Scotland has become the first nation to make residential outdoor education a legal requirement for all pupils, after MSPs voted through landmark legislation guaranteeing every child access to a week-long outdoor learning experience.
A landmark bill, which will make outdoor residential education mandatory, has passed its final Holyrood hurdle.
The Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill guarantees that every pupil in Scotland has access to a week of residential outdoor education. It was voted through by a majority of MSPs after a stage three parliamentary debate on Tuesday 16th December.
It was proposed by Conservative MSP for Mid-Scotland and Fife, Liz Smith, who believes the legislation will be “transformational” for the development of young people.
Liz said: “Residential trips teach self-reliance, teamwork and leadership skills and offer the chance to engage with nature. Too many young people, especially those from deprived backgrounds, have missed out on those opportunities.
“Now that this bill is set to become law, every pupil will be able to enjoy an outdoor education experience which will boost their physical and mental wellbeing.”
The bill will place a legal duty on councils to ensure school pupils in grant-aided and state schools have the chance to experience at least four nights and five days of residential outdoor education during their school career.
“What we would like to see now is for this bill to set a precedent and for governments in England and Wales to follow suit.”
Mark Castle, Field Studies Council
It was passed at Holyrood with 120 votes for, no votes against and one abstention. Those in the outdoor education sector have said they hope that governments in England and Wales will look at introducing similar legislation.
What young people learn outdoors “stays with them”
The outdoor education sector has been reacting to the news with Martin Davidson, chief executive of the Outward Bound Trust, saying that the Bill meant “countless young people will now have the chance to experience something truly life-changing.”
He added: “For years, Outward Bound and many others across the sector have said it plainly: residential outdoor education isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s a need-to-have.
“With the Scottish Parliament passing this Bill, Scotland has backed that belief in law, giving every young person the chance to take part in a residential adventure. This matters because what young people learn outdoors stays with them. When they’re challenged, supported, and trusted in real environments, they discover confidence, resilience and connection that can’t be taught on a screen. They find their voice. They realise that anything is possible.
“I want to thank Liz Smith MSP, colleagues across the chamber, and the wider sector for the leadership and persistence that has brought us to this moment.”
Bill represents “once in a lifetime opportunity”
The Field Studies Council, which operates 12 outdoor educational centres across the UK, including one at Millport on the Isle of Cumbrae, said the Schools Residential Outdoor Education (Scotland) Bill presented a once in a lifetime opportunity for school pupils and it was over the moon that MSPs had seized the moment.
Mark Castle, chief executive, said: “This is a landmark moment for outdoor education and the benefits of this bill will be far reaching for Scottish schoolchildren.
“The sector has campaigned long and hard for outdoor residentials to be embedded into school curriculums and this decision by MSPs means it will now be cemented for years to come benefiting hundreds of thousands of young people.
“It’s our belief that there is not a single lesson in the school day which cannot be enriched by connecting to nature, or a topic in the curriculum that can’t be enhanced by outdoor learning whether that be numeracy, literacy, science or the arts.”
Mark said: “We know from experience that time spent away from home and the day-to-day classroom immersed in nature improves wellbeing, builds confidence, promotes independent thinking and fosters more positive attitudes among young learners, as well as making memories which last a lifetime.
“Tory MSP Liz Smith who proposed this legislation and has fought tirelessly for it, is absolutely right when she says this bill will be transformational for the development of young people. We agree wholeheartedly.”
Mark, who still vividly remembers his own first school residential trip to Scotland’s Mull of Galloway, added: “These residential trips offer children irreplaceable opportunities to grow, bond with peers in meaningful ways, and discover sides of themselves they never knew existed. Without them, we’re denying young people experiences that will enrich their lives forever.
“What we would like to see now is for this bill to set a precedent and for governments in England and Wales to follow suit.”
You can read the full Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill here.
