Learning through Landscapes calls for updated school grounds regulations in Scotland

Will you join the Scottish School Grounds Collective to help us to improve the quality and use of all school grounds in Scotland?

For children and young people, school grounds are a vital hub of daily learning, play and sport. They are a unifying feature of life for every child, regardless of their challenges or privileges. They are a place where children and young people are at the forefront of decisions and action. They are a place where environmental and climate literacy is built. And they are a place of play, central to all children’s life and development.

However, the Regulations around school grounds in Scotland date back to 1967. They are unfit for purpose and do not reflect our modern education system, or the Rights of the Child for a clean, healthy, climate adapted, learning and play space. The lack of regulation and guidance has widened the equity gap, creating unequal opportunities for our communities.

In 2017 the Scottish Government started the process of updating the Regulations, but the pandemic intervened in the plans. Since then, we have recognised the triple crises of climate change, nature loss, and mental health in young people. This has been reflected in multiple new policies and strategies in Children’s Rights, Learning for Sustainability, Play, Sport, Climate Adaptation, Biodiversity and Health.

The Scottish School Grounds Collective, led by Learning through Landscapes, is calling for action to improve all school grounds in Scotland. We are starting with a call to complete the update of the Regulations, as well as work to identify the opportunities for new funding, new guidelines on the design and maintenance of these vital spaces, and support for all educators and teachers to enable the best use of these spaces.

We ask you to join our Collective, to sign our National Position Statement on school grounds and commit to work with us to improve the quality and use of all school grounds in Scotland.

Sign the National Position Statement

To join the Scottish School Grounds Collective, sign the National Position Statement or download the National Position Statement in draft Word format.

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If you’re seeking help with taking your outdoor space further, our expert team can provide advice and support through our advisory visit service for schools and early years settings, as well as our outdoor learning and play training.