Take Learning Outdoors At One Of SSE Outdoor Education Centres
Introduction
SSE Outdoors is just one of the services provided by Support Services for Education (SSE), a traded unit within Somerset Council.
We as an organisation offer a wide variety of services and training to all education providers such as Schools, Academies, Further Education Colleges and Universities.
The SSE Outdoors team have a proud, long history of delivering engaging and inspiring outdoor learning programmes for almost 60 years in some of Somerset’s most beautiful locations.
About Us
Our goal is to give all our customers enriching and engaging outdoor experiences whilst creating memories that will last a lifetime.
About Us
We have FOUR outdoor centres for schools to choose from - Kilve Court, Great Wood, Charterhouse and The Outdoor Centre.
All our centres are situated in and around the Mendip and Quantock Hills so set in National Landscapes, surrounded by breath taking field sites and dramatic protected landscape.
The Outdoors Team take the needs of each individual student very seriously, we go to great lengths to make sure every single student can safely challenge themselves, explore their unique abilities and facilitate their growth, development and resilience in an outdoor environment.
All our staff are qualified to the highest standards specified by the national governing bodies as quality is one of our main priorities, along with this the instructors passion and enthusiasm for what they teach is infectious and is one of the many reasons why children, young people and schools keep coming back year after year.
Our Service Offering
SSE Outdoors provide a wide and diverse range of activities dependent on your length of stay, ages of the children and school’s requirements.
For residential stays we have a choice of four stunning centres for you to choose from, all of which are set in stunning grounds sympathetically tailored for outdoor learning and host a wide variety of adventurous activities, such as caving, climbing, water sports on our onsite lake, beach exploration and many more.
All meals during your stay will be provided, including home-cooked meals prepared and made by our onsite catering team.
We have a wide range of packages for you to choose from, some of which are set out within this booklet, however for a full and comprehensive list please visit our website www.sseoutdoors.co.uk
SSE Outdoors are also more than happy to provide schools with a more bespoke and tailor- made package, dependent upon your individual group or school needs and your preferred activities.
If you are interested in a more bespoke package, then please get in contact with one of our Centre Managers who would be delighted to assist.
School Residentials
Our contact details can be found on the back of this brochure.
All our centres welcome bookings for school outdoor residentials, these are available during the week or weekends, and we also offer day visits.
Our school residentials are aimed at developing teamwork, resilience, and communication with an overall aim of increasing self-confidence.
Our Centre Managers will work closely with you to ensure we individually tailor your programme to suit your specific requirements, these residentials can also be curriculum linked with fieldwork, numeracy, and literacy if desired.
Challenge, Explore and Grow is our moto, we ensure that every child will come away from one of our residentials with a huge sense of personal achievement and excited to tell their family all about their time with us when they get home.
Fieldwork Studies
We can provide tailor-made geography or environmental fieldwork programmes, or you can run your own self-taught field study programme in the very best locations the South West has to offer.
The possibilities are almost endless including site specific fieldwork around eco systems and geographical environments including coastal, woodland and limestone landscapes.
Duke of Edinburgh
SSE Outdoors are pleased to offer various expeditions throughout the year for all levels of the DofE Awards. We are one of their “Approved Activity Providers” (AAP) meaning that we have undergone thorough assessment by the DofE in our ability to deliver courses for this award and have been successfully accredited with this prestigious status.
As an AAP we also run up to three gold residentials per year, either onsite or at the Bath and West Show – details can be found on Holiday Camps - SSE Outdoors
We are also pleased to offer an alternative DofE programme, for Young People that are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) or Risk of NEET, helping them to achieve the award whilst onsite and working directly with our team Please contact us for more information on any of our DofE training programmes
Sixth Form and University Revision Weekends
We also offer bespoke programmes, such revision weekends to suit your needs, with breakout classrooms available
During their stay, engineering students have the option to visit the nuclear power station being constructed at Hinkley, whilst ecology groups can visit the Jurassic coastline or utilise the nature reserve within the grounds at Charterhouse.
We appreciate and understand that studying can at times be extremely stressful, so students during their down time have the option to simply unwind and relax in the grounds of our centres or take part in one of our various outdoor activities.
For more information regarding any of our packages please visit our SSE Outdoors website www.sseoutdoors.co.uk or contact our SSE Outdoors directly sseoutdoors@somerset.gov.uk
Full contact details are provided on the back of this booklet.
Why Choose us?
Fantastic residential school and group trips linked to the curriculum and exam specifications.
Outdoor learning experiences, qualified and highly trained instructors, holiday programmes (from astronomy and creative writing to climbing and mountain biking). Choice of four centres, all of which are in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and some of which you can have sole use of.
Children who visit us create memories that last a lifetime not just for a day.
Don’t take our word for it, here’s what other people think
“My taciturn son has often returned almost fizzing with excitement and enthusiasm at what he has learnt and the possibilities he has been made aware of.”
“Thank you to all the team, once again we all had a fab trip with awesome activities and yummy meals! You all rock “
“Once again the centre has provided a superb experience for our pupils.”
“My absolute favourite memory has got to be the amount of encouragement that we got from you all.”
“A huge thank you from everyone. Last week was amazing, truly amazing. To see the children having fun, being challenged, helping each other, laughing together was just magic. It also gave us a chance to get to know them better, to rebuild our relationships faster. I certainly now know all our children again really well as the Head Teacher.”
Key Contact details
Email: SSEOutdoors@somerset.gov.uk
Tel: 01278 741270
www.sseoutdoors.co.uk
Social Media Accounts -
@SSEOutdoors on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn
SSE Outdoors – Kilve Court, Great Wood, Charterhouse
If you would like to discuss any of our services in more detail, then please do not hesitate to contact us.
