Richard Drax, MP for South Dorset has today welcomed the publication of a clear timetable for schools to resume day trips and residential stays by the Department for Education.
Under steps in the Government’s roadmap, schools can reintroduce outdoor learning and single day educational visits from Step 2 (April 12 at the earliest). Domestic residential trips can be reintroduced from Step 3 (May 17, again at the earliest.)
“This is very welcome news,” says Richard Drax, “We have a number of outdoor education centres in South Dorset, all of which were closed, virtually overnight, due to pandemic restrictions.”
“Most of their business comes from running residential courses for schools. Getting going again will be a huge relief for the centres and for all those who use them. The benefits of healthy and hearty outdoor education, particularly for city-dwelling children, can hardly be overstated. The pandemic has left some scars; let’s hope that time outdoors in our beautiful constituency can help to heal them.”
“Schools can now rebook with confidence and look forward to their students enjoying all that our outdoor education centres can offer. As a member of the APPG on Outdoor Learning, I am delighted that this has been a priority for the Government.”
The guidance for educational visits in England was published today by the Department for Education.