Outdoor schools: limits and dilemmas

Outdoor school is a stable element of Czech educational system. However, many changes have occurred during the last twenty years in the purposes of outdoor schools and in their organization. The article presents various school statistics and results of research which included questionnaire survey in elementary schools in Prague and a case study of two classes. The study found that the outdoor school programmes are getting shorter, budgets for outdoor schools are reduced, and prices of outdoor school programmes for parents are increasing. Because of high prices, almost 20 % of
pupils cannot attend outdoor schools. Nevertheless, according to teachers, pupils and parents, the main purpose of outdoor school programmes is to create a better social climate in peer groups. Because of high rates of absence, this goal is partly invalid. Another purpose should be that teachers and children get to know each other better. This goal is invalid as well because many schools hire commercial agencies which limits the time that pupils and teachers spend together.