Cumulus Outdoors School Residentials in Swanage Dorset

A Cumulus Outdoors residential is the perfect choice for a school study trip or leavers’ celebration trip and with two locations to choose from, residential centre or tented villages, the options are many and varied. Residentials can be field study/learning trip based and led by our educational lead or self-led. Or the trips can be led by our instructors with outdoor adventurous activities and lots of fun! All residentials are 3 or 5 day long and have bespoke programmes to encourage students to enjoy and explore the great outdoors in stunning surroundings, whether they are studying from the curriculum or experiencing a ‘reward’ residential at the end of their school year.

Our residential centre option is in a purpose-built centre in Swanage, with the town centre and the beach a 10 minute walk away. We can accommodate up to 110 students and 11 teachers in dormitories set in six acres of grounds, most rooms with ensuite facilities. All catering is carried out on-site using fresh and, as far as possible, locally sourced ingredients and we can cater for all dietary and cultural requirements. We have a range of on-site activities, plus space for both outdoor and indoor recreation, including classroom and field study facilities.

For those of you who prefer the life outdoors, our camping option is set in a secluded location on the edge of Poole Harbour, with 24 hour on-site pastoral care, each programme contains a mix of adventurous activities, from coasteering to kayaking and abseiling down sea cliffs. The tented village sites are away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life to allow everyone to get back to nature.

Both activity or field study based trips can be based at the residential centre or at the tented villages. Your final programme is bespoke and fits your objectives and learning outcomes making it uniquely yours. We plan this alongside you from day one and aim to create a fun learning experience for all your students.

Cumulus Outdoors runs a broad range of school and youth activities, from residential stays and one-day activities to Duke of Edinburgh organised expeditions and activities. The carefully selected Cumulus Outdoors staff and instructors have many years of experience, they all hold an enhanced DBS certificate and an outdoor first aid qualification. They are fully and highly qualified in their particular area of expertise to be able to deliver the adventurous activities offered.

As well as adventurous activities for team building, leadership, confidence, and personal development skills, we also offer field study input for both GCSE and A-Level Geography plus KS2 topics within Geography, History, Science and PE for all primary school pupils.

In a nutshell:

• Clear and concise communication throughout whole enquiry/booking process.
• Teachers encouraged to attend site visits.
• Wide range of activities to choose from, including mackerel fishing and waterpark.
• Broad range of school and youth activities, from residential stays and one-day activities to Duke of Edinburgh organised expeditions and activities.
• Programmes can be tailored to suit requirements and budgets.
• We encourage and act on feedback to continually improve and innovate.
• Rigorous attention to detail before and during the programme.
• We hold the LOtC Quality Badge mark and the AdventureMark certificate.
• We have the AALS Licence
• We have BAPA certification
• We are Business Partners with the Jurassic Coast Trust and can offer sessions centered on the World Heritage Site.
• National Trust links at Studland, Corfe Castle and Brownsea Island.
• Field study leader

You are able to plan your trip to meet your needs and budget, just call us to discuss activity options and dates.

AALS License, Member of Institute of Outdoor Learning (IOL), Member of the National Coasteering Charter NCC, LOtC Quality Badge, AdventureMark.

All staff are Enhanced DBS checked and First Aid Qualification plus all are fully qualified in their disciplines.

Gold Award in Dorset Tourism Awards 2019 for Adventurous Activities.

We also have BAPA certification.

Residentials at our tented villages run during the school late spring and summer terms with 24 hour pastoral care. Whilst we are able to welcome schools almost the whole year round at our residential centre in Swanage. We can accommodate up to 120 students at our tented villages or 110 students at the residential centre. Free of charge staff places are on a 1:10 ratio.

We offer bespoke 3 or 5 day residentials which you can plan with us to include the activities you prefer combined with the desired learning outcomes.

All meals are freshly prepared and cooked on site and all dietary requirements are fully catered for.

Residential days generally consist of two adventure activities, self-led or field study activities, and all meals are provided. We arrange transport for the duration of your stay however your journeys to and from the camp are not included, of course we can help with this if required.

A typical residential trip programme:

Day 1. Arrival 12.30pm, introduction to camp/residential centre, lunch and team game activities.

Dinner, evening games and bed time.

Day 2. Breakfast, climbing and abseiling. Lunch. Coasteering. Dinner. Evening games then bed.

Day 3. Breakfast, Bushcraft, lunch, Waterpark, Dinner, Evening games then bed.

Day 4. Breakfast, Kayaking, lunch, Mackerel fishing, Dinner, Evening games then bed.

Day 5. Breakfast, pack up, Waterpark, lunch and depart 12.30pm

You are able to plan your trip to meet your needs and budget, just call us to discuss activity options and dates!

At the tented village sites we can take a maximum of 120 students, at the residential centre we can take 110 students plus staff. There is a maximum capacity of 136 beds.

The schools are able to take photographs/videos and there are no copyright restrictions.

