Bolton School is delighted to announce that it has been awarded the prestigious Gold Standard by the Association of Heads of Outdoor Education Centres (AHOEC). The AHOEC Gold Standard is a benchmark of national distinction, held by only 55 Outdoor Education centres and organisations, and represents the most comprehensive and wide-ranging assessment of quality available to providers of Outdoor Learning in the UK.
Outdoor Learning has always been a distinctive and integral part of the curriculum at Bolton School, and generations of pupils have benefitted from the transferrable life skills, resilience and personal growth that these activities provide. In the School today, Outdoor Learning provision builds steadily from early exploration into advanced adventure and leadership, offering every pupil purposeful challenge, practical skills and rich character development throughout their time in the Foundation.
Pupils begin to build confidence in outdoor settings in the Primary Division through active play, environmental exploration and early adventurous activities such as sailing and climbing. There is also access to the Leverhulme Woodlands, a dedicated on-site Outdoor Learning space for pupils across the Foundation. During their time in the Senior Schools, pupils are introduced to Bolton School’s full adventure learning offer. A wide range of lunchtime and after-school clubs and trips provide pupils with opportunities to explore archery, orienteering, rock climbing, sailing, mountain biking, and paddle sports (kayaking, canoeing and paddleboarding).
Throughout the year, residential expeditions and weekend trips extend learning into real-world environments. Highlights include:
- Rock climbing and bouldering in Costa Blanca, Fontainebleau, the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District
- White water kayaking and canoeing on UK rivers: Dee, Lune, Calder and Eden
- Mountain biking and white water kayaking in the French Alps
Bolton School actively encourages pupils to take ownership of their learning. By Sixth Form, many students are working towards nationally recognised personal awards and instructor-level qualifications.
The AHOEC Gold Standard recognises not only the highest levels of safety and risk management but also excellence in leadership, management, learning and development, environmental sustainability, compliance and insurance and customer care. The application process is based on a provider self-assessment which provides evidence against the criteria for the award, followed by an on-site inspection. The inspection covers the full range of outdoor learning provision and includes observation of a practical delivery session. Inspections are conducted once every two years and undertaken by appointed inspectors with wide experience in the field and typically with a teaching qualification and high-level governing body awards.
Steve Bradley, Head of Outdoor Learning in the Boys’ Division, said: “At Bolton School, Outdoor Learning is not viewed as a supplementary enrichment activity but as a strategic thread in our commitment to building capable, compassionate and confident young people.
Our paddle sport development programme is a brilliant example of how adventure learning can create real pathways for pupils. It all starts with their Year 7 residential at Patterdale Hall, where they complete the Paddle UK Start Award. From there, pupils can join our development programme, progressing through the award building confidence and skills – and, for some, going on to be qualified instructors and leaders themselves.”
Emma Lindle, Head of Outdoor Learning in the Girls’ Division, added: “This award affirms Bolton School’s unwavering commitment to providing outstanding Outdoor Learning opportunities that genuinely enrich our pupils’ lives and meet the very highest national standards.”
Bolton School’s Head of Foundation, Philip Britton, concluded: “Outdoor learning is such an important part of our life at Bolton School, for character development as well as providing a variety of ways for young people to be active. I am absolutely delighted for my colleagues that their hard work has led to the AHOEC Gold Standard for our outdoor learning work based at school, to add to the one we have for our work at Patterdale Hall Residential Adventure Learning Centre.
“Thank you and well done to Emma Lindle and Steve Bradley for their leadership and vision of what Outdoor Learning can look like at school.”
Read more about Outdoor Learning at Bolton School
Outdoor Learning at Bolton School:
