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Learning Outside the Classroom |
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Wednesday, 06 February 2008 |
New measure included in the ‘Staying Safe’ Action Plan.
Launched today by the Department for Children, Schools and Families. Ed Balls said:“Learning outside the classroom helps pupils understand their subjects better and increases their self-confidence.
School trips also help young people explore and learn about risk and how to manage it. I hope that by making it easier for teachers to take their students outside the classroom we will help a generation of pupils develop their independence and raise their attainment.
“We should not let a fear of a compensation culture prevent pupils from learning outside the classroom. On school trips - as in other areas covered in our staying safe action plan - we need to help parents and teachers strike the right balance between protecting our children and allowing them the freedom to develop and enjoy childhood."Other new measures outlined in the report include: • A new Child Safety Education coalition
• New guidance for professionals on bullying in non school settings like children’s homes and FE colleges
• New guidance on safeguarding and on protecting children with disabilities or special educational needs from bullying
• A new safeguarding unit for the Third Sector
• New guidance on child employment
• New guidance on cross-border issues
• Publish research on joint working between children’s and housing services (with the Department for Communities and Local Government)
• Publish a review of safety education materials for Personal, Social and Health Education
• Carry out a Priority Review of local area accident prevention
• Put forward safeguarding theme for the local authority beacon award scheme Children’s Minister Kevin Brennan said: “If children are not safe, they cannot be happy, healthy, or reach their full potential. But we can’t wrap them up – they need to learn about taking risks so they can protect themselves.”
Tom Mullarkey, Chief Executive of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), said: "This is a major step in the right direction towards simplifying regulation and reducing bureaucracy. The important thing is that children have a safe and excellent learning experience and any impediment to that objective needs to be revisited. Teachers need support and guidance, not endless, unnecessary form-filling and this initiative will be widely welcomed in staff rooms throughout the country." |
