Outdoor Education

Contrary to some outdated stereotypes, a UK independent education isn’t all Latin and rugby/hockey – there really is something for everyone, every type of learner, and for a range of reasons some British boarding schools have farms.

When Neil visited last year, he was most impressed by Giggleswick School’s adventurous educator, Pete Keron, a Housemaster and Maths teacher, but also Head of Outdoor Pursuits. We asked Pete to tell us a bit more about himself and this is the result – enjoy!

Something many of our clients are looking for is development – for their young people to gain confidence and independence during their time in the UK. Fortunately, our British boarding schools combine development and fun in many ways – sport, CCF, academic competitions, school trips and outdoor pursuits. What could be more fun than taking part in adaptations of popular TV series Lost and Hunted, which is exactly what Malvern College offers.

Sail training develops confidence, perseverance, leadership and teamwork; key transferable skills which enhance students’ ability to perform in all areas. Little wonder then that it is often offered as part of an independent education. Here we feature our top British boarding schools for sailing.

The news that Dauntsey’s is reviving its Bee Club, which originally ran in the early 1970s, provided the impetus for us to focus on nature studies and farming at our British boarding schools.

The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the United Kingdom. Each CCF is an educational partnership between a school and the Ministry of Defence, and may include Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army or Royal Air Force sections.

Many of the British boarding schools we recommend are active within the CCF, as it provides students with a myriad of opportunities outside the classroom but within disciplined structures.

Forest School was developed as part of Scandinavian Early Years education in the 1950s and was introduced in the UK in the mid-1990s. Since then, many British schools have added time for Forest School into the curriculum, especially for younger children.