INGESTRE HALL RESIDENTIAL ARTS CENTRE

Ingestre Hall is home to the UK's only dedicated residential arts centre. At Ingestre we deliver unique learning experiences through expressive and creative arts such as drama, visual art, music, dance, and animation. An Ingestre Arts residential is unlike any other, giving pupils the opportunity to explore a topic or stimulus, imagine, create, express themselves and realise their creative potential.

We have seen a real change in the progress and achievement of our children. Their confidence has increased exponentially. This has translated in the classroom into a better attitude for learning and greater confidence in taking part in whole class activities.

For schools seeking a creative partnership where children are empowered to become autonomous, independent learners then I wouldn't hesitate to recommend setting up a partnership with Ingestre”

Assistant Headteacher, Staffordshire

Accommodation

Facilities & Accessibility

Gallery

Activities

Programmes

Location

Accommodation:

Single beds

90 participant beds - and with so much floor space there are no squeaky bunk beds here!

27 acres to explore

Plenty of private grounds and gardens to play and explore.

Visiting staff areas

It's your home for the visit, and we want you to be comfortable too!

Professional studios

From Grand Pianos to lighting rigs, we have professional studios throughout.

Facilities:

Ingestre Hall is a magnificent 17th century Jacobean mansion, set in 27 acres acres of private grounds in the Staffordshire countryside. Only 15 minutes from Stafford and Junction 13 of the M6, facilities and opportunities include:

Single beds for 90 participants

Sole occupancy of the hall - you'll only share by prior agreement.

Staff bedrooms are near to dormitories for easy night time supervision.

Accessible centre - read more here.

Comfortable staff room for group leaders with wifi and kitchen area.

En-suite visiting staff rooms available.

Large dining room for a home-cooked meal each day

Coffee / juice bar for break times

Professionally equipped studios throughout: art studio, animation suite, live performance and recording equipment, dance and drama studios.

All equipment and resources are provided where needed.

Games rooms & fundraising gift shop.

27 acres of private grounds; outdoor games and changing area

3D Cinema room

Fundraising gift shop

The hall is available for weddings, conferencing, rehearsal space, film location and private hire.

Additional Needs and Accessibility:

Accessible facilities and activities are available at Ingestre Hall so that participants can use our beautiful environment to build new skills, make new friends, increase confidence and have fun. We realise that we are still learning, so if the detail below does not answer your questions about accessibility please do contact us to discuss any additional support required.

Main building residential access >

Step-free access and vehicle drop-off is available at the north door.

The ground floor has an accessible bathroom and shower.

Interior ramps are used throughout.

Corridors throughout the centre are wide, and doorways are a minimum of 76cm wide.

Lower ground floor, ground floor, and accessibe accommodation on the mezzanine floor are accessible via a lift.

Accessible bedroom with ensuite wet room and an electric adjustable bed is available.

Evacuation chairs and hoist on site.

Activities >

You know your students best; we'll speak with you to see whether we are able to provide an appropriate environment, programme, and experience for your group. You would be most welcome to visit the site to take a look around and learn more.

We have experience of delivering a wide range of activities and learning opportunities to groups with additional needs. These have included physical impairments, sensory impairments, learning difficulties (ADHD, ASD, MLD, SLD, PMLD, and more), challenging behaviour, acquired brain injuries and life limiting illnesses. Our practitioners have received training on how to communicate and encourage personal and social development for all abilities.

Visits range from activity days to week-long residential through structured, progressive programmes. Adjustments can be made to make activities accessible for all. For example, our music sessions usually take place on the upper floors - beyond where the lift can reach - but we can bring equipment and instruments downstairs to conduct music workshops there. This is applicable to other artforms.

Gallery:

PHOTOS

VIDEOS

AUDIO

VIRTUAL

Art forms & Activities:

At Ingestre Hall, creativity is the catalyst for personal development. Our workshops go beyond honing artistic talents — they are also designed to nurture essential skills that resonate far beyond the studio.

Participants discover the value of teamwork and collaboration as they work together on group projects, learning to communicate effectively and share ideas to achieve shared goals. Through the ups and downs of the creative process, they cultivate perseverance and resilience, embracing challenges as opportunities to grow and adapt.

Our workshops also inspire problem-solving and creative thinking as individuals tackle new concepts, experiment with techniques, approach tasks with innovation and fresh perspectives. Additionally, as participants step outside their comfort zones, they build confidence in their abilities, finding their unique voice and expressing it with pride. Importantly, the workshops also foster a sense of independence, encouraging participants to take ownership of their creative journey, make decisions with autonomy, and trust their instincts.

