3. To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to schools to facilitate the expansion of an outdoor learning-based curriculum. (S6O-03234)

As part of our “Learning for sustainability: action plan 2023 to 2030”, which was published in June 2023, we have committed to establishing a new national policy workstream on outdoor learning, to be supported by a national working group that will report to the Scottish ministers. The group will pursue a range of actions to ensure that all children and young people receive entitlement to outdoor learning in all its forms.

In addition, Education Scotland continues to support schools in taking learning outside through professional learning provision. A new learning for sustainability portal will launch later this year, as will a learning for sustainability peer mentor network.

I thank the minister for that positive response. I am sure that she and the whole chamber are aware of the many recorded benefits that regular access to outdoor learning can have for learners—and, indeed, educators—across all levels of schooling. She will also be aware of the success of initiatives such as the teaching in nature programme. Is she minded to lend support to my colleague Liz Smith’s member’s bill to guarantee outdoor residential experiences for primary and secondary pupils?

I have discussed the draft bill’s proposals with Ms Smith on several occasions, most recently earlier this year, and I will continue to do so over the coming weeks and months following the bill’s formal introduction, which I believe is imminent.

As with any new legislative proposal, all stakeholder views must be taken into account and the full range of consequences and costs must be explored. On that note, I had a fantastic visit to the Outward Bound Trust at Loch Eil, where I heard at first hand the benefits of that form of outdoor education and spoke directly to some of the young people who were benefiting from it.

In relation to the proposed member’s bill, although the Government will give any draft bill its full consideration, we will reserve our final position until the bill is introduced.

Will the minister set out what role Scotland’s universities have in supporting the outdoor learning sector?

Universities are playing a really important role. A good example of that is Queen Margaret University’s new outdoor learning hub, which my colleague Graeme Dey, the Minister for Higher and Further Education, opened earlier this week. Further examples are the courses that are offered by universities including Queen Margaret University, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Stirling and the University of the Highlands and Islands. We are working with colleges and universities and the General Teaching Council for Scotland to develop a new national framework for initial teacher training that embeds learning for sustainability.