Action Research Period 1

Case Study

Outdoor Learning at

Aylsham High School, UK

(Jan – Mar 2015)www.acewild.eu

Disclaimer

This project has been funded with support from the

European Commission (Erasmus+). The document

reflects the views only of the ACEWild team and the

Commission cannot be held responsible for any use

which may be made of the information contained therein.

The Outdoor Learning

Course at Aylsham High

School, Norfolk, UK

Background

At end of year 8 (age 13/14), pupils at Aylsham

High School (AHS) choose option subjects

There is a recognition that more vulnerable

young people may not yet need or cope with the

increased challenge of a wide range of academic

subjects and the extra pressure this can bring

There is a high risk of these students becoming

NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training)

in future

AHS developed a year-long outdoor learning

course focusing on skills linked to employability

and designed to improve self-confidence,

resilience and well-being

The Outdoor Learning Course

A part-time tutor employed by AHS – to design and lead the year’s outdoor learning course

Two groups of 8 most vulnerable students (potential NEETs) –to participate in the programme

Dedicated learning support assistant - to support each group

Range of potential local employers and outdoor/environmental specialists – to provide expertise and experience

Member of Senior Management Team – to support the programme

ACEWild Partners from NCC and Goldcrest for 12 weeks

The place

mainly within the school grounds (incl. the wooded area)

combined with off-site visits with potential employers and

outdoor specialists

The people

Mapping the Outdoor Learning Possibilities

The programme (12 week official ACEWild project within a

1 year school-funded programme)

5 hours each week – 3-hour morning session and 2-hour afternoon session, once a week, between September and June ‘15

Mix of Bushcraft, Horticulture, Animal Care, Ecology & “Do Outdoors” (art, map work, keeping safe, outdoor sport)

Level 1 Gateway Employability qualification – providing flexible framework for the course

Action Research (Period 1)

at Aylsham High School

The Action Research (Period 1)

To test a variety of evaluation tools designed to measure effectiveness/impact of the outdoor learning programme at AHS

To use experiences to adapt and improve evaluation methodologies - and the outdoor learning course itself

To develop a framework of school-based alternative provision that enhances learning and improves future employability outcomes for targeted young people

To share outcomes with partners and to disseminate learning more broadly

Objectives

Two external ACEWild researchers/partners observed and

supported the outdoor learning group for 12 consecutive

weeks between January and end of March 2015.

Evaluation Tools Tested

Evaluation Tools

Strengths & Difficulties

Questionnaire (SDQ)

PEMSPuppet tree

NPC

Well-Being Survey

Diamond Ranking

Qual = Qualitative

Quan= Quantitative

Analysis of Evaluation

Tools

Tool Analysis - “Well-Being Measure”

Evaluation Tool Advantages Disadvantages

National Philanthropy

Capital Well-Being

Measure

• data analysis quick and

report well-presented

• compares to a national

average

• reasonably simple rating

system for students (5

choices only)

• Includes some key NEET

indicators, eg resilience

• UK only at time of use

• group analysis only (not

individual)

• reasonable level of literacy

and patience required (if

students self-complete)

• quite expensive

Can measure:

Self-esteem, emotional well-being, resilience

Satisfaction with friends, family, community and school

Life satisfaction

www.well-beingmeasure.com

Tool Analysis - PEMS

Evaluation Tool Advantages Disadvantages

PEMS (Personal,

Environmental,

Motivational,

Social)

• Very flexible - on-going

assessment tool to

measure change over

time, or evaluate

behaviours and attitudes

during certain activities

• Focuses your attention on

the individual

• provides degree of

reflection, allowing you

to identify trends or

behaviours that may

otherwise go unnoticed

• easy to use following

induction

• skills element can be

designed to match own

qualification/theme

• Rubric can be developed

to meet programme needs

• extra time needed

each week to input

and interpret scores

• not validated

elsewhere

• Initial training

needed from

experienced users to

use tool effectively

• Rubric could be

improved with an

‘Enterprise’ section

Assesses on a 1- 5 scale:

Personal skills

Environmental skills

Motivation

Social skills

Developed by Jon Cree, specialist in working with young

people demonstrating behavioural issues.

Tool Analysis - Strengths & Difficulties

Questionnaire (SDQ)

Evaluation Tool Advantages Disadvantages

Strengths & Difficulties

Questionnaire (SDQ)

• flexible user group (parent,

teacher and pupil version)

• used internationally

• robust

• free (just need permission to

use)

• automatic scoring system and

analysis once uploaded to

website

• Generates a score which can

be compared to a national

average

• needs explaining as easy to

complete wrong way round

• lots of questions (25)

• reasonable literacy level

required

• Data needs interrogating if

want more than “risk”

value/clinical diagnosis

Assesses: emotional, conduct, hyperactivity and peer problems, plus prosocial difficulties/strengths

Tool Analysis – Diamond Ranking

Evaluation

Tool

Advantages Disadvantages

Diamond

Ranking

• Engages pupils

• Encourages

reflection and

negotiation as

choices have to

be made

• Can be done

indoors or out

• Can be done as a

group or

individual

• Can give instant

feedback

• Can show change

over time

• Some bias inevitable as nine

statements / choices have to be

identified (by whom and how?)

