Outdoor Education Advisers' Panel

The three key benefits of getting involved. “Global Outdoor Learning Day brings together educators, organisations, and individuals globally to acknowledge and promote the benefits of outdoor learning” says the event website. Learning in natural environments, says the article, makes three significant contributions to three key areas, namely:- 1) Physical wellbeing is greatly enhanced 2) Mental health is significantly improved 3) A much deeper understanding of the world around us is achieved. The initiative is organised by the Institute for Outdoor Learning , which is the professional body for organisations and individuals who use the outdoors to make a positive difference to others. #Globaloutdoorlearningday #outdooreducation https://lnkd.in/gdX2yicv

Each month we amend the OEAP National Guidance Updates page to show how many documents we have added or revised in the previous month. We include a link to an update table showing brief summaries of each amendment. The table also includes links to each of the new or newly-amended documents. During October 2024, we revised five OEAP National Guidance documents and made minor amendments to one other. We uploaded five new Welsh translations of existing guidance and revised two Welsh translations of existing guidance. You can find links to the documents in the table of amendments. https://lnkd.in/dPevCjj #outdoorlearning #oeapng #educationalvisits Share this:

Outdoor Classroom Day is nearly here! Making time outdoors part of every child’s day... The next Outdoor Classroom Day takes place on 7th November and is the second of the two days that are allocated to this initiative annually, when teachers celebrate with a special day outdoors for their class. “By getting involved in the days of action, you help send a message to the world that time outdoors every day is important for every child.” The movement has, according to the campaign website, grown from 500,000 children to more than ten million around the world. The initiative is led by the outdoor learning and play charity Learning through Landscapes. #outdooreducation https://lnkd.in/eYqJ4ntY

“Compared with other outdoor learning activities, woodland activities can often be more accessible.” The OEAP NG document 7.1u Woodland Activities provides guidance about a range of activities which are commonly practised in woodland, although some may take place in other natural or urban environments (such as parks or school grounds). “Some of these activities are used in programmes with a variety of names, such as Bushcraft, Outdoor Living, Wilderness Living, Survival Skills, Forest School and Earth Eduction” These activities might include: animal tracking; birdwatching; plant and tree identification; conservation, tree planting and rewilding; foraging; fire lighting and management; food preparation and cooking on open fires; collecting and making drinking water; building improvised shelters; tree climbing; using tools such as axes, knives and saws; woodland crafts; pioneering (building structures from wood and rope); navigation; nightlines; sensory experiences and wide games (games which take place in large outdoor areas such as woods or fields). Definition of woodland activities According to the free to use and download guidance document, woodland activities are often used to achieve outcomes such as:- • developing relationships with nature • environmental awareness and understanding • self-reliance • resilience • learning practical skills • teamwork • national curriculum learning including science, geography, design and technology. “Compared with other outdoor learning activities, woodland activities can often be more accessible.” #oeapng #outdooreducation https://lnkd.in/e9j36bCi

Avoiding accidents and emergencies guidance – why schools need to read this! Don’t be a turkey – be a swan says OEAP National Guidance... “Although rare, accidents do happen. On the principle that prevention is better than cure, the following points are intended to assist leaders in avoiding accidents in the first place” begins the OEAP NG document 4.1a Avoiding Accidents and Emergencies. This free to download and use document provides practical advice on how to avoid accidents and emergencies during activities and off-site visits. This guidance will prove to be particularly useful for assistant leaders, EVCs, governors, heads/managers, outdoor education advisers and visit leaders. “Being prepared for, and having a well-thought-through plan to deal with a serious incident is an important part of any visit plan” says the download. Good leadership habits “Stay alert – develop a leader’s ‘twitch’ or a 360º awareness of the group and environment so that you pick up changing circumstances quickly.” Know who is in your group, and conduct frequent headcounts. Remain flexible and look for the unexpected – the things that you hadn’t considered when planning. “All visits should be well planned, but it is not possible to anticipate everything, so leaders should be ready to adapt the plan to changing circumstances.” #oeapng #outdooreducation https://lnkd.in/et9Qa6G8

