May 18, 2006

LOCAL MP SUPPORTS OUTDOOR LEARNING CAMPAIGN

Malcolm Moss MP this week backed a campaign to get children out of the classroom, saying students should be able to get their hands dirty doing practical work in the real world.

Malcolm, a Cambridge University Geography Graduate, has signed a Commons Early Day Motion which calls on the Government to include fieldwork in the school curriculum for both science and geography and improve training for teachers who want to take their students on educational trips.

He said :-

“It is essential that our future citizens have a better understanding of the environment in which they live and our impact upon it. Fieldwork provides a fantastic opportunity for children to get their hands dirty and enjoy a memorable learning experience; it  increases environmental awareness and teaches important skills; and it  gives the opportunity to encounter real issues and develop the skills and understanding to take on the responsibilities of an active citizen”

The Field Studies Council, which is running the campaign, has thanked Malcolm Moss for his support. According to the charity only a small minority of secondary school students will have a chance to work outside the classroom, and fewer than 1 in 20 GCSE science students will go on a residential field visit. The lack of hands-on experience means that there is less understanding of science and geography in the real world outside the classroom and is partly to blame for a skills shortage in environment and biodiversity-related professions.  

Anthony Thomas, Chief Executive of the Field Studies Council, said “Fieldwork should be a vital element of an imaginative and contemporary education; helping to build students’ investigative and experimental skills. Out-of-classroom activity in any subject provides an exciting and memorable experience for young people which can enthuse and inspire them, and will help to link science and geography to their everyday lives.”