Parents’ anger at plans for nursery sessions to be held outdoors

EDUCATION: Youngsters to be kept outside during renovation work

Pre-school children in a Tayside nursery will have to attend sessions outdoors for around five months while builders refashion their building.

Families in the Angus village of Letham are shocked youngsters are being asked to stay outside for the duration of a building project between mid-march and mid-august this year.

Letham Primary School and its attached nursery is being refashioned as part of a Scotland-wide expansion in early years classes.

One relative of a pupil at the nursery, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “This is ludicrous.

“I’ve never heard of anything like it before. Wind, rain, snow... all the elements and these kids have to have nursery outside.

“They’ve been told to wear three layers and they will be given a raincoat. The school has said they will build them a fire pit, but that just doesn’t cut it.”

“They’ve been told to wear three layers and they will be given a raincoat

She said she was worried about safeguarding the children given they will be left “out the front in all weather for everyone to see”.

“The parents don’t seem to want to speak out and are just taking it, but I don’t know how anyone could be happy about this,” she added.

Outdoor education is becoming increasingly popular in many schools and nurseries across Scotland with some outdoor-only nurseries heavily subscribed and the learning method well-regarded by experts.

Parents of young people at those nurseries, however, have made a decision to educate their child this way.

An Angus Council spokeswoman said: “We have been considering options for the nursery class

“We have therefore decided to use the decant requirement as an opportunity to further invest in the early learning and childcare provision in Letham and launch an outdoor nursery.

“Our central early years team is supporting the school to put in place all of the necessary resources in collaboration with the Care Inspectorate and Thrive Outdoors, including shelters, heating, warm clothing and various other outdoor resources.”

Parents met staff at the endof January to discuss the plan, she added.