Caroline Voaden’s Outdoor Education Bill may have been delayed, but the MP and a growing coalition of outdoor learning advocates, providers and campaigners are refusing to give up on their mission to connect every child in England with nature.
Ms Voaden introduced her Ten-Minute Rule Bill in the Commons in July, calling, among other things, for every child to be offered at least one outdoor education experience during primary school years and at least one such experience during secondary school years.
The Bill sparked an outpouring of support from outdoor education providers, campaigners, teachers and parents concerned about the spiralling mental health crisis among young people.
Ms Voaden said: “My Outdoor Education Bill ignited a conversation that had been dodged for too long. For years, successive governments have sat idly by while children retreat from nature, spending hours glued to their screens inside. The consequences of this are clear to see and it is incumbent on the government to tackle the spiralling youth mental health crisis. Though my Bill is delayed until January, I will continue to make the case for outdoor education at every available opportunity.”
In September, Ms Voaden, along with over 290 outdoor education providers and MPs, wrote to the Education Secretary urging her to support the Bill.
The Bill also proposes that all children should spend a minimum of 30 minutes a day outdoors during school hours.
Though disappointed that her Bill wasn’t read in a recent scheduled session in Parliament, Ms Voaden promised to continue pushing the Government to integrate outdoor education into schooling. Failing to do so, she argued, would mean the Government is ignoring the cheapest, quickest and easiest way to tackle the mental health crisis among young people.
Business and operations manager for the Institute of Outdoor Learning, Richard Retallick said: “Outdoor Learning may not be a cure for all the world’s ills, but it is so often a pivotal moment in a person’s life: a boost to confidence; the discovery of inner resilience; an expansion of horizons. Everyone remembers their moment.”
Education manager at the Field Studies Council, Jo Harris added: “Caroline Voaden has put outdoor education on the agenda in Westminster and we thank her for leading the fight.
“Outdoor play has halved in a generation, more young people are experiencing mental health issues and more than a million young people are not in education, employment or training. Outdoor learning has a really big and valuable part to play in tackling all of these.
“Scotland has already guaranteed every pupil a residential trip. England has the chance to do the same and we’ll support the bill at every stage until every child, whatever their background, gets the chance to learn outdoors.”
The Bill’s second reading will now take place on Friday 29th January.
To read the Outdoor Education Bill in full, click here.
