Adults other than teachers’ perspectives of their involvement at a primary school's outdoor learning club

Lee C. Beaumont; M. Naeim Maleki; Esther Priyadharshini

Adults other than teachers’ perspectives of their involvement at a primary school's outdoor learning club

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review

Abstract

Purpose: Over the last twenty years, debates in the outdoor learning (OL) literature have focused on the ‘professionalisation’ of outdoor leadership (e.g., teachers, instructors, coaches). However, within UK primary schools, OL extra-curricular clubs are becoming increasingly supported by volunteer helpers (e.g., parents, grandparents, teaching assistants) who possess little in the way of formal OL qualifications or experience. Known as Adults Other Than Teachers (AOTTs), these volunteers contribute to the learning and growth of children who attend these clubs. However, little research has explored the experiences of AOTTs in OL primary school settings, which is surprising given that the value AOTTs can bring to the learning environment within secondary schools is well documented (Blair & Beaumont, 2021). Particularly, some AOTTs have the knowledge and skill to assess the attainment of students, as well as supporting the planning and implementation of lessons (Blair & Beaumont, 2021). Therefore, the aim of this research was to explore AOTTs’ perspectives of their involvement at a primary school OL extra-curricular club, focusing on their perceived health benefits and opportunities for intergenerational learning.

Methods: Eight AOTTs (18+ years) from a primary school in the East of England participated in a qualitative multi-method design that utilised semi-structured interviews and unstructured observations. Interview transcripts and observational fieldnotes were transcribed, coded and analysed. To support the analytical process, Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) socio-ecological model was adopted to understand the AOTTs’ perspectives during this project.

Results: Braun and Clarke’s (2022) six-phase model will be used to establish themes. Data is currently being analysed and will report on the AOTTs’ perspectives of their involvement in supporting the learning of children at the primary school OL extra-curricular club.

Conclusion: Reported in due course.

Original language	English
Publication status	Published - 2026
Event	Association Internationale des Ecoles Superieures d'Education Physique (AIESEP) World Congress - Taipei, Taiwan Duration: 15 Jul 2025 → 19 Jul 2026

Conference

Conference	Association Internationale des Ecoles Superieures d'Education Physique (AIESEP) World Congress
Country/Territory	Taiwan
City	Taipei
Period	15/07/25 → 19/07/26

Keywords

volunteerism
outdoor learning
intergenerational
primary education
extracurricular

Access to Document

New AOTT AbstractAccepted author manuscript, 19.2 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Adults other than teachers{\textquoteright} perspectives of their involvement at a primary school's outdoor learning club",

abstract = "Purpose: Over the last twenty years, debates in the outdoor learning (OL) literature have focused on the {\textquoteleft}professionalisation{\textquoteright} of outdoor leadership (e.g., teachers, instructors, coaches). However, within UK primary schools, OL extra-curricular clubs are becoming increasingly supported by volunteer helpers (e.g., parents, grandparents, teaching assistants) who possess little in the way of formal OL qualifications or experience. Known as Adults Other Than Teachers (AOTTs), these volunteers contribute to the learning and growth of children who attend these clubs. However, little research has explored the experiences of AOTTs in OL primary school settings, which is surprising given that the value AOTTs can bring to the learning environment within secondary schools is well documented (Blair \& Beaumont, 2021). Particularly, some AOTTs have the knowledge and skill to assess the attainment of students, as well as supporting the planning and implementation of lessons (Blair \& Beaumont, 2021). Therefore, the aim of this research was to explore AOTTs{\textquoteright} perspectives of their involvement at a primary school OL extra-curricular club, focusing on their perceived health benefits and opportunities for intergenerational learning. Methods: Eight AOTTs (18+ years) from a primary school in the East of England participated in a qualitative multi-method design that utilised semi-structured interviews and unstructured observations. Interview transcripts and observational fieldnotes were transcribed, coded and analysed. To support the analytical process, Bronfenbrenner{\textquoteright}s (1979) socio-ecological model was adopted to understand the AOTTs{\textquoteright} perspectives during this project. Results: Braun and Clarke{\textquoteright}s (2022) six-phase model will be used to establish themes. Data is currently being analysed and will report on the AOTTs{\textquoteright} perspectives of their involvement in supporting the learning of children at the primary school OL extra-curricular club. Conclusion: Reported in due course. ",

keywords = "volunteerism, outdoor learning, intergenerational, primary education, extracurricular",

author = "Beaumont, \{Lee C.\} and Maleki, \{M. Naeim\} and Esther Priyadharshini",

year = "2026",

language = "English",

note = "Association Internationale des Ecoles Superieures d'Education Physique (AIESEP) World Congress ; Conference date: 15-07-2025 Through 19-07-2026",

}

Adults other than teachers’ perspectives of their involvement at a primary school's outdoor learning club. / Beaumont, Lee C.; Maleki, M. Naeim ; Priyadharshini, Esther.
2026. Paper presented at Association Internationale des Ecoles Superieures d'Education Physique (AIESEP) World Congress, Taipei, Taiwan.

