Outdoor education charity, the Field Studies Council, has launched a £20,000 appeal to ensure more school children get the chance to go on school trips.
Citing research that suggests that nearly half of all children in the UK are currently missing out on school trips due to cost, the Field Studies Council said that the aspirations of young people are being limited as a result.
A survey conducted by the Campaign for Learning found that 45% of parents asked said they haven’t been able to afford trips and outings for their children.
The Field Studies Council’s fundraising bid, Every Child Outdoors, is calling on businesses and individuals to donate to the fund to help reduce the cost of a school trip to one of the charity’s residential centres, or by directly funding free places to ensure that a whole class can attend.
Every child should get the opportunity to go on school trips
Gemma Edmonds, fundraising manager for the Field Studies Council, which helps more than 100,000 learners benefit from outdoor education every year, said: “No young person should miss out on an outdoor learning trip due to the cost but as it stands almost half of all school children are being left behind due to their personal circumstances.
“They are missing out on the chance to get outside and explore, to get muddy and wet and to learn about nature, in nature.
“Our latest appeal, Every Child Outdoors, aims to try and address this disadvantage gap and we’re calling on businesses and individuals to donate to the fund to help us support more schools and pupils to access outdoor learning trips.”
Gemma spoke of the power of a residential experience and added that it can be “transformational in many ways and outdoor learning is proven to support educational attainment, readiness to learn and wider personal development.”
If the Every Child Outdoors appeal reaches its £20,000 target then it has the potential to fund 185-day trips and a further 60 overnight residentials for pupils.
To support and donate to the appeal, click here.
