Adam Afriyie, Conservative MP for Windsor, received an answer to his written question asking what recent representations DfE has received from the outdoor learning sector on the number of field centres available to schools and if it has made an assessment of the adequacy of the number of field centres available to schools.
In response, Schools Minister Nick Gibb said that the Government wants to ensure that schools have the maximum freedom to teach in the way that they judge best for their pupils, including through activities outside the classroom such as attendance at field centres. Encouragingly, Gibb also noted that outdoor education can both support the curriculum and meet the wider needs of their pupils. However, he said that DfE does not assess the adequacy of the number of field study centres available to schools, noting that most field centres are provided by local authorities or local charities and that schools are best placed to determine how best to use such facilities.