Head of Frensham Heights Andrew Fisher on the long-term benefits of outdoor education in teaching young people about leadership, empathy and authenticity

Over the final week of January in the cold Surrey Hills, I took to the outdoors and camped in several unusual places around the school campus: hidden in the woods; right next to the car park; high on an exposed side of the theatre; in a suspended tent dangling from the high ropes course. Why? To raise awareness and funds for a local charity, but on a higher level, to show that taking risks to support others is a great life lesson.

Teaching is so much more than the ‘in classroom’ experience and outdoor education has always been an essential part of my life and career. By grabbing people’s attention, raising the profile of the school charity (Guildford-based The Fountain Centre) and raising over £10,000 in the process, I hope I have appealed to the imagination and intuition of my students and shown them that leading comes in all shapes and sizes.

My lifelong love of outdoor education began in 1977 when I attended Timbertop; Geelong Grammar’s year-long outdoor education programme in the Victorian highlands of Australia. It was largely modelled on the work of Kurt Hahn, founder of Gordonstoun, and at Timbertop I learnt that I was stronger than I ever could have imagined, both physically and mentally. I learnt that I could plan and manage risk successfully. Essentially, I learnt who I was, how I functioned and what I could achieve even when I thought it impossible. The experience had a resounding effect. The references back to those experiences remain strong even now, 47 years later.

At Frensham Heights, outdoor education is an intrinsic part of our curriculum, from Forest School in the early years through to high-altitude expeditions for the older students. The programme for all activities begins with learning the specific skillset needed for this experiential learning – the real adventures. As their practical skills develop and their experiences widen, students develop massively in confidence, empathy, resilience, collaboration and communication. They take turns leading – running the budget, standing up and making critical decisions. Our main outcome is to develop the students’ self-confidence and sense of pride, their ability to step out of their comfort zones and not be afraid to make mistakes. Students learn to deal with both success and failure and to get back up and try again each time. They learn to be authentic to trust, both themselves and others.

Self-knowledge and the willingness to be open about your own strengths and weaknesses, especially when you are the one leading, are essential. I have never held with the tags put on leadership styles but being an ‘authentic’ leader is probably as close to the truth as I have got. If you are open and lead by example, show fragility and strength, can manage risk but not be afraid then you can naturally bring others with you. This style of leadership allows those who doubt, or who are yet to lead themselves – to see and understand that truth and self-reflection are key.

I hope that my winter camping will be memorable, will make some think about taking risks, and has raised the profile of The Fountain Centre. Perhaps, most importantly, in the years ahead my students of today will have grown into adults who think they too can take a risk and can show their authentic selves to others as they lead.

Long-serving Head Andrew Fisher returned last academic year to oversee the planned transition to a new Head, Ben McCarey, who leads the school from September 2024

Frensham Heights frensham.org

Further reading: Natural advantages at Glenalmond College

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