York consulting has published new evidence about the impact of residential learning.
In 2012, the Paul Hamlyn Foundation commissioned York Consulting to evaluate the effectiveness of Learning Away. The evaluation has two overarching aims:
- To build a strong evidence base that will support four key Learning Away propositions, i.e. to demonstrate that high quality residential learning:
- Has a strong, positive impact on academic achievement and a wide range of student-level outcomes;
- Can transform the learning experience of students;
- Can help to transform schools;
- Does not need to be expensive. Investment in residential learning is money well spent.
- To generate new insights and understanding about how and why residential learning achieves these outcomes.
For the first time, York Consulting is now able to present interim findings under both key headings. We’re starting to see just what it is about residential experiences that makes them special, and how the concept of ‘brilliant residentials’ can help teachers and schools to get the most out of these trips.
Impact of Learning Away experiences
Findings from the evaluation clearly show that students, staff, parents and schools value Learning Away residentials. The evidence continues to show that many of the positive impacts seen on the residential, for example on the development of relationships, confidence and engagement with learning, as well as the delivery of learning, were also being sustained back in school.
What again comes out most strongly is the impact that the residentials have had on relationships (both peer and staff student) and on students’ confidence. There is evidence that impacts in these areas also have positive outcomes in terms of students’ engagement with, and progress in, their learning as well as their self-belief and expectation that they will make progress and succeed.
Details of the evidence for this garnered from the student, staff and parent evaluation surveys and focus groups can be found in the summary report (download here).
What is it About the Residential Experience that Leads to Improved Outcomes?
York Consulting has also been able to identify what it is about residentials that facilitates achievement of these positive outcomes.
Residentials are a leveller, they provide the necessary time, space and intensity to foster new relationships and a new ‘learning away’ community (away from normal distractions). Residentials provide memorable experiences, different opportunities for young people to experience success, and a context where staff and students have the confidence to explore new ways of teaching and learning.
The Learning Away team is particularly excited by these early findings about residentials and community building. This corresponds with what teachers tell us anecdotally, and we look forward to York Consulting unpicking this phenomenon further when they present their final report next Spring.
What Makes a ‘Brilliant Residential’?
Learning Away has developed the concept of ‘brilliant residentials’, which it defines as residentials that are led by teachers, co-designed with students and fully integrated into the curriculum. York Consulting has also been able to evidence the key aspects of Learning Away’s ‘Brilliant Residentials’ that have led to improved outcomes.
When residentials are fully integrated into the curriculum, and are made a part of wider school life for all students, they have the potential to provide rich learning opportunities and can impact on a wide range of student outcomes.
Although residentials can have an immediate impact on attainment and attitudes to learning, they are more likely to have a long-term impact (especially on students in secondary schools), if the learning on the residential is followed up and reinforced back in school.
‘Brilliant Residentials’ are not seen as ‘one-off’ special events, but are always closely linked to the learning that takes place in the classroom and are therefore an integral part of the curriculum.
Staff and student ownership of the design and delivery of the residential experience can make a real difference:
- Involving students in designing, planning and leading residential experiences has a positive impact both on student leaders and the young people they are supporting;
- Staff involvement in design and delivery means that residentials are designed to meet the specific needs and learning objectives of students within their own school. This learning can then be reinforced and built on back in school, which also facilitates the integration of the residential experience within the school curriculum;
- ‘Brilliant Residentials’ also provide the opportunity for staff to develop their practice and learn from colleagues, both within their own and other schools.
The findings in this report also highlight the value of providing progressive residentials, which help to develop and embed student learning and skill acquisition year on year.
You can find advice about the practicalities of using a co-construction approach, of fostering student leadership, and planning a progressive series of residential in our Getting Started pages. You can also explore our case studies to see what other schools have achieved.
Over the course of the next year, Learning Away will be publishing a suite of resources – written by teachers in our action research cohort, and designed to give a lot more detail about how to overcome some of the key challenges to delivering brilliant residentials. The first of these will be launched after Autumn half term, and will focus on embedding your residential into the curriculum to ensure a long-term impact on student outcomes. Watch this space!
More detail of all York Consulting’s latest findings and recommendations can be found the summary report (read or download here). If you would like a copy of the full report, please contact the Learning Away team.