Teachers' reviews - Banchory Academy at Burn o' Vat

Seven questions - Claire Gillespie

1. We have a sense that the places have become differently meaningful for you and the children as first and repeat visits are made. Let us know about this first.

Claire – Apart from previous visits with friends and family I went to the site 4 times before the 1st trip. The first time the North East teachers met Catriona (the ranger), Greg, Brian and another lecturer from Stirling University. It was February and the reserve was deep in snow and very icy. It was amazing to see the reserve in this way. The weather had been particularly bad so if I had had a day off I would never have gone to the reserve for a walk. If the reserve was local to my school it would be great to let the pupils see it like this.

Following these visits the reserve has become familiar; I recognise trees, rocks, the direction the paths take, changes in the annual cycles of nature. The value in outside classrooms is being embedded in my mind as are ideas for future visits.

Pupil response – I asked the pupils four questions following the trip:

1. Did you enjoy the trip?

7 yes's + beautiful day.

2. What part of the trip did you enjoy the most?

Looking at leaves with Simone and being out without my Mum and Dad; lake walking; I enjoyed the cave; climbing up the side of the waterfall; going on the bus, the vat, marshmallow challenge and finding the toad; lake walking, it was fun and the vat; going into the vat.

3. Would you like to visit this nature reserve again?

6 yes's and 1 maybe + it was fun and because it was a nice hot day

4. Did you enjoy working outside the classroom?

Yes because I didn't have to do any writing; yes because it was interesting; yes I did enjoy it; yes it was a change; yes because it was a change and I really liked it; yes because it was good; yes it was a change from working in the classroom

2. What would you say was the purpose for your visit(s)?

The main purpose of the visit was for the pupils to be together as a group in a different environment. We also planned to complete a work booklet and take a portrait picture of each pupil. The pupils will plan the second visit and the focus will be on finding a place to take a portrait picture.

How did your plan work out in practice?

Prior to the trip I was disappointed that two of the group would not be able to come on the trip. Ordinarily it would not matter but as the main purpose was teambuilding/bonding it was significant. This trip has evolved into a major project and the fact that these two pupils did not attend has been difficult when discussing our ideas and responses to the trip. Otherwise from a teambuilding/bonding point of view the trip was excellent. The pupil's behaviour improved - towards each other and the staff. The usual bickering and complaining was absent.

The pupils were also keen to complete the tasks in the work booklet. We did not complete the workbook but it didn't matter because I felt the teambuilding and simple enjoyment of the site was more valuable.

I was amazed at how interested they were in all they found and how they wanted to be in the water. Inside the geological feature they splashed and messed about and outside three of the group asked if they could walk in the stream. I was impressed that there was no sense of them caring about getting wet or dirty. They showed genuine interest in the plants and animals they were shown and found. They found a number of toads and all wanted a chance to see and hold them.

I was told that I could not carry the wheelchair user into the 'Vat' and had hoped to borrow technology to enable her to see inside the 'Vat' via a video link. I didn't have time to pursue this idea. The girl who uses the wheelchair is unable to weight bear without support. None of us have been trained to move a weight bearing pupil. We were fortunate in that she did not mind not being able to go inside the 'Vat' (she had been in before with her parents, her Dad carried her in).

The Prince's Trust programme co-ordinator (Gill) set the pupils a popular science centre/week challenge – to build the tallest tower using spaghetti and marshmallows. I have seen this task carried out on many occasions (I used to work in a science centre) but it has always been inside and on tables. The task was much more interesting when carried on outside. We had decided to set the challenge by a stream on a fairly flat piece of ground. The grass was short and the stream shallow. Gill chose the groups; she didn't know the pupils at this stage. The xl club had only been running for 3 weeks.

I felt the activity was more interesting and more challenging outside on uneven ground. It was a hot day so the pupils had the added disadvantage of melting marshmallows. None of the groups chose an even surface – they were not given any guidance as to where they should build the tower.

If science that is usually carried out in the laboratory could be carried out outside I suspect we could capture the imaginations and interest of more pupils.

Did new purposes emerge as you executed your plans and made subsequent visits? (Some of you have provided lesson plans too so thanks for those if you have them).

I had wanted to photograph each pupil in a spot they chose. We did not have time for a number of reasons:

I had planned too much.
The trip passed quicker than I had anticipated,
Breaks took up more time than I had anticipated.
I hadn't realised how much the driving and care of the wheelchair user (and her equipment) would take up.

The purpose of the photograph was for each pupil to create a profile type document of themselves. I have wanted to try out this idea for a number of years. This idea has now developed into a collaborative project with the art department. This has included trip to the Aberdeen Art Gallery with the art department to see the annual BP Portrait Exhibition. The art teacher has added another dimension and suggested that the portrait be a combination of pupil and an environmental art type sculpture created during our second visit to the NNR. The project will culminate in the pupils creating a professional profile type document or a framed portrait. The pupils have decided to call the final product 'Me, me and only me!' I hope that it will be a piece of work they will value and keep beyond school.

