16 Meridian Trust secondary and special schools achieve the Learning Outside the Classroom Mark

The Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) Mark is awarded by the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom, the UK charity championing taking learning beyond the classroom. The charity supports educators in schools and other organisations so that more children and young people have opportunities to access the benefits that come from quality learning beyond the classroom, whether these experiences happen inside or out (from galleries and museums to farms and mountains), close to home or far away (from school grounds and local venues to overseas tours and expeditions).

Of these 16 schools, three succeeded in achieving the highest Gold Level, 12 attained Silver including Stratton School, and one received Bronze. The success of these achievements is a testament to the Trust’s commitment to providing learning experiences that reach out beyond the boundaries of the classroom.

Meridian Trust's dedication to 'Extending the Boundaries of Learning' is evident in its approach to education. The Trust believes that learning should not be simply confined to textbooks and classrooms but should also encompass practical experiences that prepare students for the real world.

LOtC opportunities were offered across the range of different sectors assessed, including heritage; built environment and the natural environment. Learning outside of the classroom at Stratton School took place in a wide variety of locations including professional football coaching on the school grounds, off-site visits to London theatres and galleries, residential ski trips to Italy and Austria, and a trip to Costa Rica.

Dr Anne Hunt, Chief Executive of the Council for LOtC said: “Learning outside the classroom is well evidenced to deliver multiple co-benefits to learning, health & wellbeing, skills, and socio-emotional outcomes, as well as building much needed connections between schools and their communities near and far. It can help break down barriers and address inequalities. It also provides some of the most memorable experiences in our school life.

“Achieving the LOtC Mark reflects Meridian Trust’s commitment to ‘extending the boundaries’ and providing opportunities for every young person to succeed by embedding a full range of learning outside the classroom experiences into each school’s unique approach. I congratulate all the schools on achieving the award, and I look forward to hearing how they continue to benefit from taking their teaching and learning above and beyond.”

Martin Campbell, Executive Principal of Meridian Trust, said: “We are incredibly proud of the 16 secondary and special schools that have achieved the prestigious LOtC Mark so far. This recognition reflects our deep commitment to providing our pupils with enriching learning experiences that extend beyond traditional classroom spaces. This is the first time the Council for LOtC has worked at scale and in partnership with a multi-academy trust. The awards across all schools highlight the dedication of our staff and students to embracing innovative and memorable approaches to education that prepare young people for success in the future'.

"We remain fully committed to ensuring that all of our schools continue to benefit from the transformative power of learning outside the classroom. The Meridian Trust primary schools are currently being assessed and we are hoping to share another set of very positive outcomes very soon.”

Dr Anne Hunt added: "On 11th November we are so excited to be hosting the National LOtC conference, with the theme 'Supporting Students to Thrive', at one of Meridian Trust’s schools, Weldon Village Academy. The conference offers a unique opportunity for over 300 education professionals to share ideas and explore different ways to take learning beyond the classroom, and for leading educators from schools and LOtC providers to learn from each other. This year we are delighted that, thanks to the generosity of our sponsors (Canal & River Trust, Warner Bros - The Making of Harry Potter and PGL Beyond) all the students at the Academy will be going out on a whole day of learning beyond the classroom while we take over their school for the conference. Please come and join us for an incredible day, there are a few tickets left.”