Why SNP block on Scottish children's right to outdoor education would be a tragedy

There is ample evidence that these experiences are hugely beneficial to young people, helping build self-esteem, self-reliance, confidence and resilience. They are also vital in helping the development of leadership skills and learning what it is to be part of a team – skills which will be essential in later life in further education or the workplace.

The experience of residential outdoor education is of particular importance to those who might come from a disadvantaged background, who otherwise would not be able to access the facilities and activities that these residential centres offer, and delivers a clear benefit for those with additional support needs, enabling them to engage on a level playing field with classmates.

Overwhelming support

Currently, there are many schools in Scotland providing residential outdoor education on a regular basis, but too many do not, often citing financial pressures. If we’re serious about ensuring all young people have access to these opportunities, then we need to put in place a legislative framework to avoid a postcode lottery.

That is exactly what my colleague Liz Smith MSP has been doing over the past three years, with a Member’s Bill at Holyrood giving every child in Scotland the opportunity to experience at least a week of outdoor residential education. She has spent a huge amount of time engaging with the sector and stakeholders including local authorities, teaching unions, and parents’ groups, in addition to the outdoor centres themselves. A formal consultation found overwhelming support for the Bill’s principles from 436 responders.

The matter was referred to the Scottish Parliament’s Education, Children and Young People’s Committee, which published its report on the Bill last week. Having carefully considered the matter, and taken extensive evidence, the committee decided the Bill should be endorsed in principle, and recommended to parliament that it should proceed.

This support was passed only on the casting vote of the committee convenor. The Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green members of the committee all voted in favour, with the opposition coming from the SNP members, who were concerned about the affordability of the proposals.

Poorer children miss out

According to evidence heard by the committee, the likely cost to the public purse of providing this access to outdoor residential education would be in the region of between £24 and £40 million annually. Although not an inconsiderable sum, it represents a tiny fraction of the billions spent every year by the Scottish Government and local authorities on the provision of education.

In her evidence to the committee, Liz Smith highlighted the fact that some existing trips for young people are funded through grants, whilst other schools are able to assist through pupil equity funding. However, the situation is patchy across the country, and there is evidence that passing the cost on to parents or carers means that those from lower income backgrounds can miss out. Accordingly, the case for universal, centrally funded provision is a strong one.

Liz Smith has also raised with Scottish ministers the possible use of public trust funds to pay the costs, based on the model of Rethink Ireland. There are certainly a number of charitable trusts in Scotland where the provision of residential outdoor education for those from disadvantaged backgrounds would meet with their grant-giving criteria, so this is an option well worth pursuing further.

It would be a pity if the funding issue was the straw on which this worthwhile initiative was broken. What is required is a certain degree of imagination on the part of the education authorities to identify the required funding from a variety of sources, recognising the substantial value that residential outdoor education provides.

Universal provision

The committee also highlighted two other issues. Firstly, inclusion and equity for pupils with additional support needs, who might currently lose out on these opportunities, need to be ensured. While some outdoor centres currently accommodate very well additional support needs, that provision needs to be universal.

Secondly, the committee heard from representatives of education trade unions about their concerns about the impact on teachers’ terms and conditions should residential outdoor education be put on a statutory basis, rather than being voluntary as at present. It is Liz Smith’s view that only those teachers that have an interest in outdoor education are likely to wish to participate in these trips with their pupils, but certainly it is an issue which requires further consideration by the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers, as the committee noted.

The Bill will now proceed to a full parliamentary stage 1 debate and vote. Whilst it would appear that most SNP MSPs remain opposed, there are others minded to vote in favour. With Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green members on the committee supporting the Bill, that would suggest there is already a parliamentary majority to see it pass, assuming the committee members can persuade their respective parliamentary groups to back their positions.

I hope that they do. The case that Liz Smith has made for the benefits of residential outdoor education is compelling. I have seen the benefits in my own children as will other parents across Scotland.

It would be a tragedy if the SNP minority administration at Holyrood seek to block this highly worthwhile initiative, given the relatively modest cost involved. If the SNP are serious about improving the quality of education for, and improving the life chances of, all our young people, then they should get behind this very worthwhile Bill.

Murdo Fraser is a Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid-Scotland and Fife