The second visit will be of value because:

The pupils will have had 9 months to get to know each other
Be more open to find a place to be photographed. We have had a professional photographers visit the group and give a talk on photography.
I hope they will be able to be articulate when asked for their impressions of the site, and how they see themselves in such a place

What do different pupils say was valuable during/after the events?

See feedback above in question 1.

3. What do YOU consider to be valuable having been out once/more than once?

Feedback to come after second trip

4. Can you name some outcomes for your class groups (of for individuals)?

The Prince's Trust xl club award is accredited by ASDAN (a nationally recognised award body. The xl Award is designed to benefit disengaged young people by enabling them:

To demonstrate, understand and develop their ability to set and meet short-term target
To work effectively with others
To problem solve.

The xl Award has three levels of achievement; Bronze, Silver and Gold. At all three levels the xl Award requires the young person to participate in activities, record their involvement and achievements, and produce evidence to support their recordings. The young person also has to indicate which specific skills and competencies they feel they have achieved from a list of over 50. The group have been working on the Personal, Interpersonal & Team Skills unit. The competencies shown before, during and after the trip are highlighted in the checklist below.

xl curriculum Competency Checklist
1 Communication Skills 1.1 Expressing a point of view clearly 1.2 Contributing to a discussion keeping relevant to the subject 1.3 Reading written material with a purpose 1.4 Writing written material which is relevant 1.5 Listening to others and understanding their contribution 1.6 Using the phone with confidence 2 Team Skills 2.1 Sharing knowledge with others 2.2 Contributing to achieving collective goals 2.3 Undertaking responsibility for tasks to achieve these goals 2.4 Identifying difficulties 2.5 Providing solutions to identified problems 3 Leadership Skills (all need to be evidenced when working at Gold level) 3.1 Organising others in the group to achieve collective goals 3.2 Motivating others in the group 3.3 Giving feedback to others in the group 3.4 Managing the resources for the team to achieve its goal 3.5 Demonstrating decision-making skills 4 Presentation Skills 4.1 Preparing information in advance 4.2 Presenting in a clear format 4.3 Ensuring content is relevant 4.4 Using a range of presentation methods e.g. visual, spoken, written 5 Organisational Skills 5.1 Planning 5.2 Preparing information in a structured way 5.3 Keeping to the plan 5.4 Prioritising 5.5 Reviewing 6 Preparing for Work 6.1 Identifying personal interests, aptitudes and abilities in the context of paid work 6.2 Writing a CV 6.3 Identifying an appropriate area of employment and investigating it 6.4 Preparing a letter of application 6.5 Completing an application form 6.6 Preparing for an interview 6.7 Presenting in an interview 6.8 Demonstrating the ability to dress and act appropriately in the work context 6.9 Understanding the needs and demands of employers 6.10 Understanding of the culture of work 6.11 Appreciating the new forms of work and work ethics 7 Improving Own Learning 7.1 Contributing to the process of identifying their own strengths and weaknesses 7.2 Identifying their own learning needs 7.3 Identifying realisable goals 7.4 Agreeing and meeting short term goals 7.5 Using the support of others 7.6 Responding constructively to feedback 7.7 Learning from mistakes	8 Developing Self Awareness 8.1 Identifying personal values and how they affect behaviour 8.2 Identifying and expressing feelings in an appropriate way 8.3 Appreciating the impact of own behaviour on others 8.4 Understanding what can contribute to generating a situation of conflict 8.5 Acting in an assertive rather than aggressive or subservient way 8.6 Demonstrating tolerance of difference 8.7 Gaining an understanding of prejudice and stereotyping 9 Taking Responsibility (all need to be evidenced when working at Gold level) 9.1 Being punctual on a regular basis 9.2 Demonstrating reliability 9.3 Managing time effectively 9.4 Following instructions effectively 9.5 Acting with integrity and honesty 10 Confidence 10.1 Adapting to new situations easily 10.2 Using skills and abilities with confidence 10.3 Reviewing own strengths and weaknesses 10.4 Overcoming small difficulties 10.5 Not easily defeated in achieving a task 10.6 Showing flexibility 11 Community Awareness & Citizenship 11.1 Identifying that other people in the community have problems 11.2 Helping people who have difficulty 11.3 Considering the needs of others in the community 11.4 Respecting the opinions of others 11.5 Making suggestions that are relevant to the audience and situation 11.6 Developing an understanding of different codes of conduct 11.7 Understanding of political structures 11.8 Understanding of democratic process 12 Risk Taking & Being Enterprising 12.1 Showing adaptability 12.2 Ability to operate in new situations 12.3 Ability to forecast potential problems in new situations 12.4 Ability to assess risks 12.5 Ability to develop contingency plans 13 Creativity 13.1 Recognising alternative ways of doing things 13.2 Generating new ideas 13.3 Making connection and linking separate actions 14 Motivation (The evidence for this isthat you have finished your portfolio) 14.1 Being motivated by a challenge 14.2 Being motivated by achievement 14.3 Demonstrating an ambition to succeed 14.4 Showing perseverance

