Grants for schools and colleges – Outdoor Learning Grant

May 2023 Update: Grant closed

Unfortunately, due to high demand, the Outdoor Learning Grant is now closed. We hope to reopen the grant later in the year. This website page as well as our social media will be updated if this happens,. We will also announce this via our Schools newsletter which can be signed up for here.

Our grants for schools and colleges are designed to:

connect pupils and staff with the special qualities of the National Park, through outdoor, nature-based and real-world learning experiences in the South Downs National Park
support curriculum-linked and/or health and wellbeing outcomes for pupils.

Grant categories

School trips – transport costs
School trips – provider costs
School trips – self-led visits

Eligibility

All state-funded schools and colleges with 10% or more pupils eligible for Free School Meals, are eligible to apply for a grant of up to £750 (up to £250 provider and up to £500 transport) towards the costs of a school trip with an education provider*, or for a self-led visit (transport costs only), in the South Downs National Park.

We use the “Get information about schools service” as our data source to confirm percentage of Free School Meals.

Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. If your application is successful, you will be sent an email to confirm the grant. We aim to respond within five working days.
Your school is eligible for one grant per academic year.
Visits and trips can take place during term-time or during the school holidays, but must have been taken before the end of March 2024.

How do I apply?

Choose a site to visit and/or agree a provisional date with a learning provider and get quotes for provider costs and/or travel costs.
Use our directory to help find a site or provider.
Plan your transport for school trips. Think sustainable. Your travel claim can include costs of (for example) bike hire, and additional staff to support bike rides or walks.
Download a School Grants Application Form
After your visit or trip, we will send you an evaluation form. Please the evaluation form section, your school’s bank details and send it, with a copy of the invoice/s or receipt/s, to outdoorlearninggrant@southdowns.gov.uk.
Payment of your grant will then be made to the bank account nominated on your completed evaluation form.

We recognise that:

increased time spent in outdoor spaces will benefit mental health and wellbeing
access to larger-scale landscapes like National Parks is an important part of our connection to, and relationship with, nature
pupils who participate in adventure learning interventions make approximately four additional months’ progress. (According to the Education Endowment Fund Learning toolkit, with the exception of smaller class sizes, this has the largest influence on academic attainment of all interventions.)

The grants are administered and funded by the South Downs National Park Authority, with additional funding from the South Downs National Park Trust, on behalf of the South Downs Learning Network; over 100 sites, centres and providers delivering outdoor, nature-based and real-world learning for schools to support curriculum and health and wellbeing outcomes.

*The South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) administers these grants to help schools connect with education sites and providers. The SDNPA bears no responsibility for the services provided by these organisations and schools are responsible for checking appropriate safety standards and liability insurance when using an outside organisation and should follow the government guidance at when planning any educational visits.

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Other grants

The South Downs National Park Trust offers a range of grants and competitions to help schools, colleges and young people engage with the special qualities of the National Park.

Visit their website for more information – www.southdownstrust.org.uk/schools