King Edward VI King’s Norton School for Boys in Birmingham has received national recognition for its commitment to offering well-planned, engaging and impactful learning beyond the classroom and has been awarded the Gold LOtC Mark by the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom.
The school is the only secondary provider in Birmingham to hold the highest mark, and only the second in the West Midlands.
The Council for Learning Outside the Classroom is a UK-wide charity that champions all learning that happens beyond the classroom. Their work supports educators, schools and organisations who are dedicated to ensuring more children and young people have opportunities for life-changing learning experiences that are not limited to a school environment. They believe that providing students with more opportunities to access high quality learning outside can open their eyes to the world around them, allowing them to develop into well-rounded citizens.
Ben Julian, Head of Outdoor Education and Community Engagement Lead at King Edward VI King’s Norton School for Boys, signed the school up to the programme in early 2023 in the hope of receiving mentoring and to ensure the school’s curriculum and policies aligned with their vision to encourage more outdoor learning. Through the mentoring sessions it quickly became apparent that the school was Gold LOtC Mark worthy and so Mr Julian and the team worked on their submission over 12 months to ensure their offer was the best it could be.
Mr Julian said: “Being awarded the Gold LOtC Mark is a fantastic achievement for both the staff and students here at King Edward VI King’s Norton School for Boys, as it shows that we have worked hard to ensure our students have access to vital opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom. We’re thrilled to have been given official recognition for our efforts and look forward to continuing to embed LOtC within our school curriculum to help more students achieve their potential.”
Since receiving the accreditation, the school has begun working with the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom to become a Gold Hub. This aims to help education settings to engage in the framework of the LOtC Mark, and they plan to start with the other schools within the King Edward VI Academy Trust, which King Edward VI King’s Norton School for Boys joined in early 2024.
The many benefits of LOtC are now well-evidenced and include improving academic attainment, physical health, emotional well-being, self-esteem and resilience.
Jodh Dhesi, Chief Executive Officer for the King Edward VI Foundation, said: “We are delighted and incredibly proud of what King Edward VI King’s Norton School for Boys has achieved. Learning outside the classroom has many proven educational benefits as well as providing some of the most memorable experiences in a child’s school life and I look forward to seeing how this work can be implemented and adapted across our Academy Trust and beyond.”
