Here is Anthony's latest update from his Transversal study visit to Ornskoldsvik, Sweden looking at the value of learning outside the classroom:

So far during the study visit we have seen examples from primary to further education of the use of the natural environment in a wide range of educational settings. We have experienced philosophical 'slow' forest walks, outdoor cooking, cultural heritage education and much more. In Ornskoldvisk - they are extremely fortunate to be part of a UNESCO world heritage area, that is used as an extensive resource in schools here.

Outdoor education is generally perceived across Europpe as informal and a 'waste of time' . It is widely perceived to be something of little educational value, that involves too much bureaucracy, time and money. However in Ornskoldvisk we have seen the approach, that has been developed by experts in education and the natural environment, supported by the relaxed approach of schools, teachers, parents and pupils in using the outdoor environment as a valuable resource across all areas of the curriculum.

The key factors that ensure success in outdoor education in Sweden are:

• The network of experts training teachers in the Hoga Kusten (high coast) area and providing ongoing support for extended periods of time.
• The municipality requirements for forest spaces in all schools
• The investment due to the world heritage area certification

Whilst outdoor education is not dissimilar across Europe, the mechanisms in place to support and develop it in Sweden are exceptional compared to the rest of Europe. Sweden is also exceptionally fortunate in the amount of available land and rights of access to all private land in Sweden that affords a greater level of freedom when planning educational programmes.

It is incredibly valuable to experience outdoor education in a very rural area, however it is also useful in developing the ideas we have at MADE when working with young people in more urban contexts. There are a huge amount of concepts and policy issues that are transferable to our work in the West Midlands, and that will strengthen MADE's educational Programmes with schools, and I am really looking forward to coming back and working on integrating them into our built environment education programmes.