8. What action is the Welsh Government taking to transform the delivery of education in school playgrounds and other outdoor settings in light of the COVID-19 pandemic? OQ55420

We have published operational and learning guidance for schools and settings that sets out the physical, mental and educational benefits of outdoor learning and emphasises that they should maximise the time learners spend outdoors. The benefits of outdoor learning are particularly relevant in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Thank you, Minister, for that. I'm glad that you recognise that this is a really important tool in the armoury for getting all children back to school where possible and really maximising those opportunities. So, I'm disappointed to report that, in at least one of my primary schools, children have only been offered four hours maximum over this three-week period, simply because they've been put in a bubble of five children—this in a school that has got very generous outdoor education. It doesn't appear that use of the school playgrounds has been properly factored into the planning of what they can offer their children, particularly where a child doesn't have any outdoor play space at home.

I just want to draw all our attention to the importance of the work that's being done in Denmark. Its seven-point plan on reopening schools in the middle of April just emphasised the importance of making outdoor education not just a nice-to-have but a regular part of lesson plans. I hear the naysayers who say, 'Well, our weather doesn't permit that', but no, absolutely not. This is all about having the right equipment. It doesn't matter whether it's rain, wind or snow: as long as children have the right equipment, and the teachers, it's perfectly possible to continue outdoor education at all times of the year.

In your decision framework for schools for the next stage of reopening, you mentioned Denmark, but only in the context of their use of other buildings to increase capacity, and that surprised me in light of the really successful work that Denmark has done on returning children to school. So, what plans does the Welsh Government have to transform the teaching of education in the outdoors as the safest way of beating transmission of the disease? And will you consider, in order to maximise the opportunities you talked about earlier, using the school holidays to offer crash courses to teachers in forest school training? Because it clearly is that some people are needing it.

Well, Jenny, I think access to outdoor learning, whether we find ourselves in a pandemic or not in a pandemic, has real benefits for children: for their mental health, for their physical health, for their ability to understand their environment and how important that is. I've been overwhelmed to see via social media the very innovative approaches that many schools have taken during this period to get children outdoors.

The guidance from Welsh Government clearly states that we are asking schools to offer a minimum of three sessions. Many have been able to offer more, but I do recognise that some schools feel that they've had particular constraints, although that often has more to do with the fact that they're balancing the childcare needs of vulnerable and critical worker children. But you're quite right. I'm not sure who said it, but somebody once said that there was no such thing as bad weather, there were just bad clothing choices, and clearly, in the foundation phase, you will find young children out every day in all weathers learning in that very active environment.

Teachers who are interested and schools that are interested in outdoor learning can access support via Hwb as well as through the Wales Council for Outdoor Learning, which is there to support schools. And we've had some very positive conversations, myself and the Minister for the environment, with Natural Resources Wales about what they too can bring to this agenda, especially in the light of our new curriculum.

I thank the Minister.

We'll now take our break and we will recommence at 2 o'clock.

Plenary was suspended at 13:14.

The Senedd reconvened at 14:02, with the Llywydd in the Chair.