Millions of schoolchildren are being denied the chance to go on residential trips, particularly the poorest pupils, according to a study released today.
The report, by education think tank LKMco, reveals that just one in five pupils go on a residential school trip each year.
The study was commissioned by campaigning group Learning Away and is thought to be the first to thoroughly examine school residential trips across England.
It draws on data from tens of thousands of schools and educational establishments over the last five years, as well as the results from a survey of more than 900 teachers during the 2016-17 school year.
It finds poorer pupils are far less likely to be able to go on residential trips compared to their richer counterparts.
The report states: “On average, educational establishments organise 2.5 residentials per year. We therefore estimate that approximately 1.8 million children and young people are involved in residentials each year. This is equivalent to 21 per cent of the school pupil population.”
The report adds: “Residentials are generally of high quality, but cost is stopping many poorer pupils from participating, leaving them doubly disadvantaged in terms of their participation.”
It cites “serious concerns in relation to affordability”. More than one in three teachers did not believe that all their pupils could afford to go on school trips.
Teachers trying to redress the balance have resorted to organising fundraising events to help raise money or applying for subsidies to cover the cost for those who cannot afford to go on trips.
More than eight out of 10 teachers have taken steps to try to stop pupils from missing out owing to cost concerns.
Schools in the least deprived parts of the country organise three residential trips a year on average, but those in the most deprived areas only organise around two trips annually, according to the report.
It calls on the government to provide funding to ensure that school trips are open to all and to encourage schools to use pupil premium funds to help cover costs of residential trips.
Joe Lynch, chair of the Learning Away Consortium, said: “This new study provides disturbing evidence that disadvantaged students are missing out on the transformational impact of residential experiences.”
Availability and cost are barriers to many schoolchildren, according to Mr Lynch. He said: “Schools are attempting to address this problem, often by using the pupil premium, but as funding is squeezed, this will become an increasing problem.”
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT headteachers’ union, said: “The benefits of residential experiences and outdoor education are indisputable. It is distressing to learn that they are not available to all students.
“The education funding crisis is only going to reduce opportunities to participate in residential activities, which is why we are campaigning for protected funding to enable children to have greater access to high-quality residential experiences. We want more residential opportunities, for more children, more of the time.”
Responding to the report’s findings, a Department for Education spokesperson said: “Schools should consider the affordability of any trips they plan to ensure no-one is unfairly disadvantaged. Schools are best placed to understand and respond to the specific needs of their pupils.
“This is why we have given them flexibility over how they use the pupil premium funding to help improve the progress and attainment of their disadvantaged pupils. This can include covering some or all of the costs of going on a residential trip, if the school believes that this will help improve a pupil’s academic outcomes.”
