UK Government right to reduce red tape on outdoor education

Following criticism of the UK Government's plans to open up regulation on outdoor education, Scottish Conservative Education Spokeswoman Liz Smith has said that the UK Government is right to redress the balance between safety and the opportunity for pupils to participate.

The report by Lord Young, published last month, was critical of the current licensing arrangements and recommended that common sense and safety should go hand in hand when it came to outdoor education.

Scottish Conservative Education Spokeswoman, Liz Smith MSP said:

"There should be two priorities for outdoor education policy: firstly, that we give every youngster the opportunity to participate and, secondly, that we ensure every possible step is taken to maximise safety.

"The UK Government has rightly become concerned that far too much red tape has got in the way of outdoor education. Too many schools are hesitant when it comes to extending their outdoor programmes and too many teachers are put off by the fear of litigation. The result is that pupils are losing out, so we need to redress the balance.

"What concerns parents most of all is that those staff and outdoor education experts who assist with training have the right qualifications and are fully responsible in charge of school groups. We should be concentrating on improving that training and reducing the vast array of sheets of paper and red tape which gets in the way of common sense.

"Outdoor education can be the most rewarding part of school life, as well as a vital part of the curriculum which builds valuable life skills. The UK Government is right to take steps which will encourage a more balanced approach and one which will benefit more pupils and staff and provide the appropriate assurances to staff."

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