National Trust Brancaster Activity Centre Residential Norfolk

Accreditation and Awards

Quality badge awarded by Council for Learning Outside the Classroom

Adventure Activities licensing Authority Adventure Mark

RYA Accredited 

Group Sizes Catered For

We sleep a maximum of 48, (up to 41 students and accompanying adults).  

For activities the children are split into smaller groups, with all activities being led by qualified and experienced full-time National Trust staff, who are first aid trained.

Risk Assessment Details

All activities and sites are risk assessed by us and these can be made available upon request.  

Quality badge awarded by Council for Learning Outside the Classroom

Pre-visits are available to enable teachers to risk assess bringing their students to us.

Children are encouraged to take responsibility for themselves and their belongings and to learn to assess risk.

All visiting schools must carry out a fire drill on their first day.

Pricing Information

We will prepare a quote to match your group requirements. 

Costs and minimum numbers vary depending on the season. 

Our fully inclusive package includes

• Accommodation
• Catering (breakfast, lunch and dinner) 
• Expert tuition and leadership in all activities (6 included for full week and 4 included for half week) 
• Minibus transport during the week – maximum 15 pupils and 1 teacher (unless a coach is needed for whole-class off-site visits) 
• Entrance fee to one offsite destination.  
• 1 free adult place per 8 children and all 1:1 support staff free. 
• Extra adults are charged for food and accommodation only

Day visits are priced according to selected activity and group size.

First Aid Information

Staff and volunteers leading activities are First Aid trained and carry first aid kits on activity.  There are first aid kits located within the centre. We recommend you should bring your own first aid trained member of staff on residential as our staff do not sleep in the centre overnight. Please follow your own school risk assessments.

Available Facilities

Located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and direct access to beach, saltmarsh and coastline to explore.

Free internet access is available throughout the building. 

The Centre has dormitory style bedrooms with 8 having en-suite facilities and 1 with a dedicated bathroom near-by.

Dining room on the ground floor where our cook provides healthy and wholesome meals to ensure the children are engergised.

Common room, located on first floor, with Smart TV, ideal for free time, meeting friends, reading, playing games and so on.  

Snug area for the teachers to relax with views over the harbour.

There is a small, south facing garden with picnic benches. 

A drying room and courtyard are available for hanging out wet clothes.  

We have gift items available for purchase and we recommend a budget of £5 per child.  

Accessibility & Disabled Facilities

One bedroom has disabled access, with en-suite shower room including accessible seat.  We adapt activities accordingly so please get in touch as we assess this on a case by case basis.

Our access statement is available on our website. 

Opening Hours & Information

Residential visits are available Monday to Friday throughout the year.

Testimonials

Brancaster has been somewhat a rite of passage for Year 5 pupils at Holy Trinity. The stories of the mud safari are legendary among siblings and are always the source of the funniest of memories and photographs. The seal trip on the boat is just awe inspiring with children dumbfounded by the sights of the seals and their cubs. It’s incredible seeing children’s knowledge, understanding, experience and curiosity for the natural world around us grow in such a short space of time. Their awareness of the natural environment and how fragile it is leads to wonderful attitudes and ideas about how they will strive to protect it. Something they already knew needed to be done, but it is Brancaster that brings them to really understand the value in this. 

They leave Brancaster understanding the importance of conservation and with a wonderful sense of achievement and independence. It is invaluable to our children and long may our visits there continue. 

Holy Trinity Primary School, Tottenham, London

We have been regular visitors to the Brancaster Activity Centre for over 10 years now. The location is truly stunning, a place all Norfolk children should have a chance to visit and explore, while the staff team always ensure our groups receive a warm welcome and feel at home in the comfortable building. In addition, the activity leaders consistently deliver high quality instruction always with a balance of humour, patience and with great regard for the safety of all, whilst considering the needs of individual children.  A fantastic residential experience, with delicious, plentiful food, where the staff team are always happy to help in any way they can. Children thrive in this environment and return from the week with a positive approach to teamwork and challenge. They return with an improved awareness of our impact upon the environment, and a greater understanding of what they can do to help to live in a more sustainable way. 

Staff at Colman Junior School, Norwich       

Other Information

We work with you on your school curriculum needs and ask for your aims and learning outcomes prior to the visit, adapting each trip to individual schools.

You must bring a minimum of one loco parentis adult per 15 children plus one further loco parentis adult in case of emergency/incident (The National Trust recommended guidelines). If a child requires 1:1 support this member of staff cannot be counted in this ratio. Ensure you follow you school guidelines and risk assessments particularly for overnight ratios..

Room Sizes and Facilities

Our Centre offers sole occupancy for your group and sleeps up to 48 (including adults) in 9 dormitory style bedrooms. 

Ground Floor 

Lapwing – shared bathroom with BitternSleeps 2        1 x bunk bed (2 beds) 

Bittern- shared bathroom with Lapwing Sleeps 4        2 x bunk beds (4 beds) 

or separate dedicated bathroom

Turnstone – Full en-suite                         Sleeps 6        3 x bunk beds (6 beds) 

Heron- Toilet & in sink in bedroom          Sleeps 8        4 x bunk beds (8 beds)

with dedicated bathroom    

Spoonbill – Full en-suite                             Sleeps 6        3 x bunk beds (6 beds) 

First Floor 

Shelduck – Full en-suite                            Sleeps 5       1 x bunk bed / 1 x cabin                                                                                                                                     bed / 2 x singles (5 beds)

Oystercatcher – Full en-suite                     Sleeps 5       1 x bunk bed / 1 x cabin                                                                                                                                     bed / 2 x singles (5 beds)

Avocet – Full en-suite                                Sleeps 7        2 x bunk bed / 1 x cabin                                                                                                                                     bed / 2 x singles (7 beds)

Redshank – Full en-suite                           Sleeps 5        1 x bunk bed / 1 x cabin                                                                                                                                     bed / 2 x singles (5 beds)

There is a dining area plus common room with Smart TV for presentations or DVD’s and a snug with beautiful views over the harbour (with wood burning stove and TV) for teachers to enjoy. Tea and coffee facilities are available in the first-floor kitchen. 

Booking information

Bookings are made with our Business Support Co-ordinator: Sarah Gore-Clough, who can be contacted on 01328 738 088 or email brancaster@nationaltrust.org.uk.