Outdoor education guidance – safeguarding. There are potential safeguarding risks which should be considered when planning. “All adults involved have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people during outdoor learning and off-site visits” begins the OEAP NG document 4.3e Safeguarding. Visits and activities have many benefits, but there are also potential safeguarding risks which should be considered during the planning process. You must follow your employer’s and establishment’s safeguarding policies and undertake any required training says the free to download and use guidance document. “Visit leaders should ensure that they are informed of any children and young people who may be particularly vulnerable or have specific safeguarding needs and ensure that other adults are made aware as necessary.” The document will be particularly useful for assistant leader, EVCs, heads and managers, outdoor education advisers, parents and visit leaders. The document considers safeguarding issues that are particularly relevant to outdoor learning and off-site visits. It does not attempt to provide guidance about wider safeguarding policy and practice, but does provide links to comprehensive government guidance documents. Reporting When any concerns are identified, you should raise them with the establishment’s designated safeguarding lead person. When visits occur out of hours, or out of term time, you should ensure that adequate and appropriate cover arrangements are in place for this role. “If a child is in immediate danger or is at risk of harm, you should make a referral to children’s social care and/or the police immediately.” #oeapng #outdooreducation https://lnkd.in/eVZjpHUc

Global Outdoor Learning Day takes place on the 21st of November every year and celebrates the powerful impact of the outdoors on education and personal development worldwide. Global Outdoor Learning Day, organised by the Institute for Outdoor Learning is an opportunity to showcase diverse outdoor learning activities, share best practices, and inspire a love for the natural world. How will you celebrate #GlobalOutdoorLearningDay 🌍

Group management and supervision guidance for outdoor education. Understanding roles and responsibilities at all times. “All leaders and helpers have a duty of care for participants and for each other during a visit” begins the OEAP NG document 4.2a Group Management and Supervision. It is important for effective group management that they fully understand their roles and responsibilities at all times during a visit. Whenever there is a change in who is responsible for any aspect of the visit, there should be a “clear handover”. “Lack of clarity or poor communication can put participants and colleagues at risk.” This guidance would particularly benefit assistant leaders, EVCs, heads and managers, outdoor education advisers and visit leaders. Roles and responsibilities:- Visit Leader. The Visit Leader is responsible for the overall leadership of the visit on behalf of their employer. Activity Leader. In different organisations, and in different contexts, this role is known by various names, such as ‘group leader’, ‘instructor’, ‘assistant leader’ and ‘supervisor’. For clarity and consistency, the term Activity Leader is used throughout National Guidance. One or More Leaders. When there is more than one leader involved in an activity, one of them must be clearly nominated as the Activity Leader, and the respective roles of the other leader(s) must be clear. If this is not the case, then there may be a risk of confusion or conflict in decision-making, or of one leader falsely assuming that another is managing a situation. Parent as Leader. If a leader is the parent of a young person taking part in a visit, there is the potential for them to be distracted by the needs of their own child, rather than looking to the needs of the whole group. #oeapng #outdooreducation https://lnkd.in/ecvrmzeV

Each month we amend the OEAP National Guidance Updates page to show how many documents we have added or revised in the previous month. We include a link to an update table showing brief summaries of each amendment. The table also includes links to each of the new or newly-amended documents. During September 2024, we revised five OEAP National Guidance documents and made minor amendments to two others. We revised one Welsh translation of existing guidance. You can find links to the documents in the table of amendments. https://lnkd.in/dPevCjj #outdoorlearning #oeapng #educationalvisits

DofE expeditions guidance available. This free download includes advice about staff competence requirements. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) aims to give young people the chance to develop skills for work and life, fulfil their potential, and have a brighter future. The OEAP NG document 7.1b Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Expeditions gives advice about who can organise DofE expeditions, and how to ensure that they are organised effectively. “To complete their DofE, whether at Bronze, Silver or Gold level, participants are expected to complete an unaccompanied expedition, where a group operates independently of leaders (although supervised remotely by them)”, says the free to download and use PDF document. To safely and successfully complete this, a thorough programme of training is needed, including practice expeditions, until the participants are ready to operate unaccompanied. “Any organisation or establishment considering offering young people the opportunity of completing DofE expeditions should ensure that it understands the commitment in terms of staffing levels and staff competence that this requires.” #oeapng #outdooreducation #dofe https://lnkd.in/ejPCN_ed