THE COUNTRYSIDE ALLIANCE FOUNDATION
Educating the next generationCampaigning without educating is ultimately futile. Why campaign now, if we are not going to educate the next generation? The view of the countryside held by the current generation of school children is shockingly different to that held by our supporters. We need to redress the balance through the education system and beyond. If we don’t, then future campaigning will be that much harder because fewer people will share our beliefs and values. The Countryside Alliance Foundation’s ongoing campaign focuses on getting school children out into the countryside has been extremely well received. We’ve enjoyed some early success. Our Countryside Investigators online project is now used in 10 per cent of primary schools in England and Wales. The Fishing for Schools project, backed by the actor Robson Green, has transformed lives simply by putting fly-fishing on the curriculum. Yet these valuable projects only scratch the surface… there is so much more work to be done, not least satisfying the urgent need to produce high quality school resources focused on the countryside and country sports. Click here for our Education Report
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 Shooting Times on outdoor education (and the dangers of conkers)Friday, 30 September 2011 Shooting Times magazine is backing The Countryside Alliance Foundation's outdoor education campaign. The magazine takes a common sense approach to encouraging youngsters into the countryside and are keen on helping increase youth participation in shooting sports. The magazine's editor, Alastair Balmain, has written an editorial in which he reveals the extent of the Health and Safety culture in primary schools. Read more Stepping up our educational workThursday, 22 September 2011 The Countryside Alliance Foundation's Chief Executive, Alice Barnard, writes: Our campaign to see outdoor education included on the National Curriculum is gathering momentum, and I wanted to update you on our progress. Our dedicated campaigns team has been at the Liberal Democrat Party Conference in Birmingham this week, with a new outdoor education-focused stand. Read moreSarah Lee in the Yorkshire Post on educationTuesday, 20 September 2011 On Tuesday 20th September a piece by The Countryside Alliance Foundation's Sarah Lee was published in the Yorkshire Post. Sarah wrote: "Sadly the countryside remains an enigma for many children. This is why the Countryside Alliance believes that all children should have the chance to experience the outdoors through their school. Not only because it is soul enriching, but also because it can help with concentration and learning. Read more Parents demand end to health and safety fears preventing outdoor learningFriday, 16 September 2011 New polling shows 92 per cent of parents want their child to be taught in the countryside and most (64 per cent) believe health and safety is the main barrier to schools taking pupils outdoors. New FOI figures reveal that just 16 LEAs paid out compensation arising from accidents on school trips in 2010/11, at an average of only £300 per authority. The Countryside Alliance – the leading voice of rural Britain – has today renewed its call for outdoor learning to be part of every child’s education, highlighting the strong support of parents for outdoor education and the nonsense of the health and safety fears surrounding the issue. Read more Be a Countryside Investigator!The Countryside Alliance Foundation aims to get outdoor education onto the National Curriculum, believing that if youngsters learn about our countryside, its landscapes, people, traditions and skills, they will understand it and ultimately want to nurture and protect it. Countryside Investigators is a teaching resource from The Countryside Alliance Foundation which has been used by more than 10% of schools. Visit it at www.countrysideinvestigators.org.uk. The website is accessible, eye-catching and fun for youngsters to use. Twins Felix and Milo guide visitors around the site and meet a variety of rural people, including Dan the farmer and Greg the forester who tell them what they do and why. There are short films, games and also a teachers' area.  The Countryside Alliance at ConferenceThursday, 6 October 2011 Once again we took a stand at all three of the main party conferences. Conference is a key part of making sure the voice of the countryside stays at the heart of the political agenda, even in difficult times. Read moreThe TCAF team at the Labour Party ConferenceMonday, 19 September 2011 The Countryside Alliance Foundation is promoting the importance of learning outside the classroom at each of the Party Conferences this season. The campaign has provoked some important debate amongst delegates on the health and safety issue at Labour already this week. Baroness Royall, Shadow Leader of the Lords, William Bain MP, Shadow Defra and Meg Hillier are amongst the Parliamentarians who have already signed up to our campaign. Read moreOutdoor learning "should be a part of every child's education"Thursday, 23 June 2011 We have welcomed the ‘Living Classrooms’ scheme from the RSPB and Field Studies Council and have again called for outdoor learning to be placed on the National Curriculum. You will recall that our own proposals were unanimously adopted by the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee on Outdoor Education in 2010. Read moreKent schoolchildren learn to love the countrysideThursday, 19 May 2011 The Countryside Alliance Foundation recently took part in the “Living Land” day organised by Kent County Agricultural Society, at which 2,500 Kent Primary School children from over 50 Kent schools came to meet animals, take part in rural quizzes and learn more about country life and where their food comes from. Read moreFishing for Schools reels in Swansea childrenFriday, 8 April 2011 The Countryside Alliance Foundation’s Fishing for Schools programme honoured the pupils of Morriston School in Swansea this week, following their successful completion of an innovative fly fishing course. The youngsters were taught by Fishing for Schools’ Charles Jardine, who made such an impression during the short course that he returned to the school to present the prizes. |
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