Offering curriculum linked activities on a working farm with in the beautiful surroundings of Bodenham Arboretum. All key stages catered for with experiential learning, developing inquisitive & positive relationships within the natural environment.
West Midlands
Bodenham Aboretum, Wolverley, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY11 5TB
MONTHS OPEN
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
DAYS OPEN
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
AGE GROUPs
PreSchool, 5 to 7 years, 8 to 10 years, 11 to 13 years, 14 to 16 years, College, University
What we offer on a school trip
The World Outside offers curriculum linked outdoor activities based on a working farm with in the beautiful surroundings of Bodenham Arboretum.
All key stages are catered for with experiential learning, developing inquisitive and positive relationships within the natural environment.
Through bespoke sessions and regular events everyone can learn, play and get close to nature in a fun and interactive way. The Worlds outside caters for all through their child led sessions, building confidence and self esteem.
Risk assessments are provided in advance along with a bespoke programme outlining your day and the curriculum links and expected learning outcomes.
Price per a child start at £7 for a four to five hour forest school experience.
Enhance your visit with an arboretum tour and visit, as well as an outdoor activity session with a trained member of staff.
Minimum charges apply for forest school experience.
Please note that you do not need to pay entry to the Arboretum to attend Forest School but attendance at forest school does not permit entry to the Arboretum.
Activities can include
- Curriculum linked days
- e. Vikings, Stone age, Traditional Story, Native America, Growing, a book/ topic that you are working on with in the classroom, enchanted forest, Andy Goldsworthy
- Fire lighting and cooking on fire
- Natural Art
- Team Building
- Problem solving
- Mud Kitchen
- Den Building
- Mini beast hunts
- Pond dipping
- Stream damming
- Natural Art and much more…
Your Forest school leaders are:
- OCN Level 3 trained Forest School Leaders
- Experienced in working with children, with over 20 years’ experience in Scouting and School settings
- Insured
- Enhanced DBS
- Qualified in paediatric firstaid
Themes
Vikings, Native America, Mexico, Stone Age, Into the woods, Traditional Story, Farm to Fork, Fantasy, Myths and Legends, World War II, Growing, food chains, Stone age, Growing, a book/ topic that you are working on with in the classroom, enchanted forest, Andy Goldsworthy and many more.
If your subject is not listed please ask us!
Please contact us for an outline programme and how we can create a bespoke session to link with your curriculum requirements.
What makes us a great choice for education
Forest School with the World Outside
At the World Outside we closely follow the principles of forest school as set out by the forest school association. However we are aware of the pressures that schools are under to ensure that every activity in school meets the criteria set down in the national curriculum.
To ensure that we assist the school to meet these needs The World Outside has developed a series of curriculum-linked programmes to inspire individuals of any age through positive outdoor experiences. It is very important to us, to allow the children to learn in a child-led and spontaneous manner though focused and child-led activities. This allows the child to develop and learn in a way that is beneficial to the development of self-esteem, confidence and respect and with the natural world.
The programmes we provide highlight the links to the curriculum along with the aims and expected learning outcomes. These bespoke programmes can be developed to meet the needs of individual groups.
The environment within the arboretum is relaxed and stress-free. On Mondays and Tuesdays the Arboretum is usually closed to the general public, which significantly reduces the stress of an educational visit. If you have booked a whole day session with the World Outside, you have a dedicated leader who is with you for the duration of your visit.
Accreditation and Awards
No Quality badge, but a member of LOtC
Also a member of the Institute of outdoor learning
Member of the Forest School Association.
Member of Forest School Association Worcestershire
Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute
What is typically included on our school trips
A typical visit would include a meet and greet on arrival, a day of activities on the forest school sites, with your dedicated leader, based around your chosen topic. The children usually depending on numbers usually have the opportunity to cook on the fire and there are always self-guided learning opportunities. The sites have covered shelters and the children can explore within a safe natural environment to create a relaxed, stress free visit.
Group Sizes Catered For
Approximately 60 comfortably. We can accommodate up to 120 or more by arrangement.
The arboretum can accommodate more than 120, for self-guided visits, however the provision of activities provided by the World Outside for groups over 120 would have to be discussed as the time available would restrict the quality of the activities that could be provided.
Materials, Resources & Information Provided
We provide site and activity risk assessments and a bespoke curriculum linked programme – designed to your needs. The aim of your trip is discussed before booking and a draft programme provided. A typical example programme can be sent to you before booking, we then adapt this to meet the specific needs of your group and topic.
The Arboretum provides a courtesy visit for two teachers prior to the trip to carry out your own risk assessments and we can also arrange a pre visit meeting with the World outside staff on site to discuss the needs of the group if required.
Photography, Filming & Audio Restrictions
No restrictions on photography or video.
Risk Assessment Details
Site and activity Risk assessments are provided and included in a teachers pack which is downloadable from the website. This is also emailed when an enquiry is made.
Curriculum linked programme – a bespoke programme designed to your needs and topic requirements.
The Arboretum provides a courtesy visit for two teachers prior to the trip to carry out your own risk assessments and we can also arrange a pre visit meeting with the World outside staff on site to discuss the needs of the group.
Education Officer Information
Sandra Hill – 07765394456. It is recommended to email: sandra@theworldoutside.co.uk
Pricing Information
School rate varies from £3.50 for self-guided arboretum visit only, up to £7 for a day of planned activities with a dedicated leader from the World Outside. There is no charge for supervising adults, ie those needed to meet the suggested ratios. The ratio suggested is 1:5 Adult: Children, though this does depend on the age group.