The diverse activities encourage adaptability, enabling participants to explore different art forms and embrace change with curiosity and enthusiasm. By combining the arts with these critical life skills, our workshops empower individuals to thrive — not just as artists, but as well-rounded and capable individuals.

MUSIC Read more...

Music workshops are based around collaborative composition and ensemble performance. Students are introduced to a variety of instruments, compositional and performance techniques, helping to broaden and develop their understanding of musical elements and compositional devices. Through a combination of warm-ups as well as larger composition and performance tasks students can grow their self-confidence and musical proficiency and improve their collaboration and teamwork skills. No prior musical knowledge is required.

Students often incorporate creative lyric writing into their compositions, helping to express feelings and emotions, and explore themes in a musical way.

Projects include a wide range of listening examples spanning different eras and genres, helping to inspire creative thinking and encourage musical appreciation and understanding. This holistic approach builds a connection with a topic, actively encourages students to appraise and engage with music, and with each other in a new and exciting way. The workshops explore how music can be used as a descriptive and expressive tool and allow time for students to put this into practice whilst exploring their own creativity in a safe and supportive environment.

DRAMA Read more...

Drama at Ingestre Hall focuses on creating an original performance. Students create short scenes and sketches in small groups which are then performed to the whole group for peer feedback, before refining and then building a collaborative piece.

Many styles are used at Ingestre, including Naturalism, Brechtian Theatre, Physical Theatre and Theatre of the Absurd. Thanks to the stunning environment, it is possible to create highly engaging, immersive, promenade and site-specific performances which engages students and puts the audience at the centre of the action.

Allowing students to explore a number of situations within a controlled, safe environment provides an ideal opportunity to enhance empathy, use initiative and build confidence.

ART Read more...

Art workshops at Ingestre offer the time to explore a chosen theme with the depth and variety of techniques that may not always be possible in school. Skills and techniques used include drawing, printing, silk painting, wire, collage, canvas and textiles.

Pupils work individually and in small groups so that they can share ideas, develop reasoning skills, communication, social and team skills and increase self-efficacy. Visiting staff are encouraged to participate to learn new skills and to assist transfer of learning back to school.

At the end of the visit students host an Art Exhibition to the rest of the group which incorporates displaying and introducing the work, discussing themes, challenges, techniques and successes.

ANIMATION Read more...

Our animation workshops provide a fantastic way to engage, empower and inspire children of all ages and abilities, allowing them to creatively explore their ideas while learning many valuable, transferable skills, in either 2D or 3D animation styles. Our stop-motion technique is used in film and TV favourites such as Wallace and Gromit, Pingu and Shaun the Sheep, providing students with a reference point for their own work.

Students will make their own backdrops, scenery and figures and create storyboards in which anything can happen.

Children are engaged in the full animation process, from initial ideas, shooting each frame using professional software, 'onion-skinning’, adding title and credit sequences, making creative decisions and editing their work. Animation is a creative and collaborative process that requires patience and attention to detail. It encourages students to take pride in their work, persevere and develop strong communication skills in order to produce an imaginative and engaging final edit.

DANCE Read more...

Our dance workshops are centred on creativity and performance, with participants exploring a theme and generating ideas rather than simply putting dance movements to music.

A variety of challenges help students choreograph their own movements in pairs, as small groups or individually which develops creative thought, the ability to share and discuss ideas, negotiating with and leading others. The visit culminates in a full dance performance created using both pupil choreography and teacher-led elements.

Dance styles used at Ingestre often incorporate Contemporary and Street Dance. Pupils are encouraged to express their own ideas in the studio and incorporate any dance skills that they may already have. This approach means that all abilities and levels of experience are catered for, nurtured and advanced.

EVENING Read more...

Here at Ingestre Hall we offer a variety of facilities for both fun and meaningful evening sessions.

Outside, we have 27 acres of grounds to explore and play, and we can facilitate night walks and an orienteering trail which are incredibly atmospheric with such a dramatic backdrop!

Inside we have a 3D Cinema where the students can snuggle down on the bean bags and enjoy a wide selection of films.

We can offer a party/disco room for the students to dance the night away, along with a great selection of games to play; ranging from table football and ping pong, to pool tables, and Giant Connect 4. There are also site-specific interactive quizzes and a photo hunt to complete around the building.

We also have a Fundraising tuck and souvenir shop stocked with lots of goodies, the proceeds of which go to re-investing in the centre for the good of future schools and groups.

Programmes:

At Ingestre there is the chance to imagine, create, and explore a topic. We develop independent thought, decision making, and give young people the confidence to try new things and express themselves. We work in partnership with schools and groups in many ways. These include: