PARENTS & CARERS | FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Certainly. You can see lots of pictures and get an overview of the whole visit here:
Teachers / Group Leaders stay in the same areas as the group overnight for easy supervision.
Each centre provides an overnight duty manager to support the visiting staff if needed.
Most groups have exclusive of the accommodation - if your school/group has chosen to share with another school/group you should be made aware of this by the visit leader.
If schools do share they are always of a similar, or the same age, and we would highlight the importance of making new friends as one of the aims of the visit. Young people from different schools do not share bedrooms unless teachers have specifically requested that they do.
We provide all food and snacks from evening meal on day 1 to lunch on the final day. School will let you know the arrangements for lunch on day 1.
Food is cooked on site by our own catering team who are used to providing for children with special dietary needs and food allergies. You will be asked by school to provide details of any special dietary requirements in advance of the trip.
We recognise recognise the importance of managing food allergies which might be life threatening, or intolerances which can make individuals unwell. It is vital that we are provided with accurate information, so we can meet the needs of these individuals appropriately.
We take account of cultural and religious dietary needs, but we are unable to provide Halal, Kosher (etc) products at the moment. Alternatives will be provided.
Our team are very good at looking after even the fussiest of eaters - they serve over 10,000 children each year so there's not much that they won't be ready for!
As for the menu, there are differences across each centre and it will vary according to the age of the group, but as a guide you can expect:
Breakfast - cereals, toast, fruit, juice, hot items.
Lunch - sandwiches with a choice of fillings. Pizza is served at some centres
Evening meal - home cooked meal based on things that we know the group will eat (and taking dietary requirements into account). Eg. pasta dishes, jacket potatoes, roast dinners, fish fingers or burgers and chips, sausage and mash and so on.
We'll also make sure there are plenty of cakes, flapjacks and snacks so please don't send any of your own - this is also important incase any of the other children or adults have allergies! Of course there's fruit available all day too.
If it's their birthday during the visit, make sure the group leader knows and we'll prepare a celebration cake and make a fuss of them with their friends... they'll have a great time!
Please don't send snacks incase anybody else in the centre has a severe food allergy or intolerance. School will share details about arrangements for lunch on the first day.
We will make sure there are plenty of homemade cakes, flapjacks, snacks and fruit available for them.
Your school / group will give you guidance on this.
If your teachers / group leaders allow money, our centres do have a Fundraising Gift Shop with souvenirs or "tuck". We would suggest bringing no more than £10pp for a week, and preferably in change rather than notes.
Any income generated from the Fundraising Gift Shops is used to reinvest in the centre facilities or resources for the benefit of children.
Your school / group will give you guidance on whether the group can use the Fundraising Gift Shop or tuck shop.
The souvenirs are different at each centre but normally include branded items like:
water bottles
teddies
notebooks and pens
fridge magnets
pencil sharpener
small toys
rulers and book marks.
If you do use the Fundraising Gift Shop, please bring change rather than notes.
There will almost certainly be activities that seem a bit daunting at first, and this will be different for everybody. Having said that, we do find that being away from home - sometimes for the first time - can be the toughest challenge.
Our practitioners will encourage the group to try everything, but they will not ask them to try something that is beyond their ability, so we'll support them and ask them to have a go.
If they are asked to try something like climbing, the challenge will not be about climbing to the very top - it wil be about the children setting themselves a personal target and we'll support them in achieving it or exceeding it. The feeling of success that comes with that approach is fantastic!
If you need to make contact, you should telephone your school / group emergency contact number first rather than attempt to contact the centre directly.
We discourage a call home from the group - we understand how tough this can be! If there's a bit of homesickness on the first night it's usually made worse for everybody by a teary phone call home. Homesickness passes really quickly once the group are familiar with the centre and the routines - their teachers, friends and our team are super at supporting them.
Your teacher / group leader will have your emergency contact details if they have to get in touch with you.
Lots of schools send pictures home through private Facebook, X or Class Dojo pages for example. Speak to your visit leader.
The bedrooms are all different sizes and they all have bunk beds in them... except for Ingestre Hall where all beds are singles.
We can make different arrangements for young people with limited mobility and we will plan this with the group leaders.