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review

TY - CONF

T1 - Adults other than teachers’ perspectives of their involvement at a primary school's outdoor learning club

AU - Beaumont, Lee C.

AU - Maleki, M. Naeim

AU - Priyadharshini, Esther

PY - 2026

Y1 - 2026

N2 - Purpose: Over the last twenty years, debates in the outdoor learning (OL) literature have focused on the ‘professionalisation’ of outdoor leadership (e.g., teachers, instructors, coaches). However, within UK primary schools, OL extra-curricular clubs are becoming increasingly supported by volunteer helpers (e.g., parents, grandparents, teaching assistants) who possess little in the way of formal OL qualifications or experience. Known as Adults Other Than Teachers (AOTTs), these volunteers contribute to the learning and growth of children who attend these clubs. However, little research has explored the experiences of AOTTs in OL primary school settings, which is surprising given that the value AOTTs can bring to the learning environment within secondary schools is well documented (Blair & Beaumont, 2021). Particularly, some AOTTs have the knowledge and skill to assess the attainment of students, as well as supporting the planning and implementation of lessons (Blair & Beaumont, 2021). Therefore, the aim of this research was to explore AOTTs’ perspectives of their involvement at a primary school OL extra-curricular club, focusing on their perceived health benefits and opportunities for intergenerational learning. Methods: Eight AOTTs (18+ years) from a primary school in the East of England participated in a qualitative multi-method design that utilised semi-structured interviews and unstructured observations. Interview transcripts and observational fieldnotes were transcribed, coded and analysed. To support the analytical process, Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) socio-ecological model was adopted to understand the AOTTs’ perspectives during this project. Results: Braun and Clarke’s (2022) six-phase model will be used to establish themes. Data is currently being analysed and will report on the AOTTs’ perspectives of their involvement in supporting the learning of children at the primary school OL extra-curricular club. Conclusion: Reported in due course.

AB - Purpose: Over the last twenty years, debates in the outdoor learning (OL) literature have focused on the ‘professionalisation’ of outdoor leadership (e.g., teachers, instructors, coaches). However, within UK primary schools, OL extra-curricular clubs are becoming increasingly supported by volunteer helpers (e.g., parents, grandparents, teaching assistants) who possess little in the way of formal OL qualifications or experience. Known as Adults Other Than Teachers (AOTTs), these volunteers contribute to the learning and growth of children who attend these clubs. However, little research has explored the experiences of AOTTs in OL primary school settings, which is surprising given that the value AOTTs can bring to the learning environment within secondary schools is well documented (Blair & Beaumont, 2021). Particularly, some AOTTs have the knowledge and skill to assess the attainment of students, as well as supporting the planning and implementation of lessons (Blair & Beaumont, 2021). Therefore, the aim of this research was to explore AOTTs’ perspectives of their involvement at a primary school OL extra-curricular club, focusing on their perceived health benefits and opportunities for intergenerational learning. Methods: Eight AOTTs (18+ years) from a primary school in the East of England participated in a qualitative multi-method design that utilised semi-structured interviews and unstructured observations. Interview transcripts and observational fieldnotes were transcribed, coded and analysed. To support the analytical process, Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) socio-ecological model was adopted to understand the AOTTs’ perspectives during this project. Results: Braun and Clarke’s (2022) six-phase model will be used to establish themes. Data is currently being analysed and will report on the AOTTs’ perspectives of their involvement in supporting the learning of children at the primary school OL extra-curricular club. Conclusion: Reported in due course.

KW - volunteerism

KW - outdoor learning

KW - intergenerational

KW - primary education

KW - extracurricular

M3 - Paper

T2 - Association Internationale des Ecoles Superieures d'Education Physique (AIESEP) World Congress

Y2 - 15 July 2025 through 19 July 2026

ER -