3.The Act makes provision for residential outdoor education for school children by amending the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 (“the 1980 Act”)(1). Part 1 of the 1980 Act makes provision in relation to school education, including for social activities and physical education (section 6) and therefore the Act amends Part 1 of the 1980 Act to include residential outdoor education. The Act makes provision for every school pupil in local authority or grant-aided schools to have the opportunity to attend a course of residential outdoor education that consists of four overnight stays and five days. This course can be provided all at once or on separate occasions as long as it amounts to the same length.
4.The Act also provides that the Scottish Ministers must prepare and publish guidance for education authorities and managers of grant-aided schools, and sets out what that guidance must cover.
5.The Act provides that the Scottish Ministers must prepare, lay and publish a report, as soon as reasonably practicable after the reporting period has elapsed (five years following the Act coming fully into force), and sets out what the report must cover.
6.The Act also places a duty on education authorities to consider whether this residential outdoor education will be made available if they make provision for a child to attend an independent school.
7.The Act is in five sections.
The ActSummary of and Background to the Act