SCOTTISH children should grow up with a connection and an understanding of rural life – that was the sentiment of this week’s Countryside Learning Scotland conference in Battleby, Perth, where industry stakeholders gathered to hear the organisation’s plans to ensure a rural education is accessible to everyone in Scotland.

Unveiling ambitious long-term plans for a National Rural Learning Centre, project manager David Ritchie explained some of the thinking behind the proposal: “There is a need to re-engage young people with the Scottish countryside, some of whom are now eight generations removed from the land and its opportunities.

"There are some great organisations providing rural education, but we are keen to move away from single day delivery to looking at a rural residential centre where children can visit for several days; experiencing everything from farming, to forestry, to renewables, and much more. By reinforcing this learning experience over a short stay, we can teach children the parallels between the different industries and allow a more hands on approach to learning,” he continued. "As a precursor to developing a new NRLC, there will be a phased development of a new network of pre-existing outdoor residential centres delivering rural education across Scotland - perhaps up to 10 over the next five years," he explained.

With speculation in the room over the cost of such an operation, Mr Ritchie was quick to enthuse that a new building would symbolise investment in the countryside and that the facility would be multi-functional and could be used for teacher training, CPD and for industry events looking at knowledge transfer and so on.

The shadow cabinet secretary for education for the Scottish Conservatives Liz Smith MSP added her support for a residential rural centre and explained why she felt it was so important: “Through offering an outdoor education, you give youngsters the opportunity to explore and appreciate the beautiful countryside in this country and develop a connection for the work going on behind the scenes,” she said.

Through her work as chair for the universities and colleges cross party committee, she was able to give an insight in to why teachers can be apprehensive about delivering rural education: “We need to change the culture of what's going on in schools. There is currently an apprehension about the risks involved with rural learning which can deter teachers. It is important as a rural sector that we encourage teachers to see up close the wonderful opportunities on offer, which will in turn grow their confidence around rural learning,” she urged.

Managing director of Taste of Arran Ltd, Alastair Dobson, delivered a thought-provoking presentation on the importance of collaboration – reflecting on his own brand as an example of how working collaboratively has provided bountiful opportunities to 10 small businesses on Arran.

Closing the conference and having shortly returned from his 500-mile cycle to raise money for the Doddie Weir Foundation, former international ruby star Rob Wainwright remarked on the growing disconnect between urban and rural: “Health and safety has taken over and with it children’s experience of the countryside has changed. If we look at mainland Europe, we don’t have the connection to the countryside like they have in the European cities. It is so important that we address our declining healthy active outdoor population and as a community it is so important to work together to re-set the balance,” he stressed.