commitment to the volunteering, physical and skills section of the award. Students who had participated in the DoE programme demonstrated a more rounded and confident persona and showed that they could work independently and as part of a team. From what I witnessed first hand, I was amazed at the resilience these students showed during expedition, some of the groups were walking as long as 9 hours and straight into setting up tents and cooking for each other - what really struck me was the bond all the students had and the genuine empathy and support there showed each other, it was clear that the DoE program had builds a community, raises expectations and increased the connection between students. It also developed positive associations around the school and the outdoors.

Ski Trip

The ski trip has become a regular feature in the Heartlands calendar and the highlight for many. In January 2018, 19 students and 3 staff members travelled to the Aosta Valley in Italy for a week of skiing. Students of all abilities participated in the trip and by the end of the week they could all ski with confidence. A new addition to the ski programme was that students completed reflective diaries everyday, setting goals for themselves and recording skills they had acquired. This ties in with the Heartlands SEARCH and character ethos and something we could develop further in the future. On the trip, teachers were able to witness first-hand how participating in a risky adventure such as skiing, could positively impact on the students’ self-perception, their understandings of their own personal strengths and limitations, and the value they brought to their team. Not only was it valuable to the students, but it really helped strengthen parent-school relationships. One of our Jack Petchey winners has asked that the money from the award be used to pay for two scholarships on next year’s ski trip.

Residentials

This year we will be returning to Bude, but much later in the year. This will ensure better weather and less disruption to the school’s curriculum. Students will have amazing opportunities to participate in all sorts of outdoor and coastal adventures such as canoeing, surfing, rock climbing and team buildings skills along the beautiful Bude Coast. The residential really takes advantage of its surroundings- and one of the best received activities is ‘rock pooling’, where students are learning about nature and the geological structure of the coast line. Again this is what I took for granted spending every summer at the Isle of Skye - but for many students this may be their first opportunity to experience nature in this way. Students are encouraged to make links with what they learn in Geography and Science with the real world context.

One of the reasons I wanted to be involved in outdoor education, is to provide opportunities for all. The aim of the selection process is to ensure that fifty percent of the students attending are on free school meals or Pupil Premium. They are offered a generous discount. Early PR will give students an opportunity to pay in instalments and what is more exciting, is that the School has agreed to award five free places, one for each House. I am really impressed with the school’s support in supporting every student to access these opportunities.

Future Ventures:

Based on the success of the Prudential Ride London, there are opportunities for the school to participate in up and coming cycling events. Ski taster lessons on the indoor skiing at Hemel Hempstead would also attract a wider group of students. Next year we will also be running the Silver award for the DoE alongside the Bronze- this is an opportunity to grow the Outdoor Team and train up new staff. This will mean a more ambitious programme and drawing on the strength and skills of the teachers. I know that the teachers at Heartlands are dedicated to helping young people reach their goals.