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KNOTTINGLEY
IN 1971
15th June 1971
Living Education Is Fun In Great Outdoors
It
has been estimated that on each school day about 100,000 British children
play truant, and there are forecasts that the problem could become worse,
especially when the school age is raised. Some people say pupils who have
a phobia about school need the help of welfare officers and child guidance
clinics. For others who just can't be bothered to attend school, it would
be difficult to do much on all those lines. Really, there is only one way
the truant problem can be solved - by making school so attractive that
children will feel they are missing something if they don't go.
I
thought of this (says Allan Tunningley) as I drove home after
spending a few hours with Knottingley High School pupils based at their
field study centre at Helwith Bridge, in the Yorkshire Dales where I
witnessed an invaluable approach to education. Knottingley High School is
without doubt one of the most progressive schools in the area, proving
itself time and again in the varying aspects of education. At present it
is the only school in the area to have a field study and outdoor centre,
though Pontefract Boy’s Secondary School at Carleton has launched an
appeal for £1000 towards establishing a similar centre in the Lake
District. From the start of this year’s summer term, weekly parties of
pupils from Knottingley have gone in their school coach to the picturesque
Dales to sample the delights of what I call "living education."
Getting
into the countryside and studying geology, history, geography and biology
at first hand must be better than studying the same subject under clinical
conditions in a stuffy classroom.
The
pupils I was with at Helwith Bridge, really proved the advantage of
studying ‘in the field’ - I could see their interest had really been
aroused. They were unanimous in preferring Helwith Bridge to the
classroom. One of them commented: "it’s a pity there’s no
advantage in learning maths, English and French out in the wilds."
You have to draw the line somewhere, though.
A
pair of good strong jeans, heavy climbing boots and a thick, woollen
sweater makes up the average uniform in the Dales. With each child armed
with a notebook and pen, the class is ready for work. An additional
advantage of this type of education is that it gives youngsters some
responsibility.
While
I was at Helwith Bridge, the teacher in charge was Mr. William Bailey, the
deputy headmaster. I saw him establish a precedent. He told pupils they
could go off in small groups for the first time, instead of in one large
party.
Mr.
Bailey explained that he thought them responsible enough to be able to go
out and work without constant adult supervision. They split into a number
of small groups. Some went to nearby Horton-in-Ribblesdale, while others
made their way to Settle. I observed some of the groups as they worked.
Lauren Best and Sonja Bailey (Mr. Bailey’s daughter) both aged 15, and
Katrina Sefton, aged 16, were studying the history of houses in Settle.
What had they learned? Well, they told me, more than they would have done
in a normal class. If the subject seems to you to be rather narrow, then
your mind is narrow. The result of their work, though not of any real
educational importance, is only a small part of what it is all about. Like
the words of the song, it’s not what you do it’s the way that you do
it. I found Mandy Hamilton, Margaret Brannon and Susan Smart drawing
bridges. They all agreed it was interesting "to see the other side of
geography." They were joined by Maureen Carr, who told me of the
attitude of the Dales people when they were invaded by schoolchildren
asking questions. Some were beginning to get "fed up" but a lot
more were "right helpful" to them, she said. Ann Metcalfe,
Janine Sefton and Sharon Mellor were studying old churches, I found them
examining Stainforth Parish Church.
"We’ve
learned a tremendous amount in the past week," Ann declared, and the
others nodded in agreement. Susan Dudley and Pat Robinson had just
finished following the River Ribble from Helworth Bridge to Settle when I
asked if they would agree that youngsters had things too easy at school
nowadays. "It’s easier at school than before" says Susan,
"but it hasn’t made us soft." The two adventurous youngster’s
were Antony Wood and Geoffrey Hardy, who climbed Pen-y-Ghent, one of the
three highest peaks in the Dales, to measure solution holes. They told me
of their interest in Outward Bound subjects and expressed a desire to
explore potholes.
Mr.
Gerald White, who assisted Mr. Bailey at the centre, told me he would like
to see the opportunity of visiting Helwith Bridge for a week in term time
open to every pupil. Some could not afford to go, so the West Riding
County Council is being approached for financial aid. The schools
headquarters at Helwith Bridge were opened last year after standing for
eight years gathering dust and cobwebs. It was a village school and a
youth club before being closed.
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