EVC Spring 2026_magazine_AWdigital - Flipbook - Page 18
Jo Harris is Education Manager
at Field Studies Council
FIELD STUDIES
FOR THE
21ST CENTURY
Jo Harris explains why the recent curriculum
review is the perfect opportunity to put
environmental awareness and outdoor
learning at the heart of education
T
oday's educational visits are doing much more than
simply getting children into the fresh air – they are
responding to shifts in what and how we teach students
about our planet.
Proposals outlined in the government’s Curriculum and
Assessment Review mean that environmental awareness
and climate literacy will no longer be nice-to-have additions
but essential elements woven through subjects from
Science and Citizenship to Design & Technology.
Among other things, there will be a commitment to
geography fieldwork; and the newly proposed core
enrichment entitlement includes a focus on nature and
outdoor adventure. For teachers planning educational
visits, this presents huge opportunities.
In addition, draft plans for a Natural History GCSE
feature significant fieldwork content, offering yet more
opportunities for students to learn from and about nature.
MAKING IT WORK IN PRACTICE
For busy teachers, the evolving curriculum demands
fresh thinking about educational visits, so how do
you get the most out of a field trip? Here are some
successful approaches to try:
Connect multiple subjects through single
experiences – for example, combine science
data collection with creative writing inspired
by nature.
Develop critical thinking alongside subject
knowledge, asking pupils to evaluate
evidence and propose solutions to
environmental problems.
Include practical conservation,
giving pupils agency and
showing how individual
actions contribute to
wider efforts.
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