• Takes time if wish to analyse

thoroughly

• The question has to be

good/meaningful to begin with!

eg. What skills are important to

me?

Tool Analysis – Puppet Tree

Evaluation

Tool

Advantages Disadvantages

Puppets in a

Tree

• quick and fun to

use to assess

student’s

immediate

feelings about an

activity or event

• Provides a

“snapshot” in

time

• Useful to cross-

ref. with

teacher/

instructor

evaluation

• Provides basis

for a

conversation

• Promotes

reflection

• needs interpreting by each

individual at start as positions of

puppets in tree can be

interpreted very differently

depending on “criteria”– eg.

height, grip, posture,

togetherness, etc

• not suitable for pupils who

struggle to interpret facial

expressions or body

language(eg. Asperger’s)

• not all feelings represented (eg.

anger, jealousy, frustration,

fear)

• Need time to have a

conversation with pupils about

why they placed themselves in

certain position… the benefit of

using this is in the follow up.

Outcomes for Action

Research Period 1

(Jan-March ‘15)

Outdoor Learning

Project & Pupils

Outcomes for pupils How the group’s skills and behaviours changed during 12 weeks of outdoor

learning (Combined PEMS, SDQ & teacher observations:Jan 2015 – Mar 2015)

75% of pupils

improved their social,

peer-working, personal

environmental skills

66% improved their

motivation a

Outcomes for pupils

How the group’s well-being changed during 12 weeks of outdoor

learning

Using the New Philanthropy Capital measure of Well-Being www.well-beingmeasure.com

Self-esteem rose

from low to high

Resilience, emotional

wellbeing and life

satisfaction all

improved

Outcomes for the course

“Why I enjoy the outdoor learning course” ;

top ranking reasons from choices A – I below:

Pupil Case Study

Action Research Period 1

Pupil Case Study: Pupil A

Very high level of difficulties at start of outdoor learning course

Difficulty levels reduced to close to normal for his age group after 6 months

Pro-social strengths more than doubled

Improvements maintained back in class

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 11 12

PEMS

Personal

Environmental

Motivation

Social

PEMS TOTAL

Linear (PEMS TOTAL)

A has definitively shown an improvement in his social skills and confidence- a combination of support, being allowed to get on with tasks, being trusted and being given space to develop. Just

taking care not to step in too early to support him - gave him space to make some mistakes and learn from them.

Outdoor Learning tutor (Mar 15)

A has been increasingly more willing to share his opinions with others and voice his concerns to me. This is a massive

improvement from last year, when he would cry if unhappy and not inform anyone of why he was upset. His confidence and self-

esteem have definitely improved.

Form tutor comments (Mar 15)

Pupil Case Study: Pupil A

A word from Liz Goodliffe, Aylsham High teacher and

coordinator of the Year 9 Outdoor Learning Programme

'Being involved in an Outdoor Learning Programme has given us the opportunity to allow our pupils to grow to their strengths. We have the chance to really get to know our young people and a mutually trustful relationship grows from this. Because of this culture of trust we can engage them in activities that would normally seem impossible with some of these young people- using knives, cooking over fire, shelter building etc, and young people flourish without the normal curriculum constraints.

Integral to this has been the opportunity to work with local organisations and charities which give the young people a greater sense of place, a sense of purpose and value. Working with local employers gives real purpose to the course and makes it more credible with young people, employers and the wider community.

We have seen benefits in all manner of ways from this course, from a greater sense of wellbeing in almost all pupils to pupils pursuing careers and training in the outdoor sector.'

Project Partners and further information;

Erasmus+ is the European Union’s (EU) programme for education, training, youth and

sport, with the EU committing £12 billion to the programme between 2014 and 2020.

www.erasmusplus.org.uk

For much more information and resources relating to the ACEWild (Alternative

Curriculum Education out of the Wild) Project, including resources, case studies,

further support and full list of project contacts please see; www.acewild.eu

ACEWild Project Coordinator; Sue Falch-Lovesey, Norfolk County Council 07983616191

Aylsham High School Link Yr.7; Danny Sweatman, Head of Nurture 01263 733270

Aylsham High School Link Yr.9;Liz Goodliffe, Outdoor Learning Lead 01263 733270

Outdoor Learning Practitioner; Emily Chittenden, Goldcrest Outdoor Education 07528079665