§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what research she has(a) evaluated and (b) commissioned regarding the educational benefits of having nursery schools with on-site nature gardens; and if she will make a statement. [1589]
§ Mr. Robin SquireThe Government wish to encourage schools to make the best use of all their resources, both indoors and outside. The Department has a good record of research into the educational value and effective management of outdoor resources for all types of school, including nursery schools.
In the mid-1980s the Department, the Countryside Commission and several local education authorities jointly commissioned research whose main conclusions reached a wide audience through the 1990 Department of Education and Science publication "The Outdoor Classroom".
The Department intends shortly to publish further advice entitled "School Grounds: a guide to good practice". This will also draw on commissioned research and the experience of the Learning Through Landscapes trust.