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.
Why is the Geneva region perfect for Outdoor Education programmes?
The case of Geneva English School mirrors the Swiss initiative to include Outdoor Education in the curriculum for both Primary and Secondary schools. The Haute Ecole Pédagogique in Vaud offers specialist training to teachers. The curriculum is delivered both locally by schools and at canton level in centres such as Les Sentiers. The programme starts with sensory explorations and awareness of the changing seasons, and culminates in ideas for healthy living and the promotion of sustainable development. Beyond schools, there are plenty of Outdoor Education centres focused on teaching and learning. La Bambousière offers a woodland-based experience to young children which fosters creativity, echoing Scandinavian-style open-air crèches.
So how do children and teenagers benefit from Outdoor Education?
- Healthy living
- Essential life skills
- Mindfulness and focus
- Well-earned self-confidence
Sabine talks to WRS radio station about Outdoor Education on 30 January 2025: https://mmo.aiircdn.com/29/6793818fe8552.mp3
Author bio
Sabine Hutcheson is an education professional with over twenty-five years’ experience in teaching and leadership in schools in Switzerland, the UK and neighbouring France. Sabine has worked as a Teacher, Education Consultant, University and Careers Advisor and, in the past eight years, has held senior leadership positions in schools in Geneva. She is currently the Head of Secondary Admissions at Geneva English School.
