OWL ‘On Air’ in Cumbria
Talking OWL with BBC Radio Cumbria
Listen to BBC Radio Cumbria
We all want our education system to raise resilient, confident, reflective citizens who have a consequential understanding of their place in society, and so through The OWL Collaboration we are investing in authentic experiences outside the classroom, supported by teaching practices which more emphatically connect learning to the real world.Sarah, our Head of Learning Programmes Development
News that we have launched The OWL Collaboration in Cumbria captured the interest of the county’s BBC radio station, who wanted to find out more.
This national scheme, where we give schoolchildren the chance to enjoy a residential in the countryside – an Outdoor Week of Learning (OWL) – has been extended to Cumbria for the first time.
Here, we partner with the Country Trust to fund and deliver an innovative, hands-on pilot programme at our working farm, Low Beckside, in Mungrisdale.
So far, two schools have taken part in The OWL Collaboration, immersing themselves in outdoor activities such as ‘Wool the Wonder Fabric’, ‘Follow the Food’ and ‘Hidden Habitats’.
Our Head of Learning Programmes Development, Sarah White, and Hannah Jones-McVey, Residential Manager with The Country Trust, were invited on to BBC Radio Cumbria to chat to presenter Steph Finnon, about OWL and the impact it is having on the schools and children taking part. Sarah said:
This programme not only testifies to the importance of Outdoor Learning in helping to engage learners and to give them different opportunities to experience success, but it also has implications for the methods of teaching we want to champion in our schools.
Hannah said:
The farm is such an incredible place for children to understand what’s going on with the environment, with farming, and to connect all these stories which are so relevant to them in such a spectacular landscape, it’s the most amazing gift of a place to take children to.
These are children who come from areas where they are unlikely to have much access to outdoor green spaces. Some have spectacular landscapes on their doorstep but that doesn’t mean they can access them, so giving them those opportunities is really important.
Listen to the BBC Radio Cumbria interview via the link above.
We invite you to read our Summary Impact Report, evidencing the powerful transformations made possible through this programme.
Find more information about this and The OWL Collaboration programme via these links:
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