A SURVEY commissioned by Bohunt Education Trust (BET) – one of the country’s top-performing academy trusts, and a leading proponent of outdoor education, has revealed children are going on fewer outdoor education trips than a generation ago - with cost of trips blamed for the decline.

Conducted by polling company Censuswide, they found only 10 per cent of people believe that children today have more outdoor education opportunities than they had in their school years, with nearly three-quarters of people (71 per cent) blaming cost as the biggest factor stopping children from experiencing expeditions and trips.

Some 72 per cent of those surveyed called for a greater focus on outdoor education in both primary and secondary schools – more than three-quarters of people (78 per cent) said outdoor education was important for children’s self-development, and more than two-thirds (68 per cent) said it improved academic achievement.

The findings tally with a recent study by the Education Endowment Foundation which said: “Overall, studies of adventure learning interventions consistently show positive benefits on academic learning.

“On average, pupils who participate in adventure learning interventions make approximately four additional months’ progress over the course of a year.

“There is also evidence of an impact on non-cognitive outcomes such as self-confidence. The evidence suggests the impact is greater for more vulnerable and older learners (teenagers), longer courses (more than a week), and those in a ‘wilderness’ setting, though other types of intervention still show some positive impacts.”

Phil Avery, director of education at Bohunt Education Trust (BET), told The Herald: “We are incredibly proud of the hard work our students and staff are doing to promote, proactively champion and research meaningful outdoor education for all, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“At Bohunt, we really invest in these opportunities, providing bursaries for our poorer students so they can still go on the trips and expeditions, because they provide so much benefit for young people.

“They help their self-development, communication and resilience, and instil a sense of adventure and challenge which prepares students for success in life.

“Additionally, external studies and our own data show there is a strong link between academic attainment and outdoor education.

“It is a real shame outdoor education opportunities have decreased for many young people.

“But we are proud to be one of the leading providers of outdoor education in the country, and – given the positive impact of such opportunities on children and young people – we are keen to work with other schools, academy trusts and education providers to ensure more students have access to outdoor learning.

Mr Avery added: “What is exciting is that change can happen quickly and tends to be student-led – one of our schools went from no students spending two or more nights in a tent each year to more than 900 in a relatively short period of time.”

BET champions an extensive outdoor education and outdoor learning programme for all its students, nurturing talents and providing opportunities both inside and outside the classroom. 

The trust sees outdoor education as crucial to building well-rounded individuals, for resilience, character and teamwork, as well as beneficial for academic attainment, with a clear link being shown between academic progress and engagement with the outdoor programme.

Bohunt is a course provider for Mountain Training UK, and is an operating authority for the the Duke of Edinburgh scheme.

Students across their seven schools have in recent years gone on expeditions to Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Greenland and the Himalayas, with ones planned next year and in 2019 to Norway, Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Greenland, the Himalayas and Sri Lanka.

The trust also has a strong commitment to the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, while at Bohunt School, in Wokingham, Berkshire, climbing is incorporated into the curriculum.

Crucially, the trust also ensures outdoor education is available for all its students, regardless of background.

Better-off students are expected to fundraise, with the main trips programme scheduled three years in advance and the expeditions programme scheduled two years in advance, allowing families to plan.

All students receiving the pupil premium are provided with bursaries, so that every student who wants to go on a trip can do so.

There is an expectation placed on all students (including disadvantaged) that they should attend outdoor opportunities, such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme at Portmsouth’s Priory School, and the year eight camp for pupils at Bohunt School, in Liphook.

Tutors and heads of house at each school also put in a lot of work with students and their parents and guardians to overcome barriers that may otherwise preclude participating.

BET is also working with universities, expedition logistics companies, charities and the Duke of Edinburgh Award to better understand how its outdoor programme can be even more impactful.

Particular emphasis has been put on engaging the disadvantaged, the development of team cohesion and the valuing of diversity.

BET runs a number of schools in Hampshire, including Bohunt School and its new sixth form in Liphook, The Petersfield School, the Priory School in Portsmouth as well as Bohunt schools in Worthing, Woking and Horsham.