Could outdoor learning help your pupils stay on track?

By Field Studies Council · 28 Oct 2026

Field Studies Council says outdoor education should be part of any national plan to help young people who aren’t in education, employment or training (NEET). What does that mean for the pupils in your school?

The number of 16 to 24 year olds who are NEET is now above one million, according to Alan Milburn’s interim review. Around 84% of them want to work or train. The Field Studies Council believes outdoor learning can help, and wants it treated as an entitlement rather than an optional extra.

Chief Executive Mark Castle explains why:

“When they take on a real challenge outdoors, they find out what they can do. That confidence goes with them into training and work.”

The charity points to a Shropshire project that brought secondary pupils at risk of exclusion to its Preston Montford field centre for weekly conservation and adventure sessions. Attendance improved significantly, and some pupils went on to explore work placements linked to what they’d tried.

Milburn’s final recommendations are due later this autumn, so this conversation is far from over.

TIPS: what you can do now

• Record the impact. Note attendance, confidence and engagement before and after visits, especially for pupils who find the classroom hard.
• Think beyond one-off trips. The Shropshire pupils took part in regular weekly sessions, so consider where a series of visits could work for a small group.
• Name the skills. Link each visit to teamwork, communication and resilience as well as curriculum outcomes, so pupils can talk about them.
• Share the evidence. Give leaders and governors a short summary of what your visits achieve. It strengthens the case when budgets are tight.
• Keep an eye on policy. Watch for the Milburn recommendations, and for the Outdoor Education Bill, whose second reading has moved to 29 January 2027.