Published April 21, 2009
An award-winning Durham County Council museum is one of the first in the country to receive a new national quality badge.
Killhope, the North of England Lead Mining Museum, has been awarded the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge showing it provides quality, safe educational experiences for young people.
The brand new scheme combines for the first time learning and safety into one badge for all organisations providing learning outside.
Councillor Eunice Huntington, the County Council’s Cabinet member for Healthier Communities, said she was “immensely proud” that Killhope, the current One North East Small Attraction of the Year, had achieved the award.
“It’s a real stamp of approval for the high quality activities that we offer young people,” she said.
“We have always worked closely with local schools and youth groups to provide quality learning in a safe environment.
“We know that children really benefit from this important experience and it’s great to have all our hard work recognised,” she said.
• The Quality Badge was developed as part of the Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto, a national initiative to ensure young people are given more opportunities to have experiences as part of the curriculum.
The Quality Badge scheme is part of the Government’s £4.5m Out and About package which also provides guidance and information to teachers on how to plan and organise high quality activities.
The badge is designed to make it easier for teachers to identify providers of quality educational visits. The badge shows schools that the venue has met required standards, so teachers do not need to carry out their own risk or quality assessments.
Ed Balls, Secretary of State Children, Schools and Families, said: “Educational visits are among the most memorable experiences in a child’s school life.
“Quality Badges offer teachers a guarantee that not only is a venue providing the sort of educational value that they can build on in class long after the visit but they also have the appropriate risk management structures in place.
“It is a significant victory in our battle to move away from the misguided perception that learning outside the classroom is a potential minefield for teachers.
"I want to see teachers using Quality Badges as a practical decision making tool. It should ensure that many more young people have memorable, exciting and valuable learning outside the classroom experiences. I congratulate Killhope on being awarded the badge.”
The Quality Badge is available to large and small organisations providing quality learning outside the classroom experiences and managing risk effectively.
Organisations already awarded the badge include museums, adventurous activity and field study centres, places of worship, art galleries, visitor attractions and farms, with many more starting to apply.
The Quality Badge was developed by the Department for Children, Schools and Families. Badges are awarded by the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom.
For more information about the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge, visit www.lotcqualitybadge.org.uk
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