Lessons learned from the London Challenge residential courses “I’ve never left London before! Do we need a passport? Actually being able to see it makes it so much easier to understand I’ve seen things I never expected to see Is that a real view or a picture? I did not know that life could be like that. I did not want it to end Comments by 11-14 year olds on New Views visits ” 2 Contents Introduction 3 Developing friendships and relationships 4 Developing team building and leadership skills 6 Personal development... increased self-confidence, independence and self-esteem 8 Improved motivation and attitude to learning 10 Learning new subject-specific ideas and supporting learning in the school curriculum 12 Opportunity to explore new places and try new activities 14 Types of courses 16 People and administration 18 The importance of funding 20 Providers and locations 22 Summary of teachers’ responses 23 Introduction In the UK there is a rich tradition of providing residential The New Views courses represented the biggest single visits away from school and home for students of all residential-course ‘project’ of its kind in the UK. ages. Many teachers and parents are convinced of the Because of the numbers of young people involved, and value of such educational experiences. However, the the range of courses provided , a grouping of 10 likelihood of young people being able to take part is residential providers (see page 22 ) were convened by still a matter of chance and opportunity, depending on the Field Studies Council (FSC). All providers agreed many factors which vary in importance from school to common operating procedures and quality standards – 3 school, and family to family. In these circumstances, the including health and safety protocols. The administration gathering of evidence that residential courses do have and booking of courses was through a single web site a strong and positive impact on the young people is supported by just two staff in one administrative office. critical – it may help to tip the balance towards providing more residential opportunities . The consistency of the New Views approach presented an opportunity to evaluate and compare the impacts The London Challenge New Views courses provided a of residential experiences and to get the views of over unique opportunity to gather this evidence. Between 2004- 4,000 people involved in the courses, including 2008 nearly 35,000 of London’s 11-14 year olds took part students, teachers, senior managers and parents . This in government funded residential courses – branded booklet is not intended to be a formal research report. New Views courses – as part of London Challenge (see Rather it uses the personal statements and anecdotes www.field-studies-council.org/projects/londonchallenge of teachers, students and parents from 64 of London’s for further information) . Nearly three-quarters of secondary schools to paint a picture of what was London’s secondary schools were involved in 850 achieved through the courses. They were chosen courses at 42 residential centres located throughout because they are representative of many others that the UK, covering a wide range of subjects ranging from could have been selected, and present intimate pure adventure to curriculum-focused content . snapshots of the impacts that we have seen. Developing friendships and relationships Residentials helped to build relationships which cut With peers across ability, culture and previously established hierarchy. They also helped to nuture a better and more The residentials nurtured new friendships. Young positive relationship between teachers and their people who were previously isolated or marginalised students, and for teachers to share experiences with within their peer groups returned with new friends and 4 each other, and there is some evidence that this are now more included because their qualities are persisted in the schools for at least several months after “better recognised; some more dominant students are the residential. The fact that parents were very more humble in their approach and more willing to enthusiastic and supportive, including in boroughs accept others into their friendship groups. The students where a large majority had not had a similar experience are more at ease and more natural in their relationships during their own school careers, meant that a stronger with the teachers and are markedly less worried about relationship and ‘affinity’ was established with the asking for help or about making mistakes. Teacher, school. Cardinal Hinsley School There was a huge impact on student friendship groups (all positive!) . Teacher, Southfields Community College I now see the students interacting and the trip initiated that . Teacher, Battersea Park School Students across the year group and from different form groups have lost some of the ‘us and them’ mentality . Teacher, St. Angela’s Ursuline School From my point of view, one of the most important features of the trip was forming better relationships with the kids. It gives you a foothold. You can say come on, I know you can do better than that, I’ve seen you do that, you know how to deal with that and they know you know, and you know they know you know! Senior Teacher, Connaught School for Girls Being away with the students for a week was a truly great experience for staff, which provided an informal setting for interacting with their students and helped them to develop a better understanding of their Children who were not friends at the beginning of the students . Teacher, George Mitchell School residential are now ... being around the school now it is especially heart-warming to see. Teacher, Islington This was an opportunity for staff to learn about each Green School other as well as about the students . Teacher, Dagenham Park Community School I made new friends from my school in different years, and, from near the centre too. Student, Mellow Lane School Beyond the school Racial barriers were broken down through students An unexpected by product was how parents became sharing a room and activities. Greater understanding more trusting of us, and of working together with us . of cultures and links were made which continue Teacher, Heston Community School outside school after the trip . Teacher, Dagenham Park Community School It’s a valuable chance for my daughter to work with friends away from the family and stress of school . Parent, Connaught School for Girls With and between teachers ” We learnt more about the children in the four days than we would have learnt in six months at school. Teacher, Southfields Community School 5 One of my inexperienced teachers indicated that he learnt an amazing amount about our students and himself within the challenging environment . Teacher, Chessington Community School The relationship with the teaching staff is much better. They can’t believe how their relationship with those pupils has changed for the better. Staff are now willing to help out with those pupils in school who were difficult or had ‘issues’ because they really feel that they will respond to their attentions. Teacher, Norbury Manor College Some ‘problem’ students developed an improved relationship with the school and, especially, with the staff who attended the course . Teacher, Hounslow Manor School Developing team building and leadership skills Sharing time and space with peers and teachers, Initial impacts particularly when carrying out team and group activities, outside the normal bounds of classroom, The activities offered and the day to day living created a formal and informal learning environment arrangements gave the boys a range of opportunities which is impossible to replicate during a normal school to develop leadership skills. Being connected to real life 6 timetable. The intensity of a residential experience situations inspired and motivated the students. The provided an opportunity for peer groups and teacher- “goals felt very real for the boys and so they experienced student relationships to develop and flourish. These the importance of leaders getting it right, of including impacts often involved young people who had not all team members, of taking and using ideas from the excelled or stood out in their schools. Teachers team, of expressing their ideas clearly to the team and frequently commented on leaders who emerged from of persuading rather than bullying others to follow the background. The strongest impact seen in the instructions. Within the dormitories a range of students’ own evaluations was the recognition that leadership styles was tried out by the boys and by the working together as a group, and seeking the opinion end of the five days a lot of thought and reflection was of others, may have been more productive than going on amongst the boys about what works and working in isolation. They often worked with peers what does not work in leadership style. Teacher, from outside their normal friendship groups , with the Cardinal Hinsley school mixes sometimes ‘designed’ strategically by their teachers . The evaluations showed that the impacts The amount of group work done in science in our persevered into the classroom and schools after the visit school varies, so we really wanted a focus on that. They and may also have ‘rippled’ outwards, affecting others were certainly a more cohesive group by the end . in peer groups who were not involved in the Teacher, Crofton School residentials . Building bridges A main benefit has been cross-year co-operation and a better understanding between cultures . Teacher, Holloway School Students found the team building activities especially enjoyable as they were in mixed groups and were able to work together and learn from each other. Teacher, Kingsbury High School The key thing is that they start listening to one another. We selected all the hard working students recommended Students gained an understanding of how to work as by science – so not Gifted and Talented or SEN – and a team and how to co-operate together.