| Title | 38. An imperfect practice? What barriers are there to providing outdoor education opportunities for primary-aged children? |
|---|---|
| Contributor | Megan McGee (author) |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.11647/obp.0462.38 |
| Landing page | https://www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.11647/obp.0462/chapters/10.11647/obp.0462.38 |
| License | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ |
| Copyright | Megan McGee; |
| Publisher | Open Book Publishers |
| Published on | 2025-07-02 |
| Long abstract | This chapter explores the limited treatment of outdoor education within the primary national curriculum, arguing that it reflects a broader misunderstanding of its value and purpose. Despite strong evidence that outdoor education supports children’s mental wellbeing, curiosity, and holistic development, significant barriers remain to its widespread implementation. One notable recent barrier has been the restrictions on outdoor activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, which further limited access. To address these challenges, the chapter advocates for increased funding to create more outdoor education opportunities and recommends targeted training to enhance teachers’ confidence and competence in delivering outdoor learning experiences. Strengthening the role of outdoor education within the curriculum is essential for fostering healthier, more engaged learners. |
| Page range | pp. 459–468 |
| Print length | 10 pages |
| Language | English (Original) |
Megan McGee has had experience in primary, further, and Higher Education. Megan’s research interests include learning outside of the classroom and children’s risk-taking, both of which were born from her personal experience as a foreign exchange student in Denmark. She published her first research paper in 2022, titled “Preservation of Learning Outside the Primary Classroom: A Comparison of Policy and Practice in Danish udeskole (outdoor school) and English Primary Outdoor Education (OE)”.