Your school will decide who is sharing rooms, and they'll always make sure that the young people are in a room with at least one of their close friends. However being roommates is a great way to get to know people better!
Schools have sole occupancy of the accommodation unless the teachers / group leaders are planning to visit with another school. They will let you know this in advance.
We expect the group to make their own beds... so get practicing at home!
Toilets and showers are just along the corridor from the bedrooms. The showers are all private cubilcles with a curtain or door.
Unless you have chosen to travel with another group, you will have sole occupancy of the accommodation. This makes supervision of your group, overnight arrangements and dining all very simple.
Other groups may be using other parts of the grounds, but will not have any impact on your visit.
Schools and group coordinators will provide this information.
You can see a sample kit list in Group Leader Downloads and categorised by venue. Please do speak with your Group organiser first if you've not received a list.
We will give you all the specialist kit and equipment needed to take part. That would include waterproofs, walking boots etc.
Bring a towel and toiletries, and bring old clothes - please don't buy anything new for the visit. If you're short of anything PLEASE speak to your school and between us we'll help.
TOP TIP: Pack with your child so that they know where everything is in their bag. Once we had a year 3 pupil that promised "mom and dad didn't pack me any pants", only for loads of them to be eventually found a few days later tucked into a pocket of the bag!
TOP TIP 2: Don't bring aerosols. They set off the fire alarms.
TOP TIP 3: Please don't sneak snacks in - it can cause havoc with food alergies in the group! We'll give them plenty.
School will guide you on this.
We strongly advise that children do not bring mobile phones or other expensive equipment, jewellery etc in case they get lost or damaged - this is not covered by our insurance.
There will be no mobile phones permitted during the day as they are huge distraction - they'll be busy focussing on the activities. Teachers and group leaders will normally get lots of photos and share them with you.
Please take a look at our Additional Needs & Accessibility Overview for centre specifics.
You and the teachers know them best; we'll speak with teachers to learn more and to see whether we are able to provide an appropriate environment, programme, and experience for your child.
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, 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.
During activity session times led by our staff, the responsibility for safety and welfare sits with us. We will make key decisions about H&S issues and, wherever possible, work with teachers to ensure that decisions made are the right ones for the group.
Group leaders should remain with their groups while activities are taking place.
Teachers and Group Leaders take responsibility for the group during breaks, free play times, on self-led activities, and overnight. You can read more on our Safety & Care page.
We will take all reasonable care of every visitor. We accept no responsibility for illness or injury that occurs during the visit, except in the case of proven negligence on our part. For this purpose we carry Public Liability Insurance.
This varies from centre to centre. You can see examples on the Centre pages and
on the visit overviews here:
The activities we use during the visit depends on lots of things, including the age and ability of the group, the conditions, energy levels, and in line with the learning aims of the group leader / teacher.
It'll be fun in places and (approriately) challenging in others. We just ask participants to have an open mind, to have a go, to do their best and to stick at things.
We provide exclusive use options for every group unless the school/group has chosen or agreed to share with another school/group. You should have been made aware by your child’s school if your group is sharing with another school.
If schools do share they are always of a similar, or the same age. We would expect all children to mix and participate jointly in the activities, recreational times and mealtimes, and would highlight the importance of making new friends as one of the aims of the course.
Your school’s teachers will decide on whether or not children from different schools will be sharing dormitories, although it is usual that different schools have their own bedrooms.
This is negotiated between your school staff and the centre and depends on the age of the group. We need to make sure the group are well rested and ready for the next day.
We have sanitary products available at all centres and teachers normally bring supplies too. Depending on the centre they will be in the toilets or in the office. If needed just speak with a teacher.
They can still take part in all activities, including gorge walking at Plas Gwynant.
An example day is, approximately:
7:30: rise & shine
8:30: breakfast
9:30: activities
12:30: lunch
13:15: break / free time
14:00: activities
17:00: dinner and free time
18:30: activities
20:30: snack and relax.
this will vary according to ages and energey levels. Bedtime will be arranged with teachers / group leaders.
"All centre staff clearly enjoy working at the centre. Their sense of humour, time giving, ability to encourage and their enthusiasm for all pupils to achieve more than they thought they could is an asset to outdoor education”
St John’s Primary School
"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