The role of in-between spaces within outdoor school environments in children’s expression of agency

This study is an investigation of in-between spaces within outdoor school environments. It explores these spaces from children’s perspectives to identify their influence on children’s expression of agency. Although there are extensive environment–behaviour studies of the physical environments of schools, little explanation is found for the role and the nature of in-between spaces within outdoor school environments. Nor is there any clear explanation from the point of view of social studies on the role of the physical environment in children’s expression of agency. Unlike previous studies of children’s agency that define ‘environment’ in purely social terms, this study has an ecological theoretical orientation which includes the role of the physical environment. The research design is a multi-site qualitative case study involving three public primary schools in Sydney, Australia. This study uses three methods completed within the school grounds and during the recess and lunch time periods. The data gathering activities include 60 behaviour mapping sessions, 78 walking tours guided by children and 18 focus groups with 3–5 children each. The study participants are children aged 8–10 years who are in school years 3, 4 and 5. The findings from this study identify the key physical, social and organisational characteristics of in-between spaces and their functionality in enabling children’s expression of agency. These spaces provide physical affordances which support children’s activities; they offer possibilities for regulating the impact of school rules and the constant supervision of school staff; and they provide opportunities for regulating the social access of adjacent behaviour settings. This study proposes a new definition of children’s agency in relation to the physical environments of in-between spaces within schools. It shows that these spaces increase possibilities for peer interaction, gender equality and passive supervision, all known as crucial themes in promoting children’s agency within schools. The findings challenge the underlying assumptions of school designers and policymakers about children’s experience of outdoor school environments. This study suggests that the official spaces of school grounds alone may not best afford opportunities for children’s expression of agency. School administrators and designers need to value in-between spaces as well