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.

Ski Aosta 2019

billstephen Outdoor Learning, Ski

After the success of our Ski Aosta 2017 visit , we are off again! – On Saturday 9th February 2019 (Midlothian schools 1/2 term)  we will once again be leaving for the AOSTA valley in Northern Italy for a week of amazing skiing.

The visit using INTERSKI  and qualified Midlothian leaders and volunteers includes 6 days of snowsports and includes 4 hours of instruction per day, equipment hire, transport, half board accommodation & snack lunch. Evening activities and insurance are also included

Aimed at our Primary and Secondary pupils this visit is an excellent opportunity for those pupils wishing to increase their skiing skills that they may have experienced through the after school, and schools ski programmes through active Schools and Midlothian Ski centre at Hillend

Download the brochure for our 2019 visit (click on image)

There are a number of limited spaces available. For more details on the visit and how to get involved you can download the ski visit brochure below that gives wider information on the visit and also download the poster/flyer if you wish to advertise within your school

Please contact Bill Stephen on 01968 664043  or email outdoorlearning@midlothian.gov.uk if you are interested in joining us.

Click on image for downloadable poster

 

We will be hosting an information evening for those already booked and others interested in joining this amazing opportunity on the 16th January 1900 at Penicuik High School LLE Room 1  – Come and join us and find out more.

You can also book NOW by completing the Booking form (available in the brochure above ) and at the link here.

NEW – First Aid Training 2018

billstephen CLPL, First Aid, Outdoor Learning

You can new now view the First Aid training course dates for 2018 run by the Outdoor Learning Service at our website. Training dates have been spread across the year (including some INSET day scheduled  courses) to allow our schools and staff to access more easily throughout 2018

To view and book any of these courses see the links below – or access through the CLPL dropdown menu.

View/Book First Aid Training (click for link)

All courses are SQA accredited and cover the recently updated SQCF units for First aid

Emergency First Aid (6 hours) HV82 04 Level 6 – Emergency First Aid in the Workplace

First Aid at Work (18 hours) HV82 04 Level 6 &  HV83 04 Level 6 – Recognition and Management of Illness in the Workplace

First Aid at work Requalification (12 hours) HV82 04 Level 6 &  HV83 04 Level 6 – Recognition and Management of Illness in the Workplace

We look forward to working with you all in 2018. Please contact us if you have any enquiries regarding these courses outdoorlearning@midlothian.gov.uk

 

Shaping Outdoor Learning in Midlothian

billstephen Curriculum For Excellence, Outdoor Learning

Invitation – Developing a Midlothian Outdoor Learning Strategy – Working Group Meeting Friday 6th October 2017 1330-1500

The virtuous cycle of improvement – Education Scotland HGIOS4 2015

Outdoor learning is becoming an increasingly popular and powerful approach to learning across our schools in Midlothian. As an authority we recognise the importance of this approach and need to grow opportunities for our young people to have “regular and frequent” outdoor learning opportunities that are embedded within the curriculum areas.

Educational visits and Outdoor Learning experiences provide exiting opportunities for our young people to contribute to their learning, allow establishments to develop pupil attainment and deliver many of the elements of the current HGIOS4 framework and the Curriculum for Excellence.

Many of you are already active and providing excellence in this area & there are many great examples of highly successful uses of outdoor learning across the region. A sustainable & cohesive strategy is required however, across Midlothian to enable continued success and to enhance and link these experiences to attainment and learning.

With this and other aims in mind we wish to create a working group that can help shape, develop and enable an outdoor learning strategy for the region that could ultimately result in more of our learners benefiting from successful outdoor learning experiences.

We intend to hold a first meeting on the 6th October 2017 1330-1500 – (Venue TBCF based on expected attendance numbers)

We seek interested parties and “outdoor learning and visit champions” to attend & contribute to what we hope will be an exciting opportunity to develop opportunities for our learners and provide also a local working network for outdoor learning within Midlothian.

Email us at outdoorlearning@midlothian.gov.uk and confirm if you hope to attend. A more detailed agenda and suitable venue will be notified once numbers are confirmed in the coming weeks.

We look forward to seeing you.

First Aid Training Courses – Places available Autumn 2017

billstephen First Aid

We currently have late availability on several scheduled First Aid Training courses run by the Outdoor Learning Service as below;

Emergency First Aid at Work (8 Hours) 29th September 2017

Venue: Strathesk PS – Community learning rooms

Time: 0900-1600

Cost: £45.00 which includes SQA certification.

 

First Aid at Work (18 Hour) Training Course: 2nd- 4th October 2017

Venue: Strathesk PS – Community learning rooms

Time: 0900-1600 (3 days)

Cost: £130.00 which includes SQA certification.

 

First Aid at Work Requalification (12 hours) 16-17th November 2017

Venue: Strathesk PS – Community learning rooms

Time: 0900-1600 (2 days)

Cost: £90.00 which includes SQA certification.

If you would like to attend any of these courses please get in touch or complete the booking form and return to outdoorlearning@midlothian.gov.uk.  Course details, booking forms, unit learning outcomes and more information on the First Aid Training in the booklet and at our CLPL webpage