Woodrow High House Amersham Buckinghamshire Residential

Woodrow High House is one of London Youth’s outdoor residential centres.

As a charity we aim to support and challenge young people, of all ages, backgrounds and abilities, to become the best they can be.  Young people need opportunities outside school to have fun with their friends, to learn new skills, to make a positive change in their communities and to shape the area they live in.

Our regular customers include primary and secondary schools, independent schools and SEND schools. We arrange bespoke activity programmes dependent on the objectives of your visit.

Woodrow High House is a 17th Century Manor House with plenty of character.  It is situated within 24 acres of beautiful grounds on the edge of the Chiltern Hills. In Amersham, Buckinghamshire. It is approximately a 10 minute drive from Amersham train station – the last stop on the Metropolitan line, allowing for easy access from London. The site is also coach accessible. Our charming grounds provide an ideal setting to get away and enjoy the countryside and spot some local wildlife. An evening round the campfire, complete with songs and stories, is the perfect way to round off the day.

We have our very own Leisure Centre with a heated swimming pool on site. The Sports Hall can be used for a number of purposes, from playing basketball to indoor archery and even musical theatre with our stage facilities.

The site is safe and secure. Our external doors are locked and coded, and we also have CCTV. All our staff are DBS checked and complete Safety and Safeguarding training. Furthermore, the Woodrow Instructor Team are First Aid and Fire Marshall trained. Our Duty Managers are always on hand and available 24/7 in case of an emergency.

We offer a wide range of exciting outdoor activities such as HIGH ROPES challenges – Traverse Challenge, Crate Stack, Leap of Faith, Jacobs Ladder; ARCHERY; NIGHTLINE; ORIENTEERING; SCAVENGER HUNT; PIONEERING; BUSHCRAFT; SHELTER BUILDING; RAFT BUIULDING; and, SWIMMING, and there are many more to choose from. We focus on helping young people develop their soft skills; such as confidence building, resilience, communication and listening. Our fully Qualified instructor team can work with groups of all ages and abilities and tailor sessions to focus on your desired learning outcomes.

• • • 87% of young people felt coming to Woodrow helped them try new things.
    • 82% of young people felt coming to Woodrow helped them to not give up.
    • 80% of young people felt coming to Woodrow helped them to better listen.
    • 93% of youth leaders felt coming to Woodrow helped their young people feel more confident.
    • 91% of youth leaders felt coming to Woodrow helped their young people cope better with challenges
    • 94% of youth leaders said they would come back to Woodrow for a residential

Outdoor Residential Centre South East
Accommodation South East

Memories of your first residential last for years, and the impact can last forever. Songs and marshmallows around the campfire, amazing activities, new friendships formed, stunning surroundings, Woodrow has it all.

There are so many benefits to running a residential for your school or youth group. These benefits don’t start and end with the outdoor activities the children participate in, but extend to the entirety of the trip. Everything from making their bed, to eating dinner with their friends, getting to know teachers in a different environment and deciding what to spend their pocket money on in our Tuck Shop.

We adapt our programmes and vary the style of delivery to ensure that we provide exactly what your group’s requirements are. The needs of your young people are the centre of everything we do. At Woodrow we give young people a safe, but real, taste of adventure – boosting their self-confidence and encouraging them to try new experiences.

LOtC Quality Badge

Institute for Outdoor Learning – Organisational Member

Adventuremark Certified

We cater for all group sizes, big or small. The minimum group number is 15 young people, plus leaders. Our maximum capacity for a residential is 123, plus leaders.

Experience all the thrills at Woodrow, with our vast array of outdoor activities that are led by our fully qualified instructor team. High up, low down, indoor, outdoor, in teams or striking out on your own, our activities cover it all. We also have plenty of ideas to keep visitors entertained at quieter times of the day. Our indoor heated pool and lifeguard can be booked for a swim session, subject to availability, and instructors can lead structured games and races, or supervise a free swim. We also have an Astroturf pitch, a mountain bike circuit, and access to the games room with table tennis, table football and the tuck shop.You can download a full list of activities available for residential stays and day trips here.

Our Risk Management Summary is available for download via our website. Please go to the “Information Zone” heading and select “Useful Downloads” or select HERE

We can provide individual risk assessments for all our activities on request. We are also happy to show group leaders around the site prior to their visit if they would like to carry out their own risk assessment

None. We are happy for photography, filming, and audio to be taken. Please do share your Woodrow experiences with us via our social media channels.

Our prices vary throughout the year and are priced seasonally. Prices include all meals from dinner on arrival through to lunch on departure. We ask all residents to bring a packed lunch on arrival day.

