The Mary Rose Trust Learning Department has shown itself to be at the top of the class for educational visits by being awarded a Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge.
The national Quality Badge scheme (run by the Department for Children, Schools and Families) combines learning and safety into one easily recognisable badge for all organisations providing learning outside the classroom experiences.
To gain the award, the Mary Rose Trust demonstrated its commitment to offering high quality learning as well as good practice in six particular areas which cover all aspects of school visits.
The Quality Badge was developed as part of the Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto, a national initiative to ensure young people are given more opportunities to have these experiences as part of the curriculum. The badge is designed to make it easier for teachers to identify providers of quality educational visits. Organisations will display the badge as a signal to schools that their venue has met required standards, so teachers do not need to carry out their own risk or quality assessments.
Mary Kinoulty, Head of Learning at the Mary Rose Trust, said “We are very proud to have received this recognition for our learning programme. Museum visits are a great way of motivating primary and secondary pupils. The Mary Rose gives young people the opportunity to learn history and science in a fun hands-on way.”
Ed Balls, Secretary of State Children, Schools and Families, said:
“Educational visits are among the most memorable experiences in a child’s school life. Quality Badges offer teachers a guarantee that not only is a venue providing the sort of educational value that they can build on in class long after the visit but they also have the appropriate risk management structures in place.
It is a significant victory in our battle to move away from the misguided perception that learning outside the classroom is a potential minefield for teachers. It should ensure that many more young people have memorable, exciting and valuable learning outside the classroom experiences. I congratulate the Mary Rose Trust on being awarded the badge.”
For more information about the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge, please visit www.lotcqualitybadge.org.uk
Photo credits - Sean Hounsell