xl curriculum Competency Checklist

1 Communication Skills

1.1 Expressing a point of view clearly
1.2 Contributing to a discussion keeping relevant to the subject

1.3 Reading written material with a purpose
1.4 Writing written material which is relevant

1.5 Listening to others and understanding their contribution

1.6 Using the phone with confidence

2 Team Skills

2.1 Sharing knowledge with others
2.2 Contributing to achieving collective goals
2.3 Undertaking responsibility for tasks to achieve these goals
2.4 Identifying difficulties
2.5 Providing solutions to identified problems

3 Leadership Skills (all need to be evidenced when working at Gold level)
3.1 Organising others in the group to achieve collective goals

3.2 Motivating others in the group
3.3 Giving feedback to others in the group

3.4 Managing the resources for the team to achieve its goal

3.5 Demonstrating decision-making skills

4 Presentation Skills
4.1 Preparing information in advance
4.2 Presenting in a clear format
4.3 Ensuring content is relevant
4.4 Using a range of presentation methods e.g. visual, spoken, written

5 Organisational Skills
5.1 Planning
5.2 Preparing information in a structured way
5.3 Keeping to the plan
5.4 Prioritising
5.5 Reviewing

6 Preparing for Work
6.1 Identifying personal interests, aptitudes and abilities in the context of paid work
6.2 Writing a CV
6.3 Identifying an appropriate area of employment and investigating it
6.4 Preparing a letter of application
6.5 Completing an application form
6.6 Preparing for an interview
6.7 Presenting in an interview
6.8 Demonstrating the ability to dress and act appropriately in the work context
6.9 Understanding the needs and demands of employers
6.10 Understanding of the culture of work
6.11 Appreciating the new forms of work and work ethics

7 Improving Own Learning
7.1 Contributing to the process of identifying their own strengths and weaknesses
7.2 Identifying their own learning needs
7.3 Identifying realisable goals
7.4 Agreeing and meeting short term goals
7.5 Using the support of others
7.6 Responding constructively to feedback
7.7 Learning from mistakes

8 Developing Self Awareness
8.1 Identifying personal values and how they affect behaviour
8.2 Identifying and expressing feelings in an appropriate way
8.3 Appreciating the impact of own behaviour on others
8.4 Understanding what can contribute to generating a situation of conflict

8.5 Acting in an assertive rather than aggressive or subservient way
8.6 Demonstrating tolerance of difference
8.7 Gaining an understanding of prejudice and stereotyping

9 Taking Responsibility (all need to be evidenced when working at Gold level)

9.1 Being punctual on a regular basis
9.2 Demonstrating reliability
9.3 Managing time effectively
9.4 Following instructions effectively
9.5 Acting with integrity and honesty

10 Confidence

10.1 Adapting to new situations easily
10.2 Using skills and abilities with confidence

10.3 Reviewing own strengths and weaknesses

10.4 Overcoming small difficulties
10.5 Not easily defeated in achieving a task
10.6 Showing flexibility

11 Community Awareness & Citizenship
11.1 Identifying that other people in the community have problems

11.2 Helping people who have difficulty

11.3 Considering the needs of others in the community

11.4 Respecting the opinions of others
11.5 Making suggestions that are relevant to the audience and situation
11.6 Developing an understanding of different codes of conduct

11.7 Understanding of political structures
11.8 Understanding of democratic process

12 Risk Taking & Being Enterprising
12.1 Showing adaptability

12.2 Ability to operate in new situations

12.3 Ability to forecast potential problems in new situations

12.4 Ability to assess risks

12.5 Ability to develop contingency plans

13 Creativity

13.1 Recognising alternative ways of doing things
13.2 Generating new ideas
13.3 Making connection and linking separate actions

14 Motivation (The evidence for this isthat you have finished your portfolio)

14.1 Being motivated by a challenge

14.2 Being motivated by achievement
14.3 Demonstrating an ambition to succeed
14.4 Showing perseverance

5. What structures and approaches made the visit(s) possible or more challenging? (We are interested in all factors but some of you have mentioned training for health and safety, timetable, transport, costs, as well as school ethos and head teacher support for example).