All bed linen is included as well as a jam-packed activity programme with our fully qualified, professional, instructors.

Leader places are free of charge on a 1:12 ratio, plus one. Additional leaders are charged at half price and are welcomed, subject to accommodation availability.

All our instructors are first aid trained so there is no need for you to bring a qualified first aider. Our site also has an Automated External Defibrillator.

Woodrow High House offers fully catered residentials and day visits. We work on a ratio of 1 instructor to every 15 young people.

Our dining area can seat 75 people and we provide 3 cooked meals a day. A sample menu can be requested, and we are happy to share this with you. We place importance on healthy living and always have a salad bar at lunch and dinner, as well as fruit throughout the day. We can cater for all dietary requirements and operate a nut free site. Tea and coffee are also available throughout the duration of your stay.

Our Tuck Shop sells a wide range of confectionary and souvenirs as an evening treat for our guests, or we are happy to make up “goody bags” for your young people to take home with them.

The cellar can be converted into a games room or even an evening DISCO for your young people to enjoy.

We have three relaxing lounges and one conservatory area available, and your group will be allocated one of these spaces for the duration of your stay. These are great spaces for your group to meet before mealtimes, relax, or play games.

Our Leisure Centre has both an indoor, heated swimming pool, and a large sports hall, which can be used by your group, subject to availability.

Our Astroturf pitch and Mountain Bike Circuit can also be used by your group, again, subject to availability.

We also have free WIFI available for leaders.

We are a fully catered site and do not offer self-catering facilities.

Woodrow High House is a fully inclusive centre. We have been working with children and young people with additional needs for over 40 years. Before your arrival, our team will discuss the specific needs of your group and learn more about your objectives. We can adapt our programme to suit various abilities and will ensure that a great time is had by all. Our swimming pool has a hoist, to enable wheelchair users to use the pool.

We are open all year round, Monday to Sunday, January to December and welcome groups for visits of any length of time. We do, however, close over the Christmas period.

“We loved our stay.  Thank you for all your hard work.  We liked the rapport and relationship between instructors and children, amazing patience and understanding of our children, especially those with additional needs.  Instructors had bags of enthusiasm and energy.  Lovely improvements, nice and clean.  Great food.” Naphill and Walters Ash School

“We liked the activities, staff, accommodation, weather, and food.  Woodrow provides lots of opportunities for young people to experience and gain key life skills.  Extremely welcoming.  The site gives young people freedom in nature whilst still ensuring safety.” Claytons Primary School

“Staff are brilliant at managing the group, building positive behaviours, and relationships with the children – particularly SEN support.   Children love their experience and feel accomplished.  Amazing instructors and planned activities – very organised!  The children really enjoyed themselves.  All overnight facilities were clean and modern.  Great food.” Beachborough School

Residentials at Woodrow are unique. The accommodation is located in our beautiful Manor House which has 123 beds for young people and 15 for leaders, spread across 26 bedrooms. Bedrooms vary in size and are made up of bunk beds or single beds. Each room sleeps between 2 to 10 people. We provide all the bed linen, and young people get to make-up their own beds. The house can be divided into “zones” with each group having their own bedroom area.

Shared bathroom facilities are located across both floors, and we do have en-suite rooms available in our Heather zone.

Based on the size of your group you will be allocated one of our four lounges. Cosy up during the evening, and swap stories about your day over a hot chocolate. This is perfect for that much needed quiet time at the end of the day, as well as indoor activities and classroom-based workshops.

All sales enquiries should be emailed to hellowoodrow@londonyouth.org , or, alternatively, please telephone 01494 433531.

Woodrow High House is a 17th Century Manor House with plenty of character.  It is situated within 24 acres of beautiful grounds on the edge of the Chiltern Hills, in Amersham, Buckinghamshire. It is approximately a 10 minute drive from Amersham train station – the last stop on the Metropolitan line, allowing for easy access from London. The site is also coach accessible. Our charming grounds provide an ideal setting to get away and enjoy the countryside and spot some local wildlife.

You can download our full kit list from our website here

We recommend you bring warm, comfortable clothing. Layers are essential and waterproofs are a good idea.  Suitable footwear (walking books, wellies, trainers) and a change of shoes for any indoor activity. Suncream and a hat in good weather. Most of all, you should bring a great sense of adventure!

Our vision is that all young people grow up healthy, able to express themselves, navigate a fulfilling career and make a positive contribution in their communities.

Our mission is to support and challenge young people to become the best they can be, developing their confidence, resilience and relationship skills.

London Youth has owned and operated Woodrow since 1945. Each year more than 7,000 children and young people visit us. We give each and every one of them the experience of a lifetime.