Debate contribution: Curriculum Mainstreaming and Strategy for Outdoor Learning in Schools

Debate contribution by Mr Paul Givan on 24 November 2025.

MLA

Mr Paul Givan

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist Party

Date

24 November 2025

Type

Debate contribution (made as a minister)

Business

Committee Business

Heading

Curriculum Mainstreaming and Strategy for Outdoor Learning in Schools

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5254016

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I will see whether I can release my inner Bear Grylls or MacGyver in my contribution. Some Members have invited me to engage in a working group with the Committee and said that we can maybe abseil together. I would be quite happy to tie some of them up in rope if they wanted me to. Nevertheless, it has been an interesting and important debate. I share a lot of commonality on it with all the Members who have spoken. I will pick up on some of the issues that they raised. First, outdoor learning is not simply an enrichment activity. It is a vital part of how children develop resilience, creativity and well-being. It supports physical, emotional and cognitive development and helps pupils to build confidence and problem-solving and social interaction skills. Those experiences are particularly valuable in fostering curiosity and a lifelong love of learning. When I think about history and geography field trips, I reflect on how I have committed to my long-term memory some of the things that I learned on them. There are other things that I learned in the classroom that I certainly could not recite, but I recall going to Dundrum and learning about the Norman keep when we were considering the Norman invasion of Ireland. Yes, the Normans were here long before we Ulster Scots came during the plantation 400 years ago, so blame them. It was those interesting field trips that enhanced my curiosity about such subjects. I did not participate in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, but I know that many in my school benefited from that experience. Outdoor play is embedded in the Northern Ireland curriculum at Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, specifically in the areas of learning the world around us and physical development and movement. However, implementation of those areas is at the discretion of individual schools, and, while many schools embrace outdoor learning, we recognise the need for a more consistent and progressive approach across all settings. One of the findings of the independent review indicated that there was inconsistency in that. Implementation should not be down to the experience of the school through teachers who have a particular interest and can then impart their knowledge to the pupils. Given the fact that some schools do not have teachers with such experiences, education on the world around us and physical development and movement was found not to be consistent across schools because of the way in which it operates. Significant steps are being taken to support learning in this area. In December 2024, I launched the curriculum-led capital investment programme, which prioritises investment in areas that enhance curriculum delivery. Under that programme, the outdoor learning project was introduced in early 2025. Through that initiative, £3 million was invested in outdoor play equipment. That benefited 93 nursery schools, 776 primary schools and 40 special schools. Funding allocations ranged from £3,500 to just over £6,000 per school, which was based on their enrolment numbers. That investment ensured that schools have the resources to create safe and stimulating outdoor environments. Evaluation of the project will take place during the autumn, and findings will inform our next steps. Beyond capital investment, the Education Authority continues to provide professional learning resources through its supporting learning website. Those include practical guidance and videos showcasing outdoor learning activities, primarily focused on early years but also relevant throughout primary education. That support helps teachers to embed outdoor approaches in their practice and ensures that outdoor learning is not an occasional activity but a planned and purposeful part of the curriculum. I pay tribute to some organisations that provide that outdoor opportunity for some schools, albeit in a limited fashion, and I know that schools would like to have more resources. However, during Open Farm Weekend, which is organised by the Ulster Farmers' Union, farms in constituencies are opened up, and they encourage schools to come in. Those young people get to see how a farm operates from the landscape and land utilisation, to animals and the way in which the feed operates and, ultimately, the production process and the end product and how you can sell that on to market. The young people in the schools that have been able to participate have benefited from that and have a much greater understanding of the agricultural way of life. I was a townie, but my grandfather had a farm, and I benefited from heading up to the farm every weekend to get enlightened as to how the culchies all lived. I had great experiences of being out on the farm in Dungannon in south Tyrone, which is where my family is all from. I remember those experiences out on the tractor and granda explaining to me what was happening with the cattle and the pigs. I was below the minimum age of criminal responsibility for some activities, but I fired my first shotgun and air rifle — all under very strict supervision — which is an experience that many townies, quite rightly, would never be able to benefit from. A lot of people do not have the same opportunity to benefit from that outdoor way of life. Therefore, although the Ulster Farmers' Union does not offer some of the extracurricular activities that my grandfather provided, it does provide a good demonstration of that outdoor way of life. The Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) strongly endorses outdoor learning. Recent inspection findings highlight that outdoor learning improves children's health, well-being and progression in learning. It helps pupils to manage emotions and behaviours, develop social skills and demonstrate better concentration after engaging in adventurous physical play. The ETI reports that schools prioritising outdoor learning in their development plans see increased resilience, confidence and creativity among pupils. Outdoor learning is particularly effective when well planned and integrated across the curriculum, enabling children to make connections, apply knowledge and develop critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. The ETI also notes that growing interest in forest and beach schools and collaboration with organisations, such as the Northern Ireland Forest School Association and Eco-Schools, is building teacher confidence and enriching pupils' understanding of sustainability. I commend the work of the Northern Ireland Forest School Association and its efforts in promoting child-centred, nature-based learning. It has had a transformative impact on pupils' confidence, well-being and engagement, and I look forward to visiting its site at Clandeboye in due course to see at first-hand the positive differences that it is making for children and teachers across Northern Ireland. I thank Members for their contribution to this important discussion. By working collaboratively, we can embed outdoor learning as a meaningful component of learning and delivering positive change for children, families and the wider education sector. Outdoor learning is an investment in well-being, creativity and lifelong learning.

1,131 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 13:52 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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