Flatford Mill Outdoor Residential Centre Colchester Field Studies Council

Field Studies Council offers fieldwork and outdoor learning for groups of all ages at centres across the UK. Trips use outdoor learning to expand children’s experiences to teach curriculum focused work to inspire everyone about the environment.

Primary field trips enable you to pick and choose from a range of exciting adventure or curriculum sessions to build your own trip. A visit to our centre will immerse primary school children in the natural world, taking in its sights, sounds and smells.

For secondary and A level groups we offer geography, biology and environmental science courses. Courses can be tailored to your own requirements to ensure you get the most from your visit and trips utilise the local environment to fully engage students.

Flatford Mill Outdoor Residential Centre Colchester Field Studies Council
Field studies East of England
Residential school trips East of England
STEM East of England

Flatford Mill Field Centre set amidst quintessentially English countryside of the Dedham. Our outdoor learning programs can be tailored to the outcomes you require, from exam board specifications to boosting confidence communication skills.

Outdoor Learning courses are created to complement the curriculum, and engage pupils with subjects in fresh, hands-on ways.

Adventure learning encourages children to push beyond their comfort zones and discover what they’re capable of. With carefully tailored, age-appropriate challenges, every child is supported to grow their knowledge and learn in new and exciting ways.

• All our residential centres will provide you with:
• A qualified tutor to oversee your trip
• Pre-trip planning including itinerary, kit lists, and risk assessments
• Centres with up to 180 beds, offering flexible rooming options and all bedding included
• Healthy filling meals from dinner on your first day to a packed lunch on your last day
• We hold Learning Outside the Classroom’s Quality Badge so there is less paperwork for you

LOtC

The GA Secondary Geography Quality Mark

SGQM Centre of Excellence

John Muir

DofE Approved Activity Provider

Students will look at a variety of plants and common animals using age appropriate classification keys to identify living things we find in our woodland and in our pond habitats.

Science:

We can offer a range of biology courses from KS2 to curriculum-based A level trips. KS2 pupils can look at a range of habitats, learning about microhabitats and how they provide the basic needs for living things. Pupils can learn to identify the different structures of plants and name a variety of common animals. We will mini beast hunt and observe them in their microhabitats.

Geography:

We offer a range of sessions and courses covering human and environmental geography through fieldwork. Most sessions have short classroom sessions before and after. Teaching is delivered by fully trained and experienced tutors.

We can deliver geography courses from KS2 to A level.

KS2 pupils can use maps, stories and games to explore the woods. Discover the plants and animals that live here and design and build dens.

For KS4 and A level students we link all of our courses to the exam board requirements for each subject and can tailor the course to your specific needs.

Primary:

We have a wide range of activities such as minibeast hunt, pond dipping, hiking, low ropes, eco-activity, rock climbing, bushcraft, orienteering.

Identify basic survival needs, explore the woods, build a shelter and forage for wild foods. Follow a woodland trail and search for tracks and signs. A day filled with team building and problem solving activities.

We can cater for groups of various sizes. Courses have a minimum of 10 students and Flatford Mill has a maximum capacity of 64.

Our courses are created carefully to link to curriculum requirements. We can work with you to tailor content to fit in with work back in the classroom. Tailored resources will be supplied to use before and after your trip to prepare students and encourage follow-up work to be completed.

We provide a variety of resources to support outdoor learning, on the Field Studies Council.

A detailed risk assessment for activities and teaching sites is undertaken which forms the basis of a dynamic approach to assessment by trained staff whilst in the field.

01743-852100

or enquiries@field-studies-council.org

15% off for new residential customers

Late availability offer – 25% off school residential trips with an arrival date during the next three months

Off-peak pricing available 

– Different price bands are offered throughout the year to offer value for money. Many of our visiting groups take advantage of our off-peak prices between November and February. Talk to our team about the best options for your group.

