Attainment

Making a difference – Outdoor Learning

billstephen Curriculum For Excellence, Learning and Teaching
Midlothian Outdoor Learning Service connects with learners across the Midlothian Learning Community

It has been another amazing year for Outdoor Learning in Midlothian. With usage of the service increasing again and more and more schools engaging in more varied programmes of Outdoor Learning, providing powerful and potentially  life changing  experiences for our pupils and young people across Midlothian.

As a team we are delighted that we can makes such a valued contribution to the breadth and depth of educational approaches that enable successful  learning and  increased attainment in Midlothian. (click for link)

As highlighted in the recent Midlothian Education Attainment report   “Creating a world-class education system: Attainment and Achievement 2017”

“Outdoor Learning provision and Educational visits continue to be a powerful and important part of our approach to learning in Midlothian.

Continued growth in use of outdoor learning is reflected in the increase in the number of educational visits and demand for support by educational establishments through the Midlothian Outdoor Learning Service.  

Outdoor Learning is embedded within the Curriculum for Excellence and aspires to be regular and frequent for all pupils. Schools are increasingly using educational visits and outdoor learning as part of the educational mix to improve both academic attainment and health and wellbeing of our pupils from early years to the senior phase”

Outdoor Learning has allowed our pupils to discover local and not so local places! Outdoor Learning is enabling our participants to develop, achieve and meet varied curriculum outcomes across our learning community in Midlothian.

Some highlights :

  • Growth – 92% increase from 2014 to 2017 in Midlothian Outdoor Learning Service (MOLS) sessions delivered.
  • Participation  across Primary and Secondary 2016/17 – 3200 + pupil participant days using MOLS + 1800 pupils attended annual Midlothian “Discover” events and Festivals
  • Educational Visits – over 9000 recorded for 2016/17 period (via new EVOLVE online visit planning and approval system introduced 2015 )
  • CLPL – 104 Visit leaders & 42 Visit Coordinators trained across Midlothian since 2015 using nationally accredited course.
  • Training – 900 First Aid Certificates issued since 2014 with successful SQA accreditation achieved for first aid qualifications delivered by MOLS from 2017
  • Establishment support – Increase in % of all educational establishments using MOLS in 2016/17 year.
  • Pupil Safety – continued successful Adventure Activities (AALS) licence inspections & new outdoor learning activities added in 2017. Improving safety of educational visits supported via (via new EVOLVE online educational visit planning and approval system introduced 2015 )
  • Supporting partnerships 88% Schools using service – Growing demand for wider achievement programmes with schools (e.g’s. Duke of Edinburgh, JASS Schools, John Muir Award)
  • Financial Assistance Continuing management and use of Outdoor Learning financial assistance fund to support eligible learners within Midlothian.

2017/18 is also already a huge continued growth year for the service & establishments also showing increase in offsite educational visits and as we start to look to 2018/19 we encourage establishments to get in touch with your Outdoor Learning Teacher at the service for 2018/19 as next years diaries are already filling up!

A huge thanks to all our staff within the learning community who make this happen. As our learning community and school establishments increase we are looking forward to working with you all to continue to develop and grow our pupil participation in outdoor learning in 2018/19.