Agenda item

Briefing Note of the Director of Children and Education.

The Board considered a briefing note of the Director of Children and Education that provided an overview of the Coventry Outdoor Education Service including future developments and plans for celebrating 60 years of Dol-Y-Moch.

Coventry Outdoors delivered a diverse programme of educational and personal development experiences for children, young people, and adults through outdoor learning and activity. The service operated at Coombe Abbey Country Park and the outdoor residential centre, Plas Dol-y-Moch situated in North Wales (Eryri National Park).

From 1966 – 2021 Coventry had operated an Outdoor Education service comprising Plas Dol-y-Moch, and in more recent years an Educational Visits Advice and Guidance service, and some Duke of Edinburgh provision.

Coventry's outdoor education had traditionally centred on Plas Dol-y-Moch. Whilst these were highly valued experiences this one-off experience approach did not promote children's access to sustained and broader outdoor learning. The concern was that this disproportionately impacted disadvantaged children who may already face significant barriers to accessing green space.

In 2021, following consultation with schools and partners, the City Council committed to expanding the service. This led to the launch of the In-City Outdoor Education Service at Coombe, aimed at providing more children and young people with regular local access to high-quality outdoor learning with the aim of providing wide-ranging benefits for health, wellbeing, and education. There was also an outreach service into schools.

Coventry Outdoors operated as a traded hybrid model of educational provision and commercial delivery to ensure a financially viable service met the City Council's expectation that traded services operated on a full cost recovery basis.

In considering the briefing note, the Board questioned officers, received responses, and discussed matters as summarised below:

• Accessibility was afforded to low-income families, particularly those with limited access to green spaces, with many schools funding the majority of costs, with some splitting costs between students, to ensure trips were the best value possible for the lowest cost.
• Efforts were being taken to support low-income families, including using Coombe Abbey for further in-city trips and encouraging sustained and intergenerational connection with and use of available resources such as allotments for example.
• Although other companies claimed to offer lower upfront prices, the Council’s holistic approach included transport and food, indicating that the Council did offer competitive rates.
• The profile of the programme had been raised using the use of HAF and family hubs leading to over 700 students accessing the programme in the city last year alone.
• The programme was financially self-sustainable in a traditionally difficult market through extensive effort and effective planning with further expansion being planned.
• Working alongside the Duke of Edinburgh award and the King’s Trust had led to numerous success stories, with details given of two previously NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) young people using the support of the programme to become more confident, better trained and employed with one put forward for a Pride of Britain award.
• The 75 apprentices on the course were undertaking level 5 apprenticeships, equivalent to a foundation degree, and all were already employed. This would support the creation of outdoor education specialists who would, through CPDs, become qualified teachers in 2 years’ time.
• Out of 122 schools only 20 didn’t use the service as, although there was increasing take-up, use of the service was optional, and they could choose alternates.
• Due to the protected nature of the floodplains surrounding Dol-Y-Moch, there were significant limitations on any building or expansion on site.
• There was some collaboration with international partners but there were currently no plans for liaising with American scout groups due to constraints over booking availability and remaining financially self-sufficient.
• Efforts were being made to encourage more diverse participation in the programme e.g. protective helmets for activities that worked with different types of religious/cultural headwear, and through liaising with key agencies who promote similar inclusive programs.
• Due to school led bookings it was difficult to ensure specific age groups attended. Most students currently attended during year 6, an important transitional time and therefore a valuable time to build a connection with nature.
• Some home educated students stayed a Dol-Y-Moch with their families and efforts were being made to increase inclusion at in-city provision.
• Joint teambuilding exercises were being done at Coombe Abbey with the Army Cadets.

The Board requested that Plas Dol-Y-Moch took into account cultural and religious considerations in future developments, and further requested they be kept informed of Dol-Y-Moch 60^th anniversary celebrations.

RESOLVED that the Education and Children’s Services Scrutiny Board (2):

1)  Notes the information provided in the Briefing Note.

2)  Agrees that an additional meeting be added to the Work Programme to be held at Coombe Abbey to enable the Board to visit the outdoor education facilities and further discuss the city-based aspect of the Coventry Outdoor Education Service.