Clothing Requirements
Layers of warm activity clothes, sturdy shoes or wellies, waterproofs – a change of clothes for the way home.
First Aid Information
All leaders are first aid trained and can provide first aid, but it is recommended that the group brings a first aider especially if you choose the self-guided visit of the arboretum.
Available Facilities
There is a shop and restaurant; however this is only open on certain days and the shop is not large enough for big groups of children. The children do not require pocket money and all children and staff should bring a packed lunch and drinks with them.
We have two covered shelters with in the forest, suitable for seating up to 60 pupils comfortably ( More can be squeezed in during inclement weather.
Within the arboretum there are picnic benches and on days the arboretum is closed to the public or does not have an event on schools are welcome to use the seating on the terrace.
Accessibility & Disabled Facilities
There is a disabled toilet and the arboretum has areas that are suitable for wheelchairs. Most of the farm is accessible by wheelchair. Once off the main routes, depending on the weather conditions access with a wheel chair can be difficult due to the soft and uneven ground.
The areas used for the outdoor activities are woodland areas on sloping uneven ground which can be difficult to access especially for a fully dependant wheelchair user, especially in inclement weather. Partially dependant wheel chair users can access the site with assistance; though the terrain is uneven and sloping. Access to both the sites are through grass fields or along grass tracks. We have often have wheelchair users with partial mobility access the site. It is recommended that a pre-visit is made before booking should your group require disabled access so you can assess the ground conditions.
Opening Hours & Information
All year round, every day, by arrangement.
The Arboretum is closed to the general public on Mondays and Tuesdays, so a very good day to visit with a school as you can usually have exclusive use. On these the days the restaurant and shop are closed. Private functions may be held on these days but these do not usually affect school visits.
Testimonials
St Catherines Primary School, Kidderminster – Year 3 and 4 Native American Theme
Years 3 and 4 pupils, from St. Catherine’s C.E. Primary School, visited Bodenham Arboretum to support and enrich a KS2 project based on North America. Right from putting dates in the diary Sandra endeavoured to ensure that she planned and delivered a unique and fulfilling experience for the children. She listened to all of our ideas and then made them work brilliantly in a forest school context.
The day was really enjoyable and most worthwhile. The sessions were full but the children were also free to guide their own learning and experiences; they were motivated to challenge themselves and worked well as teams. The day covered so many valuable learning skills and
provided a wide range of learning opportunities which appealed to everyone.
Almost every child described the day as the best trip they had ever been on and I know that the adults loved it too! Thank you Sandra.
Mrs. Sarah Powers
Headteacher
St Catherines Primary School
Kidderminster
Comberton Nursery
“We took our Nursery classes to The World Outside as part of our topic on ‘Growing’. Sandra organised and tailored a wide range of activities that perfectly suited their age ranges and the children were all fully engaged throughout the day.
Sandra had a lovely nature with the children that gained their interest and engagement from the off and many came away from the day able to name and identify different plants and trees, which we were very impressed with!
The children thoroughly enjoyed having the freedom to explore outdoors whilst being in a safe and secure environment that was monitored and thoroughly risk-assessed by Sandra.
The whole experience was highly enjoyable for both staff and children and I would definitely recommend The World Outside to other colleagues. We will definitely be returning!”
Mrs Fox
Comberton Nursery
Priory Primary School – Bodenham Arboretum Trip
From the planning stages to the day of the trip, the school have been thrilled with the attention to detail and the willingness to help shown by the Arboretum and The World Outside. Owing to the size of the year 5 and 6 classes there are few places willing to take on such a large group of children. Added to this were the special need requirements of a number of children.
The five year 5 and 6 classes had been learning about environments. We were able to give the Arboretum and Mrs S Hill the objectives we wished to achieve and they were able to tailor the activities to these objectives. The activities were also age appropriate and engaging to all pupils.
The risk assessment completed by The World Outside was comprehensive and informative. This then enabled the school to complete the statutory authority risk assessment and the individual risk assessments of the children with specific physical needs.
On the days of the trips the children were excited by the activities they took a part in. They all loved den building and the freedom to explore their natural environment. Most asked if they could go again the next day! The learning environment was new to the children but they embraced the challenges and could all talk about what they had learned. For many the highlight was being able to see and touch the animals; something many had not had the opportunity to do before.
Some of the children who went on the trip, find learning in the classroom very difficult. One child in particular had been on a reduced timetable and had been in an intervention group prior to the trip. At school we had been struggling to engage this child. Whilst at the Arboretum he calmed down and listened to the instructions given. He then realised that he was allowed to build his own den, pond dip and roam the arboretum without being confined by walls. He touched a donkey and stood in awe of the creature. He could not stop talking about the trip and was praised by staff for his excellent behaviour and the interest he had shown. He was able to produce some written and art work based on his experiences. A real breakthrough!
The staff and pupils cannot thank the Arboretum and The World Outside enough! We will certainly be organising another trip and have encouraged all year groups to consider a trip too!
Mrs Clare Stockford
Year 5 Class Teacher and Trip organiser
Priory Primary School
Other Information
We are a friendly approachable team that are passionate about providing a fun and stress free visit for the students and teachers. Mondays and Tuesday, schools usually have exclusive access to the arboretum, which significantly reduces the stress involved when visiting busy, public attractions. The students also experience the calm and tranquillity of the countryside, that wood land and farm provide, that is so important on out busy and stressful lives.
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