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| Council for Learning Outside the Classroom | |
|---|---|
| Name | Council for Learning Outside the Classroom |
| Formation | 1998 |
| Type | Charity |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Region served | United Kingdom |
Council for Learning Outside the Classroom is a United Kingdom-based charitable body established to promote and support learning activities conducted outside formal school premises. It operates within the wider landscape that includes institutions such as Natural History Museum, London, British Museum, National Trust, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, connecting schools, youth groups and outdoor providers. The council interfaces with statutory bodies like Department for Education, inspectorates such as Ofsted, and campaigning organisations including Campaign for Learning, National Union of Teachers, and Association of Teachers and Lecturers to influence practice and policy.
The organisation traces its roots to late 20th-century initiatives influenced by figures and institutions such as David Attenborough, Sir John Dunford, and the advocacy of entities like Scouting Association and Girlguiding UK. Early development occurred alongside policy shifts provoked by reports from Department for Education and Employment and consultations involving Royal Society panels and advisers connected to House of Commons Education and Skills Committee. The council formalised structures in 1998 amid collaborations with heritage bodies like English Heritage, environmental NGOs such as WWF-UK and Friends of the Earth, and tertiary stakeholders including Universities UK and the University of Cambridge. Subsequent decades saw engagement with curriculum changes associated with administrations led by Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, and David Cameron, and interactions with statutory frameworks influenced by high-profile inquiries including those of Select Committee on Education and Skills.
The council’s mission aligns with aims advanced by landmark institutions including Science Museum, London, Imperial War Museums, Natural England, Environment Agency (England), and Historic England: to broaden access to experiential learning outside conventional classrooms. Objectives have been articulated to mirror priorities promoted by bodies such as Arts Council England, National Lottery Heritage Fund, Skills Funding Agency, Local Government Association, and inspection criteria cited by Ofsted and Education Endowment Foundation. Strategic goals include increasing participation among beneficiaries served by Department for Work and Pensions-linked programmes, reducing barriers identified by reports from Equality and Human Rights Commission, and improving practice standards promoted alongside National Children's Bureau and Youth Sport Trust.
Programmatic activity has often mirrored models promoted by organisations such as Prince's Trust, Groundwork UK, London Wildlife Trust, and international partners like UNESCO and European Commission initiatives. Offerings include professional development for educators comparable to training by National College for Teaching and Leadership, accreditation schemes informed by the Institute for Outdoor Learning, and safety guidance analogous to documents from Health and Safety Executive and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. The council has curated resources and toolkits referencing collections from Tate Modern, Victoria and Albert Museum, and curricular exemplars linked to Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and successor bodies. Program delivery has been supported by networks resembling Civic Trust partnerships and exchange with research centres at University College London, University of Oxford, University of Manchester, and University of Leeds.
Membership models resemble those used by contemporaries such as National Trust, Country Trust, British Council, and UK Sport, offering tiers for schools, providers, and corporate partners including charities like Save the Children and trusts such as Wellcome Trust. Governance has drawn on trustee structures similar to Charity Commission for England and Wales guidance and has included advisory input from academics associated with London School of Economics and practitioners from British Mountaineering Council and Outdoor Education Advisors’ Panel. Oversight mechanisms have been informed by precedent set by Clore Leadership Programme fellows, with reporting practices paralleling those of Big Lottery Fund and board appointments comparable to processes used by Arts Council England.
The council’s funding and partner profile has reflected collaborations akin to those of National Heritage Memorial Fund, drawing grants and support from public funders like Department for Education, philanthropic bodies such as Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts, corporate sponsors resembling National Grid, and project grants from European Social Fund where applicable. Strategic alliances have included memoranda of understanding with organisations similar to Field Studies Council, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, and advocacy groups like Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts. Joint ventures have been pursued with local authorities including Greater London Authority, education consortia and cultural institutions such as Royal Opera House and Science and Technology Facilities Council for place-based programming and blended funding models.
Evaluations have cited outcome measures comparable to studies produced by Education Endowment Foundation, longitudinal research undertaken by Office for National Statistics, and case studies published in journals linked to University of Cambridge Faculty of Education and King’s College London. Reported impacts include increased engagement mirroring findings reported by National Foundation for Educational Research, improvements in attainment referenced in policy briefs associated with Institute for Fiscal Studies, and wellbeing benefits consistent with research from NHS England and Public Health England. Independent audits and quality assurance have used benchmarks similar to those from British Standards Institution and peer review with partners such as Natural History Museum, London and Historic England to inform iterative programme refinement.
Category:Educational charities based in the United Kingdom