This document discusses considerations for taking a learning trip outside the classroom to Abington Park in Northampton. It provides details about the park, which includes lakes, a museum, church, aviaries, and cafes. The museum in particular could teach children about Victorian daily life through experiences of home/family life, food, toys, and schooling. Research suggests that learning outside the classroom can improve understanding, skills, values, confidence and achievement by allowing children to construct their own learning through direct experiences that lead to deeper understanding and ability to live in the world. Different learning approaches like physical, visual, and naturalistic experiences can maximize learning potential. Educational benefits include improved academic achievement, creativity, motivation, attitudes, and development of active

1. Learning Outside
the Classroom
Abington Park - Northampton

2. Considerations
What are we
trying to
teach/learn?
Question we need to ask prior to booking a visit:
How will the
learning be
supported? Where is most
likely to provide
those conditions?
• Risk assessment – this would need to be carried out prior to the visit and
hazards considered.
• Lunch facilities
• Toilet facilities
• Weather contingency – if planning outdoor activities can they be taken
indoors.
• Cost – coach and museum cost
• Needs and requirements of pupils
• What the children are going to gain from the experience

3. Abington Park
Abington Park – Abington, Northampton
Lakes – Museum- Church – Aviaries – Cafes - Park
The museum was originally a manor house built at the turn of the 16th century.
The museum itself offers a huge range of facilities to bring the Victorian era to
life. They can experience Victorian daily life – home and family life, food, how and
what they cooked, children’s toys and schooling – what it was like, what they
learnt.

4. What children learn
“Learning outside the classroom is about raising achievement through
an organised, powerful approach to learning in which direct experience
is of prime importance” (DfES, 2006, p.3)
Child
Improving understanding, skills, values,
personal development, confidence and
achievement
Construct own
learning
Leads to a deeper
understanding
Live successfully in the
world around them.
Communication and
problem solving

5. How children learn
The potential for
learning is
maximised if we
use a combination
of physical, visual
and naturalistic
approaches.

6. Educational
benefits
Improve
academic
achievement
Higher order
learning
Make
learning
more
engaging
Nurture
creativity
Informal
learning
Stimulate,
inspire and
improve
motivation
Provide
challenge
Improve
attitudes
towards
learning
Develops
active
citizens
(DfES, 2006)

7. ‘The first-hand experiences of learning outside the
classroom can help to make subjects more vivid and
interesting for pupils and enhance their understanding.
It can also contribute significantly to pupils’ personal,
social and emotional development, as the following
typical examples show.’ (Ofsted, 2006, p.3)
Ofsted