School residentials are always a memorable part of every student’s education. For some, it will be the first time they have been away from home for more than one night at a time, whilst for others it’s about trying exciting new activities. The financial cost of these trips can be pretty steep, but they are undoubtedly worth it. For all students who attend, the opportunities to learn and build on key skills like communication and social interaction, problem solving and resilience are invaluable to their personal development.
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Despite this, a recent study examining The state of school residentials in England: 2017 found that approximately only one in five children experience a residential every year. With increasing evidence to support the numerous benefits of incorporating outdoor learning within the national curriculum, this is a concerning statistic. Even more worryingly, the study revealed that only a third of teachers surveyed were confident that all of their students could afford to participate. Pupils living in more disadvantaged areas were found to be significantly less likely to be able to take part in traditional residentials, with affordability being repeatedly referenced.
What do Teachers think?
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At WiseUp, we strongly believe that young people’s opportunities to access outdoor learning should not be limited by how much money their families have. This is a view shared by many within the education sector, with delegates at the annual NAHT school leaders union conference voting “in favour of campaigning for protected funding to enable all children to have access to high quality outdoor education” according to Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary.
Whilst that is encouraging to hear, Mr Whiteman also acknowledged that “The education funding crisis is only going to reduce opportunities to participate in residential activities…” with many schools more cash strapped than ever due to budget cuts.
How do WiseUp make Outdoor Education more affordable?
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WiseUp Team Building offers the ideal solution to enable students in any area to access affordable, high quality outdoor education. As a nationwide outreach company, our teams travel all over the UK to deliver enjoyable and rewarding activity days on school sites, meaning the logistics and cost of removing students from school is eliminated. With a transparent pricing structure and no limit on participant numbers, we also offer half and split day options for all of our activities.
Get in Touch
If you would like to hear how our team can provide affordable team building days at your school site, please use our easy enquiry form below or give us a call.
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