Learning about the built environment is about learning to see the value of well-designed spaces, and to understand the relationship between the natural environment and the local community. Young people can learn about the built environment in the classroom and the school grounds or through the buildings and spaces that make up our cities and streetscapes. Whether they are looking at something in a grand historic house or on the corner of their local street, there are a wealth of learning opportunities around them.
Students participating in Green Day events as part of the Climate Change Festival, Birmingham © lydiaevans.com
For an overview of built environment education, read ‘What is built environment education all about?’
Benefits of built environment education
- enhances student engagement
- develops cultural and creative skills
- provides students with a chance to interact with and learn about local places
- develops young people’s understanding of their local area
- helps young people become active citizens, developing community cohesion
- broadens young people’s skills, including personal, social and thinking skills
- helps young people to learn about careers in the built environment
- develops a strong link between the school and the wider community.
How will using buildings and places help me to teach the curriculum?
The secondary curriculum is particularly suited to teaching through buildings and places. By taking your class to new places, using the context of the local area or extending a maths session to incorporate physical measurements in the school grounds, you can help meet the new curriculum aims, which can apply to all key stages.
The secondary curriculum key aims
- successful learners, who enjoy learning, make progress and achieve
- confident individuals, who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives
- responsible citizens, who make a positive contribution to society
Using buildings and places to engage students with their local environment and local community provides them with the skills to interact with, analyse and understand places and spaces.
In interacting and learning from buildings and places, students can develop confidence in making decisions and sharing opinions about the world and society we live in – why sustainable design is important, how we can better preserve our built heritage, what makes a place safe, and why young people matter in a community.
Personal, learning and thinking skills
If young people are to be prepared for the future, they need to develop skills and qualities for learning, life and employment by becoming:
- independent enquirers
- creative thinkers
- reflective learners
- team workers
- self-managers
- effective participators
Active, authentic, personalised learning experiences using buildings and places will allow for individual students to develop these important skills at their own pace.
Students visiting Fitzwilliam College in Cambridge as part of a How Places Work programme © Alys Tomlinson
Cross-curricular flexibility
Using buildings and places is an ideal way to teach flexibly and creatively, allowing multi-sensory experiences, cross-curricular approaches and using a range of teaching and learning activities.
For more information on how using buildings and places can help you with the secondary curriculum, read 'Using buildings and places within the secondary curriculum'.
Every Child Matters
Stepping outside the classroom and using the school grounds, using the local environment, or visiting a significant site are all valuable ways of ensuring that every child is receiving support and development across the five outcomes of Every Child Matters.
Buildings and places can be used to support the primary and secondary school curriculum and make connections between schools, young people and the wider community. Involving young people in design decisions about the places in which they live, learn and play can help produce inspiring buildings that are respected, instil a sense of ownership and community and are fit for purpose.
For more information, read the article, 'Every Child Matters and the built environment'.
Learning Outside the Classroom initiative
Every young person should experience the world beyond the classroom as an essential part of learning and personal development, whatever their age, ability or circumstances.
Using buildings and places is one way you can make sure you are providing each learner with the opportunity to learn in an environment beyond the classroom. Learning outside the classroom can help develop creativity and strengthens classroom learning.
For more information on the Learning Outside the Classroom, read the article, 'Learning Outside the Classroom'.
Construction and the built environment diploma
Engaging Places supports teachers who are teaching the construction and the built environment (C&BE) diploma. For more information on the C&BE diploma, read ‘Construction and the built environment diploma’.
