Green Party backs campaign for statutory children's outdoor play space in schools

From Share My School LINK

30 Sep 2014 — We recently met with Natalie Bennett, the Leader of The Green Party of England and Wales to discuss our campaign for outside space in UK schools and the legislation that currently governs this. We highlighted problems within the Standards for School Premises and Independent School Standards Regulations both of which we feel need changing to introduce minimum statutory outside space requirement, which they both lack. We also spoke about the Building Bulletin 103, which sets out the minimum non-statutory guidelines for outside space and how we feel this should be made a statutory baseline requirement for all new schools.

We are very pleased to announce that Natalie Bennett and The Green Party are in full agreement with us and have formally backed our campaign for these changes. Here is a statement of support from Natalie Bennett, leader of the Green Party of England and Wales:

As I am Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, it may seem unsurprising that I and the Party are so solidly in support of Share My School and Learning through Landscapes’ campaign to change the law to provide green space at our children’s schools.

Green space is vital for everyone in society – as a way to protect our own natural environment, and of course as a way for all of us, however wealthy or otherwise, to be able to share leisure time at no cost.

And the provision of green space has even wider-reaching effects: a study completed early this year at the University of Exeter’s European Centre for Environment and Human Health found that access to green spaces improves mental health in ways – and for longer time periods – that almost nothing else can.

For our children, the benefits are even further reaching.

Time spent outside – for recreation or curricular activity – enables children to exercise, to engage with nature and to build stronger relationships with other children.

That’s why we at the Green Party stand with Share My School and Learning through Landscapes on this issue, and call on the government to reverse its poorly-researched, mistaken policy to allow schools to set up without any outdoor space.

Green space helps our children to thrive. The government has a duty to ensure it is provided.

Natalie Bennett, Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales

Our children have a right to access outside space while at school. In a nation facing an obesity crisis and a rise in mental health issues, it should be a priority of our Government to not exacerbate these issues but work towards positive change. We need to provide our children with space to exercise, engage with nature and to gain a diverse and wide ranging education.

As always, please share our petition with friends, family and colleagues.

http://www.change.org/p/nicky-morgan-stop-new-schools-being-created-without-any-outdoor-space-for-children-to-play-and-learn

Thank you

Nicky Morgan: Protect our children's health and wellbeing - Stop new schools being created without any outdoor space for children to play and learn.

http://www.change.org

Think back to your childhood and you'll likely remember being outside, playing tag or other games with your friends, building dens, riding your bike,...

Get out there and celebrate Playday today

Today is National Playday organised by Play England and the weather has turned out just right for children to get out into the fresh air.  Here is Play England's message about today:

Playday has gone from strength-to-strength since its inception in London in 1987, when the first events were held to raise awareness about the effects of cuts to local play services. Today, over 600 celebrations are happening across the UK to give children and young people a fun-filled day, and to continue to demonstrate the importance of play for children, families and whole communities. 

A survey commissioned to support the Playday 2013 Playful places campaign has revealed that traffic, fear of strangers and intolerant neighbours are preventing children from playing outdoors. Additionally, over 50% of adults reported playing out at least seven times a week when they were growing up, compared to less than a quarter of children (23%) today, with 40% of children saying they want to play out more. 

However, the survey shows that play has the power to bring communities together; with 40% of adults saying that children playing out where they live improves community spirit, and almost half (45%) saying it helps families to get to know each other. All it takes is one or two families to take the first step; with 60% of parents saying they would feel confident to let their kids play out if others were playing too.

So for Playday 2013, we're calling on everyone to help make sure that children have the freedom and space to play out where they live by:

• Spreading the word about the campaign - tell everyone you know about Playday - Facebook it, Tweet it (#Playday2013) and talk about it!
• Getting involved locally - get together with others in your community to think about how you can make the places where you live great places for kids to play.
• Encouraging decision-makers to commit to play - contact your local MP and Councillors and encourage them to take account of children's play needs when making decisions about your local area.

The Playful places campaign is calling on everyone to help make sure that the places where children play and hang out are great places to play.

The campaign recognises that:

• Children should feel welcomed where they live and feel part of their communities.
• Parents want their children to be able to play outside.
• Public space should be designed and managed with children's play in mind.
• Children and young people need to be involved in planning the places and spaces where they play.

Kids needed to promote the outdoors

Using the sense of touch to get to know a tree in Fryent Country Park

Seeing the reaction of children when they visit Brent School Without Walls LINK with me in Fryent Country Park and have the chance to run through meadows, build shelters, pond dip and bug hunt, always reminds me of the importance of such experiences.  Often children seen as behaviour problems in school surprise their teachers by their engagement and on one occasion that I remember a child who was an elective mute in class chattered happily about what she was doing.

Now there's an opportunity for children themselves to find ways of encouraging more children to make use of the outdoors.

A group of advisors – made up entirely of children – is being recruited by the National Trust to provide advice on how to encourage more of the nation’s children outdoors. The idea follows the charity’s recent Natural Childhood Report of 50 things to do before the age of 11¾ campaign. It shows the Trust stepping up its game in encouraging children to explore the outdoors and to experience nature at first hand.

The National Trust is looking to sign up ten children aged between seven and twelve to the council where they are to take up an important role in developing the charity’s outdoor campaigns as well as making their properties more fun for younger children.

The perfect candidate will be brimming with enthusiasm and fun, plus having a natural love for the outdoors and fresh air. Potential applicants are also required to have an adventurous spirit and a wild imagination. A fondness for rolling down hills or jumping in muddy puddles would be considered a bonus.

 Offering children the chance to try out the National Trust and to gain inspiration on what might be improved, if appointed to the Kids’ Council, the Trust has opened up its doors to children for free during the whole month of August. Over 200 places are be free of charge to children, giving the opportunity to explore National Trust properties across the country.

Successful applicants to the council will be announced later in the year. These children will be offered free year-long access to places for themselves and their family. Canoeing, surfing and camping will be part of the winning prize to offer kids and their families access to the full range of the National Trust properties.

The Kids’ Council will meet throughout 2013 and will report its findings to the National Trust’s Visitor Experience Director so that suggestions can be put into practice, helping make the outdoors more fun for the nation’s kids.

The application process closes on 7^th September 2012. Application forms can be downloaded from the website at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/kidscouncil and sent back via email or handed in at National Trust properties.

Tony Berry, Visitor Experience Director of the National Trust, comments: 

We are really committed to helping kids enjoy the great outdoors and we want to make our places the most fun and family-friendly day out destinations in the UK.  I’m really excited that our new Kids’ Council will help us do just that. Our Kids go Free promotion for the entire month of August will not only give kids and their families the chance to go out and explore, but hopefully inspire them to apply for our Kids’ Council and so let is know what we can do better in future.