Challenging and time consuming:

The risk assessment maze – there are both school and authority forms. The Prince's Trust insist that at least one advisor is risk assessment trained. I phoned the Health and Safety department in the council for advice and was given all the support I required. I had a meeting with a senior member of the H&S team. He is responsible for writing policy – he helped me understand and complete my first risk assessment form. Once I read the school and the council documents I knew what I had to do.
The three people who run the xl club had to be trained to be able to toilet the wheelchair user.
I was the person who organised the trip because: It was part of the teaching in nature project; it was our first trip out of school with the xl club and all the risk assessment paperwork is based in the school network; the other advisors do not have access to this network; I was the only person who could collect and drive the minibus.

As a result of the third point I was more tired than I had anticipated and preoccupied with driving the minibus. The logistics of seeing to the needs of the pupil who is a wheelchair user took longer than I had foreseen. If we were not able to have the number of adults with us on the trip (3 xl club advisors, 1 xl club programme co-ordinator and Greg Mannion) I think I would have been unable to get the workbooks completed and had to treat the trip as a 'nature walk'.

Taking pupils with additional support needs out of school – this proved to be difficult. To be able to take a wheelchair user out you need a minibus that they can get into (with a tail lift). The only minibuses the council have are in Inverurie (a return trip of 43 miles). The bus costs £60 plus fuel and has to be collected and returned. This means that every time I take out a wheelchair user it takes up a day. If we hire a minibus through the council without wheelchair access it is delivered to the school and collected the following day.

Made the trip possible:

The funding that covered my time out of school allowed me to suggest and get authorisation to go on the trip. I had planned to take the group out but I don't know if I would have gone on a trip to a NNR. The project gave me a 'hook' to develop ideas in an area I have an interest anyway – being a biology teacher and a nature lover.

If I was not in the 'Support for Learning' department I do not think the school would be able to afford to given me the additional time needed to collect the minibus because my timetable would not be as flexible.

6. What teaching and learning strategies for connecting pupils, teachers, activities and environments together have worked best for you? and Why do you think this?

Planning beforehand – the site visits were invaluable.

Booklet – gave structure to part of the day. The booklet included a short list of questions that were completed after lunch in and around the interpretation centre. The pupils worked together without having to be asked and quickly found the answers. I had hoped it would engender an interest in the history and natural history of the reserve.

The day unintentionally gave the pupils time and freedom to explore without putting any stress on the pupils to produce anything.

The most valuable experience for me as a teacher was to observe the way the pupils behaved and responded to the reserve during the trip. It reinforces my feeling that human beings respond to being in nature in a way that is difficult to quantify.

This picture shows three of the pupils walking in the stream – it looks like they are truly in a wild place!

All my previous trips with pupils have been on biology field trips where we collected data. The pupils more often than not complained about what they had to do and on reflection I think they would have benefited from having some free time to settle into the place. I have often left these field trips feeling like we hadn't really realised our aims.

The group split into two predictable halves, 'the lads' and 'the quieter ones'. Fortunately this did not appear to bother anyone. If the two pupils (both boys) had been able to come on the trip I would have predicted that they would have joined 'the lads'.

During the first workshop Greg mentioned trips to a natural environment as being 'life enhancing'. This is the standpoint I am coming from. I see educational value in just going to a natural environment for a walk. My ideas have developed as I have observed my son in nature; particularly the way he reverts to a more 'childlike nature' when in nature. He gets lost in his own thoughts and making up his own stories as he walks with me and our dog. When we walk to a spot we frequent he asks to stay and play. He asked me to play when he was younger (for example to play the part of Pooh in a 'Winnie the Pooh' adventure) but now (he is 8) he is more likely to want to play alone. During the first trip I felt the pupils did the same partly because I gave them the freedom to play. I expect they would not describe their behaviour as play.

7. Does the process of going on outdoor visits to natural areas have any distinct phases or perhaps a 'lifecycle'?

The results of our first trip and the progress of the xl club (especially since I have not delivered the course before) has resulted in the work taking an unexpected course. Following the second trip we will still achieve my original aim for the pupils to create something with a portrait of themselves. This aim now includes the school art department and if I can pull it off the assistance of a professional photographer and maybe even a small art exhibition.

If I were able to run another xl club I would want to include this 'portrait project' in the first year. The type of pupil who is going to be referred to an xl club will invariably be lacking in self-confidence and self-esteem. These are also two familiar characteristics of any typical teenager. I think with fine tuning this 'portrait project' could help to raise self-confidence and self-esteem. Using a nature reserve as the venue for a portrait to be taken adds interest. A second visit would enable the pupils to experience the reserve in different seasons – so from that perspective there is an element of a 'lifecycle'. It is also a lifecycle in the sense that the pupil is going through puberty and the process of allowing his or her portrait to be taken should ……… to continue once the second trip is completed (I am still working this out in my head).