The importance of residential outdoor education to the lives of millions of children, young people and adults cannot be underestimated. Without it, schools, children and communities will permanently lose important, formative educational experiences. Outdoor education centres across the UK are currently facing an unprecedented threat to their very existence.

The outdoor education sector is built on health and safety and has been prepared for safe reopening since June. Despite the sector’s continued efforts to prove its safety and preparedness, while boarding schools, hotels and hostels continue to operate, the UK and devolved governments have blocked residential and overnight school trips.

The sector has already seen nearly 3,000 job losses, with 3,000 more likely before the new year, with over £500m in revenue lost since the shutdown. Up to 15,000 jobs are at risk and the UK stands to lose over half of its outdoor education facilities permanently if no action is taken.

Mountain Training believes that without immediate government support many of these centres, some of which have been operating for at least forty years, will close their doors forever. This would deny hundreds of thousands of pupils across the UK the opportunity to have, what may be for some, a once in a lifetime experience. Ensuring all children and young people can benefit from these rich and varied educational experiences is imperative to helping students, schools and the education sector recover from Covid 19.

Mountain Training’s portfolio of qualifications, some of which are OFQUAL/SQA regulated, underpin the entire outdoor education sector with most heads of centres, business owners, managers and staff holding at least one of our qualifications and some of them using our qualifications to support in-house training for many more.

Outdoor education also provides an opportunity for young people to try hill walking and climbing, something which many of them may not experience through family and friends, potentially sparking a healthy habit for life.

Information and action

Boris Johnson urged to intervene to 'save outdoor education' - BBC news article

UK Outdoors press release

Scotland

Sign the petition to draw attention to the plight of residential outdoor centres in Scotland: https://www.change.org/saveyouroutdoorcentres.

Write a letter to your MSP, copied to John Swinney. You will find a template letter to share here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VB6whpD4wkdGbpaUhqeXu8OAKB_dfHctIGd9NpS4UHY/edit - you can find a list of MSPs here.

England

Sign the petition to change Department for Education school guidance to allow overnight educational visits: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/330559

Write a letter to your local MP using this template: - you can find a list of MPs here.

Wales

Write a letter to your local MS - you can find a list of MSs here.