Over the years that we have been Principal Contractor for the refurbishment of outdoor education centres, we’ve learned about the major part they play in child development.
From forest school afternoons to weeklong residential trips, outdoor education has a vital role to play in the development of skills, abilities and confidence of kids.
The Field Studies Council has identified 10 major ways outdoor education benefits children and helps them reach their full potential:
- Confidence building
- Social skills development
- Mental wellbeing support
- Environmental understanding
- A great equalizer
- Connection and respect for nature
- Risk, resilience and adaptability
- Experiential learning
- Sensory engagement
- New experiences
PGL Travel Ltd, one of the leading outdoor education providers says, ‘With each challenge they face, pupils will experience success, grow in confidence and become more engaged. By the end of the stay, teachers will see the positive changes for themselves.’
Outdoor education benefits teachers too!
As PGL hints at, the change in pupils’ attitudes and behaviours is seen back home in the classroom too. This gives a whole raft (pardon the pun), of teaching opportunities. Hitting the curriculum’s requirement for environmental education; you can play with the subjects, engage better, grow your relationships and develop trust with pupils on an outdoor ed residential.
The accommodation really matters too though…
‘When I was a kid, the residential trip I went on involved all the boys sleeping in a big drafty cabin, and all the girls sharing one similar. I remember the many spiders and cobwebs heavily laden with dust in the toilet block and the rudimentary cooking facilities the teachers had to provide us with hearty meals – I did love the vats of hot chocolate though!’ Matthew Boyd, Director, Refurb Property Renovations.
The three residential schools we’ve refurbished have been nothing like those old days. Cuffley Camp, The Towers and now Sealyham all have amazing specs, including what you might call glamping pods, LVT flooring, downlighting, painted staircases and actual wallpaper!
The toilet blocks and changing rooms are still outdoor blocks in some cases, but are free from asbestos, RAAC, spiders and cobwebs, boasting hot powerful showers and highly efficient yet economical flushing systems, non-slip flooring and sturdy, comfortable benches.
Dining halls are attached to spacious kitchens, fitted with efficient ovens, fridges and freezers and there’s plenty of room for everyone to eat family style in comfort.
When it comes to refurbishing outdoor education centres, we know what the kids want, we know what the teachers need, and we know what the staff expect.
We’d love to hear from your outdoor education company when it comes to refurbishment of the facilities. In the meantime, you can check out our previous projects in the portfolio. Until then, I’ll leave the final word to Cuffley Camp…
‘Refurb Property Renovations have been working with us for the last 18 months transforming a dilapidated site into a modern Outdoor Activity Centre in Cuffley. The Cuffley programme of works has had many phases and varied project requirements, and Refurb have delivered every time; from handling the curveballs that we throw at them through to the delivery of a fresh modern and practical site. The Refurb team really understand our vision and have helped us achieve a remarkable centre.’ Active Learning Centres
