Returning to semi-normal school life after almost two years of unprecedented interruption has been a huge challenge in all kinds of ways for school staff, from the logistics of bubbles and closures to the mental hurdle of mixing in person with so many people again after long periods at home.
It’s understandable, then, that school trips may not have been top of teachers’ and leaders’ lists of priorities of late. But could they actually provide a much-needed boost to pupil mental health in these particularly challenging times?
According to NHS data, the prevalence of mental health conditions in young people is at an all-time high, with around one in six children aged 5 to 16 thought to be suffering from a probable mental disorder.
Lauren Cross, an ex-teacher who is now a research assistant at the University of Cambridge with a specific research interest in mental health in schools in the UK, says there can be enormous mental health benefits to getting young people out of the classroom and into the wider world, which may be needed now more than ever.
School trips with a difference
“There’s evidence to suggest that trips can be hugely important for children and young people’s wellbeing,” she says. “But the thing to acknowledge first is that school trips serve different purposes, and so the benefits attached and what your students might get out of them, are going to be different.”
Some trips will be all about engaging young people with a topic in a different setting or medium than they are used to, using the immersive quality to move their learning forward, she continues. But a school trip may have nothing to do with the acquisition of knowledge at all, and could instead be about nurturing the development of interpersonal skills by pushing students out of their comfort zones and helping them to explore ways of taking age-appropriate risks, building connections with peers, and staff.
“All of these are factors that come up time and time again in terms of research as really important, contributing to optimal wellbeing,” Cross explains. “It might not be that the intention of the trip was to boost wellbeing, I think it’s quite often an added bonus or impact of a trip.”
She adds the caveat that “trips can also be a source of stress in themselves”, particularly for more vulnerable young people who may struggle with changes to routine and being away from their usual support structures and coping mechanisms.
Keep things inclusive
“I think when reflecting on the literature, understanding people’s needs and making sure trips are inclusive spaces is really important too,” she says.
Sam Sillito, headteacher at Queensgate Primary School on the Isle of Wight, says her school’s commitment to out-of-classroom learning has an ongoing and powerful impact on their young people.
“We think school trips are really important, it’s very much part of our school culture,” she says. “We have what we call an out-and-about teacher who is here for two days a week…[this] offers all children throughout the school regular opportunities to get out on the minibus and take part in a variety of experiences across the Isle of Wight.”
It becomes a regular part of the student experience, she continues, and has been especially welcomed by young people and their families amid the stresses of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Over the last couple of years, it’s been very much about wellbeing and mental health, getting out in the fresh air, getting the children away from the screens, boosting self-esteem, confidence, providing a less traditional learning environment where children can really grow into being leaders,” says Sillito.
In this podcast, sponsored by English Heritage, the pair also discuss the latest findings on young people’s mental health, how to link trips to the curriculum effectively, what proper trip planning looks like, and much more. Listen below, or on your podcast platform of choice, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google and Amazon podcasts, by searching “Tes News”.
Let English Heritage support you and your class this term with a unique and memorable school trip. From the Stone Age to the Cold War, discover any of our 400 properties and let your students stand at the places where history happened. Find out more via the English Heritage website
