Activities & Facilities
We offer a wide range of exciting and educational activities which are tailored to your requirements and the age groups on site. They are led by experts and have been designed to fulfil requirements outlined in the National Curriculum.
Countryside Walk
Walking around the beautiful countryside surrounding the centre, children will learn about trees, different habitats & points of the compass. During the walk there is the opportunity for trekking games, shelter building and climbing trees. The walk gives time to chat to children on a one to one basis and in small groups; finding out how they are coping with the current Covid situation and life in general. The walk is an important wellbeing activity, helping children to see how important it is to experience fresh air and nature.
Equipment First Aid ruck sack, all children’s medication, compasses, maps, bivvy and ruck sacs if collecting sticks.
National Curriculum Links
Key Stage 1- use simple fieldwork and observational skills to study the geography of their school and its grounds and the key human and physical features of its surrounding environment, use simple compass directions (North, South, East and West) and locational and directional language [for example, near and far; left and right], to describe the location of features and routes on a map
Key Stage 2- use the eight points of a compass, four and six-figure grid references, symbols and key (including the use of Ordnance Survey maps) to build their knowledge of the United Kingdom and the wider world,
Mountain Biking
Children will learn how to safely ride a bike on the purpose-built cycle track/obstacle course whilst using the correct safety equipment. Through this activity the children will learn about the health and environmental benefits of cycling. Road safety awareness and basic bike maintenance is also incorporated. Children gain self-esteem and confidence through this activity, as well as learning how to follow and respect instructions.
Equipment: Bikes, helmets, gloves, pump, cones for marking a course out. First aid kit is in the workshop.
National Curriculum Links
Key Stage 1- developing balance, agility and co-ordination, and begin to apply these in a range of activities.
Key Stage 2- take part in outdoor and adventurous activity challenges both individually and within a team compare their performances with previous ones and demonstrate improvement to achieve their personal best.
Campfire
A campfire will be built by the children. They will collect the sticks and will learn which wood can be used for the fire. The discussion around the campfire (before it is built and lit) will involve fire safety, the fire triangle and how to cook
marshmallows or damper bread. Children will experience how to assess risks, build and light a fire using fire steels, as well as the scientific aspects of fire. The campfire activity often leads to open discussions, with children and adults chatting about their culture and visiting relatives abroad etc.
Equipment: Sticks, campfire trolley which has in it fire first aid kit, fire steels, cotton wool, cooking sticks, paper, kindling, firelighters., newspaper if used. Buckets of water for washing hands and extinguishing the fire. Enough stumps around the campfire for children and staff
National Curriculum Links
Key Stage 2- compare their performances with previous ones and demonstrate improvement to achieve their personal best. take part in outdoor and adventurous activity challenges both individually and within a team.
Archery
Children will learn how to shoot a bow and arrow whilst being made aware of the safety aspects of archery. They will learn about the names of the parts of the bow and arrow. Numeracy games will be incorporated such as counting up their own scores. Children gain confidence/self-achievement through this activity and learn how to follow instructions in a methodical way.
Equipment: Bows, arrows, arm guards. Target faces to put on the boss’s which are in situ, arrow holders, planks to indicate standing area, cones to mark out exclusion zone. Score cards or whiteboard, pens or marker.
National Curriculum Links:
Key Stage 2- take part in outdoor and adventurous activity challenges both individually and within a team compare their performances with previous ones and demonstrate improvement to achieve their personal best.
Teambuilding
Activities include: blindfold trail, crossing the raging river, rescuing animals from an island, transporting an egg safely. A carousel of 3 to 4 of these activities is undertaken so each group experiences each activity.
These help to develop group work, co-operation and communication through active problem-solving challenges. Children are organized into small groups of 7-8 and initially discuss as group what it means to be a member of a team; this will incorporate the school charter/school values.
Each activity lasts about fifteen minutes and after each activity a group evaluation is undertaken; this helps the group to focus on what can be achieved within the next activity. A sense of empowerment and achievement is attained through teambuilding, as well as the other life skills previously mentioned.
Equipment: The equipment required for each team building activity is in the pond shed and is labelled or grouped together on ashelve/box.
National Curriculum Links:
Key Stage 2- take part in outdoor and adventurous activity challenges both individually and within a team.
Shelter Building
Children are split into teams of 5-7 and will build shelters out of sticks and camouflage nets. This encourages cooperation and communication. Shelter building also focuses on design and technology and mathematical aspects such as different shapes.
Equipment: Canes/sticks, camouflage nets , tarpaulins.
National Curriculum Links:
Key Stage 2- take part in outdoor and adventurous activity challenges both individually and within a team.
Gardening
The program of garden to plate will be followed. Children will be shown how to use different tools safely and then cultivate an area in preparation for either sowing seeds or planting seedlings, followed by watering in. Fruit or vegetables will be harvested and either taken to the Gorsefield kitchen for use in a meal that the children will eat or taken back to Manorfield to be used in the school kitchen or sold at the Pantry Kitchen. The children will have a greater understanding of propagation methods and where the food they eat comes from, as well participating in a healthy wellbeing activity.
Equipment: Forks, spades, rakes, hoes, trowels, hand forks, dibbers, lines, riddles. Seeds, plants, compost, pots, watering cans, labels, marker sticks for spacing.
Art
Children, as individuals or small groups, will undertake an art project based around the natural environment of Gorsefield using the Andrew Goldsworthy style as a focus. Many aspects of design and nature are incorporated within this activity, giving children the ability to freely express themselves within the natural environment. After each group has completed their project they will take turns to explain their creation to each other.
Equipment: Reference books, photographs. paper, paint crayons, art boards, cut circles of wood and natural materials from the grounds.
National Curriculum Links:
Key Stage 1- Pupils should be taught: to use a range of materials creatively to design and make products to use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination to develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space about the work of a range of artists, craft makers and designers, describing the differences and similarities between different practices and disciplines, and making links to their own work.
Key stage 2- Pupils should be taught to develop their techniques, including their control and their use of materials, with creativity, experimentation and an increasing awareness of different kinds of art, craft and design. Pupils should be taught: to create sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas to improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture with a range of materials [for example, pencil, charcoal, paint, clay] about great artists, architects and designers in history.
Orienteering
Children in small groups using a map will locate different orienteering markers around the grounds of Gorsefield. The orienteering activity enhances map reading skills, communication, the ability to listen to each other and team work.
Children gain a sense of achievement and self-esteem when they have completed the activity. The adult marking the sheet gives affirmative feedback to the members of the group and this is an integral part of the activity.
Equipment: Maps, markers/control punches, marker cards, pens.
National Curriculum Links:
Key Stage 2- take part in outdoor and adventurous activity challenges both individually and within a team.
Self-led Activities for you to try at Gorsefield, at school or at home
sound mapping activity guide.pdf