Module 1: Impact and value of school trips

Curiosity Outside the Classroom School Trips & Visits

Description

This module explores why school trips matter and the impact they have on pupils’ learning, development, and engagement. It looks at how high-quality arts and cultural visits can support and enrich the curriculum in a meaningful way.

You will learn about the current picture of school trips using research from The Sutton Trust, helping you understand the challenges and opportunities of school trips.

The module also draws on evidence from the Cultural Learning Alliance, alongside our own insights from working directly with schools and pupils through programmes such as the Curious Citizens programme. We also share findings from the Oxwell programme, which highlights how trips can support a sense of belonging for students.

Aims:

Understand the impact of school trips
Build understanding of how school trips support pupils’ learning, development, engagement, and sense of belonging.
Use evidence to inform practice
Explore key research and insights that highlight the value of trips, which help you make informed decisions about planning and provision.
Embed Cultural Learning in the curriculum
Support you in recognising how arts and cultural experiences can enrich the curriculum and contribute to wider pupil outcomes.

Interactive approach to looking at curiosity outside of the classroom. Lots of tools to take back to school and embed within our practice.

2025 Course Participant

Activity 1

The OxWell Student Survey is a collaboration between young people, schools, local authorities, the NHS and the OxWell research team at the University of Oxford’s Department of Psychiatry. It gathers the views of pupils aged 9–18 about their wellbeing, mental health, and school experience. It provides schools with valuable insight into what helps young people feel engaged, supported, and able to thrive.

The OxWell 2025 survey revealed:

58% of pupils identified school trips as the top factor helping them feel engaged with their school community

School trips ranked higher than:

after-school clubs
sports and enrichment activities
whole-school event

Importantly, this was consistent across all groups of learners, including those who may be more vulnerable or less engaged in school.

Why This Matters

The findings reinforce there is real value in school trips creating a sense of belonging, wellbeing, and engagement within school. This is particularly important as the Oxwell data also reports concerns around pupil loneliness and anxiety. Shared experiences outside the classroom help build friendships and strengthen connections with teachers, something the Curious Citizens programme also highlighted. In addition, when aligned to curriculum intent, school trips can directly support:

An ambitious, knowledge rich curriculum by providing:
- real-world contexts that deepen subject understanding
- opportunities for enquiry, observation, and application
- memorable experiences that support long-term learning
Personal development by increasing:
- cultural capital
- confidence and independence
- communication and teamwork skills
Inclusion and equity by ensuring all learners benefit, including those who may:
- struggle with engagement
- feel less connected to school
- experience anxiety or low confidence
Positive behaviour and attitudes to learning by providing:
- active, meaningful tasks
- encouraging curiosity and ownership
- offering alternative ways to succeed

To find out more about the most recent data, watch this film.

Read the Oxwell Reports

Activity 2

Having learnt more about the OxWell data:

What insights does this data give you?
What questions does this raise for you and your school?
What one small action can you take as a result of this data?

Share your thoughts

Enter your answers here

Once you have entered your answers you will be able to view others' responses. Are these responses similar or different to your response?

Top Tips

Make the case for equity and access

Use the Sutton Trust Report to highlight how funding pressures are leading to the reduction or stopping of schools trips altogether, especially in disadvantages areas. Position school trips as essential for widening access, closing opportunity gaps and ensuring all pupils benefit from high-quality arts and cultural experiences, regardless of background.

Read Sutton Trust Report
Back up your case with pupil voice and evidence

Use the OxWell data as a starting point to build a clear, evidence- based case for trips. For example, 58% of pupils say trips are the top factor for feeling engaged at school. This strengthens your argument by showing that trips have a proven impact on engagement, belonging, and wellbeing.

Visit Oxwell

Align trips with curriculum and personal development goals

Use the Curious Citizens programme as a starting point to demonstrate how trips support curriculum depth, real-world learning, personal development and cultural capital. Advocating for trips in this way shows they are not an “add-on,” but a key part of delivering high-quality education.

Learn about Curious Citizens
Stay informed and responsive to cultural education trends and impact

Draw on insights from the Cultural Learning Alliance, in particular its annual Report Card. Use wider research to stay up to date with current developments in Arts Education.

Visit Cultural Learning Alliance