The majority of primary schools in England only having one residential trip, usually for year 6 students post SATs, meaning most schools see none of the long term benefits of a brilliant residential.
The benefits of learning outside the classroom are now well documented, with evidence to support the health, social and personal impact of spending time in nature. There are also numerous studies on the positive academic impact of taking learning outside of the classroom. So why are so many schools still battening down the hatches in the spring term for students due to sit their KS2 SATs?
Shouldn’t we be flinging open the doors and exploring the world these students will soon be cast into? If so, can we use the environment to teach key subject areas at the same time? Let’s take a look at maths as an example. Whilst journeying through the landscape you can measure distances, perform surveys and complete tables of data; include activities such as archery for mental arithmetic; go into a stream and measure the speed of the flow; navigate with a compass during an orienteering course and discover angles, measure distance and identify a location on a grid. All these areas can be brought to life and given a purpose outside of the classroom. At the end of your residential take the tables back into the classroom and make graphs, find the averages and write about the experience. These are just a few examples of the rich natural resource which can be utilised with the right outdoor education provider.
At Crowden Outdoor Education Centre in the Peak District we have been delivering outdoor learning and adventure activities since 1977. We take great pride in our ability to use the natural environment to provide a wide variety of activities which are tailored to the needs of our visitors. 
All groups at Crowden get
- Sole occupancy of the centre, you will have our full attention
- A bespoke activity programme, created to meet your needs and maximise learning opportunities
- Direct contact with us throughout the booking and planning process
- Nationally qualified instructors with multiple years of experience
- Your own catering menu from a large selection of dishes, all prepared fresh in house
We offer free leader places and can accommodate up to 40 residential guests.
Find out more at www.crowdenoec.org.uk
