King’s College London highlighted the significant benefits of learning in the natural environment, including:
- better educational attainment;
- development of natural science skills and environmental awareness;
- improved health, social cohesion and attitudes to other children;
- better school staff morale.
In the second document the researchers analysed the evidence on the barriers to learning in natural environments. This confirmed that schools are not prioritising (valuing) learning in natural environments and found that this is largely down to local issues such as teacher confidence, competence and capacity. Furthermore it stated that these local barriers underpin – and hence are more significant than – the barriers the sector has traditionally focused on such formalisation in the Curriculum, fear of litigation and cost.