Funding boost helps scores of children enjoy a school trip to great outdoors
February 9, 2022
More than 1,400 disadvantaged young people will be able to enjoy an outdoor learning adventure this year, thanks to a new funding boost.
Schools from across the South East will be able to apply for grant support to help deliver fun educational experiences, such as hands-on conservation work, wildlife surveying, practical geography and geology, or learning ways to tackle climate change.
It comes after a new round of funding from the South Downs National Park Trust, which is the official independent charity of the National Park. The boost has been supported by American Express and the Sussex Community Foundation.
The initiative builds on the success of the grants scheme last year as thousands of children enjoyed school trips to beautiful sites in the National Park or took part in fun nature-based activities in their school grounds.
Julie Fawcett, Chair of the South Downs National Park Trust, said: “We’re really excited to be able to provide funding once again for these vital school grants. School trips and outdoor learning are such an important part of growing up and learning more about the world.
“Yet research shows that travel costs are a significant barrier for planning school trips. We think every child deserves the opportunity to get out into the great outdoors and learn more about the natural world. Nature gives us everything – water, clean air, food – and it’s so important that young people are inspired by it as they are the future custodians of our amazing, but fragile, planet.”
Schools with more than 10 per cent of pupils eligible for Free School Meals can apply for support when planning trips up to the end of summer term 2022.
Schools will receive a grant up to £750 to support with the costs of travel and activities (£500 travel, £250 activity costs) when visiting a site or provider in the South Downs Learning Network, which is made up of over 100 learning providers across the region. Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first served basis.
Jonathan Dean, Education Officer for the National Park and who will be helping to deliver the scheme, said: “This fantastic initiative is all about helping young people discover the special qualities of the National Park, bringing their curriculum to life while also enjoying the health and wellbeing benefits of a deeper connection with nature.
“Outdoor education should be part of all young people’s learning and development, and understanding more about the natural world serves a wider purpose to inspire young people into future action and careers that support a green recovery.”
Teachers and pupils have been full of praise for the school trips last year.
Sue Poore, a Governor at West Rise Junior School in Eastbourne, said: “We really appreciate the Travel Grant that we receive from the South Downs National Park. School budgets being as tight as they are, this grant enables us to offer our children an additional paid trip to the wonderful countryside around Cuckmere Haven. As a school we are believers in the therapeutic benefits to children of outdoor space particularly at this time and we are so fortunate to have this amazing facility on our doorstep.”
Pupils at Lyndhurst School, in Worthing, visited the Weald and Downland Living Museum for a school trip last October. Deputy Head Jo Halley said: “Although the cost for the venue and workshops themselves were very reasonable, the cost of coach travel to the venue would have meant that this trip would not have been possible without receipt of the grant.”
Meanwhile, children from Bartons Primary School, in Bognor Regis, enjoyed a trip to Marwell Zoo. School Secretary Debbie Camp said: “The grant made a huge difference to our families, especially during Covid times. Thank you for your support, it made such a difference to our families and it was so easy to apply for the grant.”
Meon Junior School, in Southsea, Hampshire, took 52 Year 6 pupils for a residential trip last June. The outdoor learning opportunities were planned to enhance their topic work and teachers said it “ensured every child has access to a full enriching curriculum.”
Nicola Wells, Headteacher at Barton Farm Primary Academy, Winchester, which visited Marwell Zoo, said: “Following the lockdown we were desperate to be able to give our children the opportunity to take their learning off site. Our Year R cohort had missed out on so many rich learning experiences due to Covid and we wanted to make their first ever school trip a really memorable one but we were concerned that the escalating coach travel costs would make this unfeasible for this year group. I was therefore delighted to learn of the travel grant programme. The trip was a resounding success and only made possible by the generous support of the travel grant. Our children had a wonderful experience at Marwell Zoo and it was a brilliant way to kickstart their learning again.”
For more information and to apply for a grant visit https://www.southdowns.gov.uk/learning/grants-for-schools/
