Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Education to detail any assessment his Department has made of the impact of increased opportunities for outdoor play and outdoor learning in primary schools on (i) educational attainment; (ii) attention spans; (iii) behaviour; and (iv) wellbeing.
Minister of Education: My Department has not commissioned research or undertaken a specific assessment of the impact of increased opportunities for outdoor play and outdoor learning in primary schools.
However, my Department is aware of independent research which indicates that outdoor learning can have positive impacts on children’s learning and development. Reported benefits include improvements in wellbeing, behaviour, attention and listening, confidence, language development, problem-solving and decision-making skills, as well as broader learning outcomes.
The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) guidance on learning outdoors recognises that being physically active, spending time outdoors and connecting with nature can positively affect emotional wellbeing and support relaxation and calmness.
Through the Department’s Outdoor Learning Project, over £4 million was invested in pre-school, nursery, primary and special schools to support the development of outdoor learning environments and resources. The project aims to support curriculum delivery and help children develop skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, communication and independence. Participating settings will be asked to complete an evaluation of the project, and the findings will help inform future policy considerations.
ENDS