For more images of the residential centre CLICK HERE

All risk assessments are reviewed in preparation for the start of the residential season and at anytime during the season if an event necessitates it. All risk assessments and relevant policies are available to school staff via our website,

Accommodation forms, kit lists, consent forms and dietary requirement forms are emailed directly to the school trip lead teacher or admin staff.

Our residentials are bespoke and are planned to meet your requirements learning outcomes.

Typically, a 5 day residential at the residential centre or tented village is £408.28+VATper person (2024 pricing)

1 member of staff is free of charge with every 10 students

A kit list will be provided.

We do have first aid on site at all activity locations. All of our staff hold current and relevant first aid qualifications so there is no need for the school to specifically supply a qualified staff member.

Tented-Village:

• The exclusive camp sites are surrounded with green fields where the pupils are able to play football, team games and tag archery
• There is a separate teacher area where you can comfortably relax knowing the pupils are safe and busy with our 24/7 pastoral care
• We have onsite portaloos and shower facilities
• All meals are cooked on camp using plenty of fresh local ingredients

Residential Centre:

• Our centre has large open areas for outside activities and indoor recreational rooms for evening fun, football pitch, target sports, bushcraft areas and fire pits
• Classroom facilities for study and field study provision
• Wifi across the site
• Dormitories with ensuite facilities and designated teacher rooms
• All meals freshly prepared and cooked onsite
• On-site staff for 24/7 contact

We are committed to inclusivity and accessibility to enable all students to participate. Due to the nature of some of our activities, some are not suitable for wheelchair users. We do encourage schools to contact us to discuss any requirements.”

Office hours are Monday to Friday 9.00am – 5.00pm, plus emergency telephone cover over weekends and social media responses when possible.

Residential centre stays are available February through to November, tented village options are limited from May until mid July and the following September.

Activity days can take place any time during the year although May – October are the favoured months.

We are contactable over bank holidays and we do lead activities on bank holidays during the spring/summer.

“I have had dealings with this company providing bushcraft and camping facilities for young people in Dorset. It is always a worry about the care that is given to children away from home, and this is one company with proper family values. You get a real sense that you can trust them as they respond at a very human level, whilst maintaining a totally professional approach. Bravo Cumulus, I’m impressed!”

“We have spent the most wonderful week with our Year 6s at Cumulus’ tented village. All of the staff were incredibly skilled, helpful and approachable and formed wonderful relationships with our children. The activities offered were thoroughly enjoyable for the students and staff alike and the instructors made sure that all of our additional needs were considered and adapted them perfectly to ensure that all children could participate (even those with broken limbs!). The on-site chef was amazing at creating delicious meals and adapting menus to fit with a multitude of allergies and intolerances. The facilities were wonderful and have given the children excellent experiences of camping. The site was in the most beautiful area and was extremely safe and welcoming. We have had the most amazing time and cannot wait to visit again!”

R Hedges
School Visit

The location is fantastic, the accommodation is fantastic, the food is fantastic, but best of all the people are outstanding. We visited as a school party in March 2022 for the first time and was blown away, not by the coastal winds, but by the friendliness of all the staff. I am not one to write reviews but I really felt my experience needed to be shared with others. Decent fieldwork/outdoor centres are hard to find, but this one was such a great discovery 🙂

Melanie Collins
Field Studies Trip

We ask all schools who are interested in an activity day or residential to contact us to talk through any specific requirements or potential issues. Nothing is too difficult as long as we have the relevant information and time to plan. Call us and see!

The campsite base is located very close to Corfe Castle which makes educational trips to the castle very easy. The various adventure activities take place in different locations within the Isle of Purbeck and many are on the Jurassic Coast itself or the waters surrounding again making educational input from the Jurassic Coast Trust easily accessible.

The residential centre is in a quiet location in Swanage backing onto the Townsend Nature Reserve. It is approximately 10 minutes walking to the town centre, the pier and facilities plus the safe sandy beach with educational opportunities.

Address: Cumulus Outdoors Residential Centre, Cobbler’s Lane, Swanage, Dorset BH19 2PX

All of our tented village residentials are under canvas in an exclusive campsite on the shores of Poole Harbour. The tents can sleep between 6 and 8 pupils and are arranged around a central communal tipi with a fire pit for group sessions, meals and evening activities. Maximum numbers 120 students.

• There is a separate teacher area where you can comfortably relax knowing the pupils are safe and busy with our 24/7 pastoral care
• We have onsite portaloos and shower facilities
• All meals are cooked on camp using plenty of fresh local ingredients

The residential centre has beds for 110 students plus 11 teachers in purpose-built dormitories with bathroom facilities many of which are ensuite

• All meals are freshly prepared and cooked on-site within our kitchen and there is ample dining space.
• Both indoor and outdoor activity facilities are provided which you can access during your stay
• Classrooms and field study equipment are also available to enable a full learning residential

Julia Munn  Tel: 01929 422480 or e-mail: bookings@cumulusoutdoors.com

Initial enquiries can be made through: info@cumulusoutdoors.com