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WATCH: How Walsall Academy is using outdoor learning to improve outcomes

  • February 3, 2020
  • 3 minute read
  • Whole Education
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Jon Clarke is the Shadow Headteacher of Walsall Academy. WE spoke to him to find out more about the school’s approach to using outdoor learning to improve outcomes for white, working-class boys. 

Walsall Academy is a secondary academy in the town of Bloxwich in the West Midlands. It opened in 2003 as one of the first academies in the UK and is now over-subscribed, with over 1,200 pupils on roll.

The Academy serves one of the most deprived areas in the UK (with IDACI scores in the highest 5% and pupil premium at over 50%) and low number of pupils speaking English as Additional Language (4.1%).

The school has worked to use outdoor learning, and embed the lessons students learn during outdoor learning, as an approach to tackling the underperformance of their cohort of white, working-class boys (listen to Whole Education’s debate on a curriculum that works for white working-class boys here).

What does a whole education mean at Walsall Academy?

“A whole education isn’t just about a certificate… it’s about the skills needed in life like problem-solving and communication.”

What is Walsall Academy’s stand out practice?

“We’re using the vehicle of outdoor learning, and embedding the lessons learned in outdoor learning, back in the school” 
  • Every day, students are out of the classroom learning in different environments from art galleries to waterfalls and car manufacturing plants.
  • All 208 pupils in Year 7 have an induction course at the Outward Bound Trust, and through fundraising there is no barrier to any student taking part.
  • The practice has been highly integrated with use of Expeditionary Learning approaches. Find out more about another EL influenced school, XP in Doncaster, in their spotlight.
  • Find out more in the DfE Character Education case studies document.

Why was outdoor learning a priority for Walsall Academy?

“We’re taking and unpicking the lessons learned, using them with both boys and girls, and taking some of them whole school, to enable all to reach their potential.” 
  • The school discovered that the boys struggle with things like extended writing, where they run out of steam.
  • Resilience was identified as one key challenge.
  • Peer pressure is also a factor, with boys maturing later than girls and possibly more likely to see learning and working hard as ‘uncool’. For some boys, it seemed cool to appear that they were not academic.

What has the impact of outdoor learning been?

“Through small scale research, finding and identifying good practice, we have enabled all students to benefit”.
  • A pilot group of 24 boys per year were selected all with an average key stage 2 average point score of over 5, alongside a control group of 24 boys.
  • In 2019 the boys on the outdoor learning course gained 0.5 on average higher progress 8 score than the control group of same ability boys measured on entry. They also out performed the girls control group.

What’s next for Walsall Academy?

“To personalise everybody’s learning, to meet the needs [of all our students]… to take what we’ve done so far and modifying it for all.”
  • Demand is higher and higher for social skills, mental health and personal wellbeing.
  • The school will investigate how this can be further achieved with outdoor learning.

How is Whole Education helping on this journey?

“To be supported by Whole Education is when you go out and visit and see other people… or even have an email conversation. The conferences lead to you greater discussion and depth.”

You can sign up for our fully inclusive, members stand out schools visit to Walsall Academy in February at this link.

Visit the school’s website to find out more about Walsall Academy. 

Find out about more stand out whole education practice in our spotlights.

How is your school improving outcomes for a focus group of learners? Is outdoor learning an approach that can make a difference? Tell us on Twitter: @wholeeducation #wholeeducation.
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School spotlights
  • How Braunstone Frith Primary School embeds its ‘Positive Thinkers, Lifelong Learners’ vision
    • February 15, 2021
  • How Lantern Community Primary School effectively embedded a project to close the vocabulary gap and empower all pupils’ voices
    • November 23, 2020
  • How a sensory approach to T&L supports students to self-regulate and access the curriculum at Oakfield High School
    • November 3, 2020
  • Values-led leadership, professional learning and HITs lessons: sustainable school transformation at Wilmslow High School
    • July 1, 2020
  • Leading a Whole Education primary: how schools developed their whole education provision
    • June 26, 2020
 

 

 
 
 
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