Prices include: 

course planning; fully risk assessed teaching sites; accommodation; specialist tutors; teaching resources; fieldwork equipment; classrooms and food. The only thing you need to add-on is transport. We even provide wellies & waterproofs at our residential centres.

All field teachers are trained in first aid and group management.

Capacity: Flatford Mill can accommodate up to 64 guests across 18 bedrooms. There are three separate accommodation blocks offering a mix of different room types, some with en-suites, others with dedicated bathrooms close by.

Car Parking: Coach parking is available for free of charge for customers at the nearby National Trust Car Park. Customer cars and minibuses can use the Centre’s car park at the end of the lane.

Children’s Facilities: We are an Educational Centre and have games and activities on-site for children aged 8+; however, younger children are welcome.

Common Room: We have a Common Room for schools and adults with table tennis and table football as well sofas, television, DVD player and films, books and board games.

Hot and Cold Drinks: We have hot and cold drinks making facilities accessible around the centre.

Kitchen: Fully catered services for all dietary needs available, as well as packed lunch making services.

Library: We have an extensive range of reference books with an easy reference database, along with chairs and pcs with internet connection

Linen: All bedding is provided

Outdoor Clothing: You can hire wellingtons, waterproof trousers and jackets

Outdoor Facilities: Extensive range on-site and off-site activities including campfire area, river frontage, woodland, grassland, island, vegetable garden nature garden, games field, picnic benches, wildlife pond

Shop: Our shop branded souvenirs such as hats buffs and water bottles, plus drinks and snacks as well as a selection of our Wild ID guides.

WIFI: Free guest WIFI is available through-out the centre.

Workrooms: We have five workrooms of varying size seating 16-30 and all are available for hire

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By train Our nearest train station is Manningtree, about four miles away from the Centre. It is on the main line from London Liverpool Street to Ipswich/Norwich. The journey time from London is approximately one hour. You can also travel to Manningtree station from the north via Peterborough and Ipswich. For school groups, we can arrange free minibus pick up and return to the train station. For our adult learners, several taxis operate out of Manningtree station and can be pre-booked by us to meet you at the station and return you there at the end of your course. If you have any issues booking transport to and from the station, please contact reception who may be able to help.

By car The Centre is located between Colchester and Ipswich and is about 10 miles from each, approximately 2 miles from the A12. From the crossroads near the ‘Oranges and Lemons’ cafe in East Bergholt, turn down Flatford Lane. It becomes one-way in your favour after 300m. 300m further on, note the direction arrow to the Field Centre on the tourist sign and turn down a narrow steep-sided lane (do not go into or beyond the Flatford public car park). Bear left at the bottom of the hill. The Centre forecourt is then 200m further on, indicated by a sign on a low wall. Our car park is 150m further down the lane. When you arrive, please announce your arrival at Reception. The entrance is by the sign on the far side of the forecourt.

By bus, bike or on foot The 93 and 93A bus services between Colchester and Ipswich are operated by Ipswich Buses and run through East Bergholt. Ask for the Kings Head / Oranges and Lemons bus stop and then walk down to the Centre using the ‘By Car’ directions above. The Centre can be reached via the St Edmunds Way (which also goes past Manningtree train station) and Stour Valley footpaths. Grid Reference TM 07693322. The Centre is also within a few kilometres of the Sustrans National Cycle Network Route 1. If you feel inclined and have the wherewithal / sense of adventure, it has been know, for people to use the River Stour and kayak.

Field Studies Council has developed links with First Travel Solutions (FTS), and we recommend them as a coach travel provider to help reduce the cost of transport for academic groups to our Centres. FTS provide a fully supported, UK wide school travel service, providing a dedicated contact for each coach booking from the initial contact through to tracked delivery with 100% security on all deposits paid. If you would like to receive a quote from First Travel Solutions please enquire here.

Contact our team for latest prices and availability:

01743-852100 or enquiries@field-studies-council.org