Why Outdoor Education is essential for children and teenagers

: Published: 10 March 2025

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By Sabine Hutcheson, Director of Marketing & Head of Secondary Admissions at Geneva English School

What is Outdoor Education?

The term Outdoor Education encompasses a broad range of activities, topics and skills. From learning about nature, to planning and taking part in an expedition in the mountains, it is an opportunity to get young people away from their phones and laptops and out into the great outdoors.

How does it fit into a school's curriculum?

For decades in the UK, teachers have been trained to deliver the Duke of Edinburgh Award in Secondary schools. The programme consists of a series of challenges that lead to three levels of certification for young people between the ages of 14 and 18: Bronze, Silver and Gold. Challenges range from setting up camp to planning and leading expeditions, increasing in duration and difficulty.

Local schools such as Geneva English School offer a broader range of opportunities leading to the Duke of Edinburgh Award to ensure students of all ages, starting with Early Years and Primary, experience life outdoors and develop essential life skills, including problem-solving, working as a team, resilience and managing stressful situations. Physical activity outdoors helps the mind focus on the here and now, which ultimately contributes to greater focus and discipline both in and out of school.