SCHOOLS are mollycoddling pupils, producing a generation of unhealthy underachievers, the government’s education agency has warned.

Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS), which advises ministers on the Scottish curriculum, has said an obsession with safety is damaging children’s health and hampering their development.

In recent years local authorities have banned dozens of traditional activities for fear of litigation by parents.

Victims of the burgeoning compensation culture include cross-country running — described in a book used by thousands of teachers as a form of “physical abuse” — and conkers, which has been banned in some schools in case it triggers nut allergies.

Across Scotland, children are being denied the opportunity to carry out science experiments because teachers fear they could break health and safety regulations.

Clackmannanshire council has banned pupils from going on quad bikes, motorbikes, jetbikes and from playing ice-hockey because they are considered too dangerous.

East Ayrshire Council has banned paintballing and South Lanarkshire has vetoed several outdoor pursuits, including paragliding and sand yachting.

In 2004, children at Airyhall Primary at Aboyne were banned from visiting an adventure sports centre near Dunkeld, which offered mountain biking, kayaking and orienteering, after unions advised staff they could be sued if a child was injured.

In an effort to reverse the trend, ministers have unveiled an outdoor education development programme, which they hope will encourage youngsters to pursue activities that will build their confidence and help reduce high levels of obesity.

Willie White, the development officer leading the LTS programme, believes the risk-averse culture of many local authorities has to be challenged. “There is increasing pressure from local authorities and parents to minimise dangers and risk to nonexistent levels,” he said. “However, in doing so we are taking a very real risk with an essential skill which young people have to develop. It is impossible to avoid taking risks in life.

“Clearly we need to protect children from harm. However, with the current risk management model we will always find another hazard to control, often stifling quality learning in the process.”

White said there was a clear link between outdoor play and educational achievement. He also warned that a sedentary lifestyle posed a far greater risk to children’s health than adventure activities. Of the 1,400 children killed by accidents each year, only three die on school trips, he said.

“With 30,000 adult deaths from obesity and unfitness each year in the UK and 6,000 from suicide, possibly the small, but real, risks of outdoor learning are not just acceptable but are great learning opportunities,” added White.

“That busy road you need to cross to get to the park, beach, woods: what a fantastic learning opportunity to both reduce the number of young people’s road deaths and equip children for their life ahead.”

Doug Fallon, physical education manager at Scottish Borders council, said supervised outdoor pursuits could transform children’s confidence, improve their ability to learn and keep them healthy.

“We do young people a disservice by wrapping them in cotton wool,” he said.

“You have to look at the figures: more young people die falling down stairs every year than on outdoor adventure activities.

“They get driven everywhere by adults in 4x4s and when they meet someone who presents a risk they don’t always know how to react. If you put people into a controlled risk environment they become more aware of what is going on around them.”

A study conducted on behalf of the UK government earlier this year found school trips can change children’s lives, influence their future career choices and make them better citizens.

Drew Morrice, the assistant secretary of the Educational Institute of Scotland, said the fear of lawsuits was a barrier. “Our culture today is litigious and the fear of litigation can be a bulwark against effective education,” he said.

A spokeswoman for Clackmannanshire council said its list of banned outdoor pursuits were based on pupil safety being “of paramount importance”.

A South Lanarkshire council spokesman said it banned activities such as potholing and sand yachting on the grounds that these were “too difficult to supervise adequately, even with appropriately qualified staff, when young people are involved”.

A Scottish executive spokeswoman said: “Of course, health and safety is important and everyone must plan and take appropriate precautions when taking young people away from their usual environments.

“But this should not be at the expense of giving our young people opportunities to participate in new experiences — which may lead to a life-long interest, as well as developing resilience and self-reliance, helping them to become successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens.”

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