Nottinghamshire Schools Portal

Notts Outdoors

"The support of the staff was excellent - everyone in every role is brilliant. All the centre led activities were great and support for visiting staff was really reassuring. A memorable experience!" St Peter's (Ruddington) Primary School. 

Notts Outdoors offers your school fantastic opportunities to experience quality outdoor learning experiences that enrich the curriculum and help learners to reach their potential through positive engagement with the education process, increasing confidence, group awareness, healthy activity and fun.

The service provides two high quality residential Centres in the Peak District: Hagg Farm Outdoor Education Centre (for Key Stage 2 pupils and upwards) and St Michael’s Environmental Education Centre (for primary school pupils).

Take a look at the short videos below where teachers explain why their pupils love the visits to these centres.

In addition, we have Perlethorpe Environmental Education Centre in the Thoresby Estate, Brackenhurst Environmental Education Centre on the Nottingham Trent University campus near Southwell, and Sherwood Forest Country Park near Edwinstowe offering day visits for pupils closer to home. The Mill Adventure Base, at Kingsmill Reservoir, offers a range of outdoor activities, team challenges and adventure both on and off site for Key Stage 2 - 4, and has a peripatetic facility to bring activities to school grounds.

We provide schools with access to training, guidance and support regarding the management of educational visits and outdoor education.

This service includes:

• A wide range of adventurous and environmental activities led by highly qualified staff at warm, welcoming and well-resourced centres
• At Hagg Farm activities include rock climbing, canoeing, caving, orienteering, hillwalking, abseiling, gorge walking, zipwire and a host of problem solving exercises, field studies, conservation and environmental/art activities
• At St Michael’s activities include walking around the stunning Stanage Edge, local village studies, orienteering, conservation, stream dipping, history walks with role play and environmental art.
• A range of catering packages to suit your group are available at the residential centres and each group has sole use of the centre
• Training for teachers and leaders to empower them to meet the relevant needs of young people, the wider community and the school’s curriculum
• Perlethorpe Centre is housed in a former village school with a genuine Victorian classroom. We offer a variety of activities including literacy, maths, art and history outdoors
• Brackenhurst Centre is on a site with a working farm with access to farm animals, Victorian walled gardens and glasshouses. Activities on offer include looking at life processes, literacy, history and art
• Sherwood Forest Country Park has a centre for schools’ use. Activities include Robin Hood and Medieval Life, shelter building, orienteering and habitat studies
• Adventure activities at The Mill Adventure Base include climbing, sailing, canoeing, mobile climbing wall, Jacobs ladder, team wall and underground passageways (tubing) as well as offsite activities such as: mountain biking, abseiling, rock climbing and weaselling
• The centres have an inclusive approach and the buildings and activities are adapted and available for all users regardless of ability/disability
• Fully supported and individually tailored school visits, including risk assessments, health and safety policies and procedures, teaching programmes and curriculum resources
• The Notts Outdoors team provides access to the DofE award through Open Centres across the County along with residential courses for DofE participants and support for DofE expeditions
• The Visits Advice Team provide information, advice and guidance to meet an establishments statutory obligations in relation to Educational Visits as well their employers responsibility for Health and Safety. A copy of Nottinghamshire County Councils latest guidance is provided free to all establishments within Nottinghamshire via the schools portal as a bench mark of best and safe practice even if they choose not to engage with the provision. 

This service gives an affordable, well regarded and reputable opportunities within 1.5 hours journey time of any Nottinghamshire school.

A wide range of training is also available including; HSE approved First Aid, National Governing Body Leadership Qualifications (Mountain Leader, Walking Group Leader, Cave Leader, Rock Climbing, Orienteering) and Bringing Your School Grounds To Life.

Courses are held mainly at the Outdoor and Environmental Education Centres. Some courses can be delivered at your own school e.g. bespoke first aid training. All courses contribute to competency, skills and knowledge and many lead to nationally recognised qualifications. They are delivered by experienced and highly qualified Outdoor and Environmental Education staff deliver courses throughout the year.

To book this service, please contact your chosen Centre via the details below or use the adjacent Services for Schools email for bespoke packages.

You can also find out more about the outdoor education service, including videos of pupils enjoying the facilities, by logging-in to the portal.

Outdoor Education Centres

• Hagg Farm Outdoor Education Centre - 01433 651594
• St Michael’s Environmental Education Centre - 01433 650309
• Environmental Education Day Centres 01623 822218
• The Mill Adventure Base and Outdoor Education Advice - 01623 556110