Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill: Children's Minister statement - 24 September 2025

Presiding Officer, I welcome this opportunity to address the Chamber today to provide an update on the Scottish Government’s on-going support for outdoor learning provision for our children and young people, and, in particular, our formal position on the Financial Resolution for the Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill, introduced by Liz Smith.

Now, as Members are aware, for Liz Smith’s Bill to proceed to Stage 2, a motion for a Financial Resolution must be lodged within six months of the conclusion of Stage 1.

And I very much welcome the engagement I have had with Members from across the Chamber and I thank the Member in Charge, Liz Smith, for the constructive discussions we have held.  

Now, I’m pleased to confirm that following very careful and full consideration of this matter, the Scottish Government has today lodged a motion for a Financial Resolution for this Bill, which we will vote to support when Ministers move the motion tomorrow.

I trust that this will come as welcome news to Members across the Chamber.

Now, as I’ve made clear to this Chamber since Stage 1, the Scottish Government absolutely recognises the important role that outdoor learning, in all its forms, including residential outdoor education, can play in supporting the development of our children and young people. And this is reflected in our refreshed Learning for Sustainability Action Plan published in 2023.

I think it’s helpful to briefly note some of the Government’s activity in this regard for the wider Chamber’s awareness.

Now, this work includes, for example, the new Scottish Outdoor Learning Strategic Working Group, which will provide recommendations next month on how government and partners can continue to strengthen support for outdoor learning.

Education Scotland are also supporting the Association of Heads of Outdoor Education and the Scottish Advisory Panel for Outdoor Education in the development of a quality residential framework and a training resource for outdoor education centre instructors.

Systemic change is being delivered through the Curriculum Improvement Cycle, which is strengthening the place of outdoor learning across the 3-18 curriculum. And we continue to provide Pupil Equity Funding and the Learning Estates Investment Programme, which many schools make use of to support delivery of both residentials and on-site outdoor learning.

And what this package of work demonstrates is that, even in the absence of legislation, the Scottish Government is working with partners across the education sector to improve provision and access to impactful, safe and varied outdoor learning experiences, including residential outdoor education.

Our schools and our dedicated school staff are doing their best to ensure that pupils can benefit from such experiences.

For example, Cedarbank, an Additional Support Needs school in West Lothian, is committed to ensuring all pupils across Broad General Education receive two hours of outdoor learning a week. And all subject areas across senior phase are encouraged to integrate regular outdoor learning as part of lesson plans. And at Ulva Primary, on the Isle of Mull, pupils take part in regular outdoor learning through activities such as weekly “Shore School” learning key skills, and taking ownership of their whole learning environment.

Now, there is an important reason why I mention all this.  The Scottish Government acknowledges the significant positive opportunity that Liz Smith’s Bill represents. But as it now progresses to Stage 2, we must ensure that the legislative approach aligns with and builds on – but does not detract from – all the good practice already underway to deliver outdoor learning, across the system.

So while the Government accepts it is Parliament’s will that this Bill proceeds to Stage 2 – and is therefore bringing forward the necessary Financial Resolution – Parliament has a responsibility to ensure that this Bill, should it become law, is fit for purpose, meaning it is affordable and, of course, that it is deliverable.

And this is something that I’ve discussed at length with Liz Smith and I’m grateful to her for her willingness to work through a range of different options.

This will include further considering the total potential costs of the Bill, equity of provision and workforce implications. And these are all issues that were recognised by the lead Education Committee in its Stage 1 Report, and have formed a central focus of my discussions with Liz Smith to date, as the Chamber is aware. Indeed, the Education Committee concluded that the Bill should only progress if concerns relating to affordability and deliverability of the provisions were addressed.

Now as I say, the Government respects the will of Parliament that was very clearly demonstrated at Stage 1, in support for the Bill to move forward. The onus is now on Parliament to work with the Member in Charge, and indeed the Government, to address the challenges that have been raised in relation to funding.

And I can assure Members that Government will play our part. The Cabinet Secretary for Education & Skills and I have both discussed with Liz Smith how the government and the Member in Charge may look to continue constructively working together as this Bill progresses.

We’ve established a shared understanding around this, which is important as we’re now beyond the point as set out in Standing Orders at which Government would otherwise seek to take on the Bill as Government legislation.

Specifically, we’ve agreed that, as the Member in Charge, Liz Smith will work with government on Stage 2 amendments to address the challenges of affordability and deliverability, namely around the duty to fund, targeting those children who might benefit most and a change in commencement.

I believe that there is a wider recognition and a willingness across opposition parties to robustly consider amendments that seek to ensure that this Bill is more affordable. Amendments must also reflect the need for equity in provision and the time required for the outdoor education sector to build sufficient readiness in advance of any new statutory duties coming into effect.

Indeed further close collaboration with a range of stakeholders, including outdoor education centres, teacher trade unions, COSLA and the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland, will be critical to informing Stage 2 considerations. And that’s why I’m further pleased to confirm that Liz Smith has also agreed to developing a work-plan with government that will set out activities to be undertaken – as led by the Member in Charge – in the lead-up to Stage 2 proceedings , to help further address outstanding concerns, and draft amendments.

I have offered to undertake certain engagements with Liz Smith on a joint basis. Support from my officials will also be made available, as appropriate, to further that policy development and analysis that will be necessary to shape a suitable way forward that can best take account of these outstanding issues.

As part of our most recent conversation, Liz Smith has discussed with Ministers potential approaches to addressing the known challenges that the Bill, as introduced, presents for the teacher workforce. We’ve also shared initial thinking around the potential role of capital investment in supporting improvements across the outdoor education estate. And these issues require more focused deliberation.

But I am assured and I’m grateful that the Member in Charge is open and willing to explore those compromises within her Bill to help mitigate unintended consequences, and to strengthen the feasibility of implementation, should the Bill become law.

Importantly, we discussed that in working to strengthen the deliverability of the Bill, focus must remain on ensuring equity in provision and access to residential outdoor education so that all pupils have the opportunity to experience the range of benefits that such activities can provide. For example, it’s widely accepted that residential outdoor education can deliver improvements in personal development, behaviour, attendance and pupil-teacher relationships. 

Therefore, this will remain at the heart of the Scottish Government’s interactions with the Member in Charge, and Parliament more broadly, as this Bill progresses. And, subject to Parliament voting through the motion for the Financial Resolution tomorrow, I can assure Members that I and Liz Smith will be swiftly engaging again to agree the details of a work-plan. We, of course, must make the best use of time that would then be available ahead of formal Stage 2 proceedings to make the progress and the improvements required.

The Scottish Government recognises the opportunity that this Bill represents for children and young people across Scotland, but we must get this right and I will look forward to working with both the Member in charge and those from across the chamber, to ensure that we do so.