A core aim of the Learning Away programme is to generate new insights and understanding about how and why residential learning benefits young people, teachers and schools. Through our action research and evaluation, we are beginning to find out more about the processes and features of high quality residential learning experiences that are most significant in achieving impact.

We have been trying to discover if residentials can improve young people’s engagement with their learning, and whether this can be sustained beyond the residential to lead to improved achievement in the longer term.

Learning Away is particularly interested in exploring the impact of residentials on the quality of achievement and engagement in two areas:

1. Attainment in the core subjects of English, maths and science 2. Pupil engagement with their learning, and whether this leads to improved achievement, attendance and behaviour.

Several of our Learning Away partnerships of schools have raising attainment (particularly with Year 10 and 11 students at GCSE) and improving motivation and engagement as key elements of their residential programmes.

In June 2013 York Consulting, Learning Away’s external evaluators, published their interim findings.

Attainment

We are discovering that high quality residential learning does appear to boost attainment and we now have both qualitative and quantitative supporting evidence. This seems to be the case because the teaching and learning approaches used during residentials are different to those experienced by students at school, for example:

• Contextualisation – on Learning Away residentials pupils are involved in practical, context-based learning activities, which they enjoy

• Personalisation – on Learning Away residentials learning is often more tailored to pupils’ needs through differentiation and/or through individualised formative feedback

•  Collaboration – residentials provide extensive opportunities for collaborative learning, problem-solving and decision-making

• More informal, equal relationships between staff and pupils that promote pupils’ ownership of their learning. Teachers say that residentials enable them to see their pupils as individuals, to see them differently and to better understand them. Young people see their teachers from a different perspective, appreciating when they are willing to take on new challenges alongside them.

“The residential has led to a big leap in progress in maths and English amongst those middle of the road pupils who had ‘plateaued’ And the trajectory has kept going. We’re now working with the high achievers to get similar impacts.” Primary school teacher, Christ Church partnership

“Before going on the trip I had hated school but now I just love it. I love to learn about maths, literacy and science. I think it’s just changed me basically, changed my abilities.” Year 4 pupil, The Pilot Partnership (East EAZ)

Details of how one of our Learning Away schools, Canterbury Academy, is using residentials to enhance attainment with their Year 10 students in a range of GCSE subjects can be seen in the two accompanying case studies, which describe a) the longer term impact of their 2011 residential, to the Carroty Wood Adventure Centre, on one particular student and b) their recent innovative residential at Hampton Court Palace.

Engagement

All of our Learning Away schools are reporting consistently high levels of pupil engagement during their residentials. There are clear signs that residential experiences promote deep engagement and engage previously disaffected pupils and those with challenging behaviour. Importantly, there is also evidence that the engagement is sustained back at school in the longer term, and of improved achievement as a result.

“I probably did more hours of work in that one week than I did in the whole of this term, I just had so much inspiration from it.” Year 10 student, Canterbury Academy

Pupils’ evaluation survey responses clearly demonstrate that they also believe their attendance and behaviour improves as a result of going on the residential. The majority felt that their behaviour in school would be better as a result of the residential, they will try harder to be on time for school and their attendance will be better.   Pupils have identified that they were not sent out of class as much as they were prior to the residential, they were trying to behave better in class and concentrate more in lessons. Attitudinal changes seen on the residential had been sustained back in the classroom and, because they understood and were more engaged with their learning, their behaviour in class had improved.

“Children with challenging behaviour also enjoyed the experience and exhibited less anti-social behaviour than normal while on the residential. This continued after returning to school because the curriculum module made more sense and was taught in a different way from the approaches that they had previously experienced.” Primary school teacher, The Pilot Partnership (East EAZ)

We are also beginning to find out why young people involved in Learning Away residentials are more engaged. This is because they:

• Enjoy the pupil-centred collaborative approaches (e.g. being involved in co-design and problem-solving tasks) and are learning ‘by doing’ • Are involved in experiences that are different and removed from everyday life, yet with real-world relevance • Are undertaking challenging activities that provide new opportunities to experience success • Feel more supported by their teachers and peers, with whom they therefore enjoy better relationships.

Unsurprisingly perhaps, these are almost identical reasons to those that impact on improved attainment.

“A fantastic week was had by all that has laid the foundations for continued learning in the classroom and has produced a group of children who care for one another and are able to work together.” Governor, New Forest partnership

More details of our evidence of the impact of residentials on attainment and engagement can be found in York Consulting’s June 2013 interim evaluation report on the PHF website.