Outdoor & Adventurous Activities
Learning through Outdoor & Adventurous Activities
School Visit Planning and Support
As well as being a fun and challenging experience in itself we see outdoor learning as a tool to support the development of an individual in terms of both their academic development and character. The two are interlinked.
Learning outdoors not only provides an environment in which formal learning can be applied in real world settings it can also provide the very experiences and observations that can be taken back into a more formal setting to be analysed and reviewed.
To assist schools, academies and other child settings in the planning and delivery of high quality outdoor learning we provide an Outdoor Learning and Off-site Visit advice and support service. This service provides support to 2 Local Authorities, three Academy chains and a number of individual academies. The service uses the EVOLVE visit planning system to help schools manage their visits and comply with their health and safety responsibilities and duty of care.
We believe that young people should have access to a range of progressive learning experiences that combine to provide learning that they can take into their adult lives. Such experiences begin in early years settings through our support for Forest School development and outdoor physical activity. Supported by our Adventurer Team this moves onto our Key Stage 1 camping experiences at Wollaton Hall and early key stage 2 camping experiences at Newstead Abbey and Nottingham Castle. A wide range of outdoor and adventurous activities are available for Key stage 1 to key stage 4, through our Adventure team and residential experiences for older students are available on our Narrowboats.
The Outdoor Learning service is there to support schools and other youth settings in delivering high quality outdoor learning. The service provides advice and training for staff in making the most of outdoor learning in support of their work with young people. We were involved in the development of both the OEAP Outdoor Learning Cards and the Environmental Learning Cards.
The Adventure team offers a wide variety of outdoor provision for schools, youth groups, voluntary organisations and the public.
Objectives of the service
The service provides:
- Provision of exciting and challenging opportunities for everyone to learn, enjoy and develop their aspirations in the outdoors
- Excellent quality service via a safe and reputable service for the young people
- Increasing the number of active outlets for young people in the city and using adventure to support learning across the curriculum
- Raising of attainment of young people through challenge, activity and adventure
Colwick Park Adventure Centre
Colwick Park Adventure Centre is an eco-friendly Adventure Centre supporting access to activities in Colwick Country Park. This is our flagship Centre and is home to the Wet and Wild full day events and our watersports programme.
The Arches Adventure Base
The Arches Adventure Base is tucked away underneath Lady Bay Bridge and is a great location to undertake a range of adventurous activities from a unique perspective. The Centre is floodlit, meaning bookings can be taken for evening sessions throughout the year. The Arches is also home to Nottingham’s highest abseil tower!
The Transformer Mobile Climbing Wall
The Transformer is the Adventure Team’s mobile climbing wall; able to travel out and deliver a fantastic climbing experience for youth groups and schools at a site and time to suit you and your needs. The Transformer is great for any occasion and certainly leave a lasting impression.
Narrowboat Project
Two narrowboats available for public, school / academy and community group trips around the waterways of Nottingham!
Located in the City Centre on the Nottingham Canal, we offer half day, full day, residential and evening (summertime only) trips for groups of up to 24 people to experience their environment from our two 70ft narrowboats, Megan and Tinkers Leen, both staffed by our highly experienced skippers.
In School Adventure Delivery
Nottingham City Adventure Team offer a range of outdoor and adventurous activities that can be delivered at your school site.
Residential Opportunities and Camps
Offer your young people their first residential opportunity in a safe and adventurous environment, locations include Wollaton Hall, Newstead Abbey and Nottingham Castle.
Bespoke programmes
All centres can provide bespoke programmes or schools can choose from packaged programmes.
Example packages include:
- Up, Down, Across- A full day programme at The Arches Adventure Base including Climbing/Jacobs Ladder Climbing, Abseiling and Archery.
- High Challenge – A two hour programme at the Colwick Park Adventure Centre providing the ultimate beginners’ climbing experience!
- The hugely popular Wet + Wild at Colwick Park Adventure Centre where groups of up to 60 YP in size Canoe Raft, climb and orienteer around the park all in ONE DAY
- Our New ‘A Class of Their Own’ full day- Raft Building, High Ropes and Archery for 1 class
Service Packages
Quotations are sourced for schools on request – please see www.schoolsportnottingham.co.uk
Additional Services
- Support of schools health and safety
- Support of schools off-site visits
- Delivery of training for school staff
Contact The Adventure Team @ SOLAR
Email for costs and booking information.
Phone:0115 947 6202 EXT 238
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We are a proud Organisational Member of Institute for Outdoor Learning