Philosophy
At Lledr Hall we believe every child and young person should experience the world outside the classroom as an integral part of their learning and development, complementing learning in the classroom.
High quality outdoor education can stimulate and inspire; foster independence; aid personal and social development; and can often motivate reluctant learners. These experiences should be stimulating, safely managed and enjoyable, and contribute to meeting the needs of every young person.
At Lledr Hall, the term ‘Outdoor Education’ embraces activities and experiences that:
- normally take place out of doors
- frequently have an adventurous component
- generally involve physical activity
- always respect the natural environment.
The Centre offers over 30 different activities ranging from recognised sports with an adventurous component such as orienteering and mountain biking; outdoor pursuits such as mountain walking, kayaking, canoeing, climbing and surfing; and outdoor activities purposefully designed for their educational impact such as ropes courses and initiative challenges. Outdoor education at Lledr Hall is primarily an approach to teaching and learning that employs these activities and experiences. The common theme is the focus on positive outcomes in personal education. Our Centre staff are highly trained and hold many of the highest qualifications available within the outdoor industry. They are all qualified classroom teachers with a passion for the outdoors who approach every session with a sense of fun.
Through participation in a course at Lledr Hall young people will:
- Gain a greater understanding of their own capabilities through participation in activities that are both physically and psychologically challenging.
- Learn how to work as part of a team and understand the significance of communication, co-operation, consideration and support.
- Learn the value of perseverance.
- Be given the opportunity to experience at first hand the natural world and to begin to appreciate both its wonder and its fragility.
- Develop their ability to recognise hazards and devising strategies to manage those situations.
- Develop feelings of greater self-worth through shared achievements and successes.
The approach to learning provided at the Centre is child centred and progressive. Due to the relatively small size of the Centre each course is often made up of groups from a single establishment. This creates an atmosphere unique to each course and enables us to design programmes to meet the specific requirements of every group. It means pupils quickly get to know all the staff and trusting relationships are forged. The Centre staff will, as far as possible, work with one group of children throughout their course. This enables the learning outcomes to be focussed on each child’s particular needs and preferred learning style. No child will be forced to take part in any activity, but instead we aim to create a supportive environment where children are encouraged to take part without fear of failure or ridicule. Our courses begin with small challenges and focus is on success. After this, progress is made at a pace appropriate to the capabilities of the individuals in the group.
All the specialist equipment needed to take part in the activities is provided by the Centre. We even give each group the use of their own waterproof digital camera and the images taken go back to school where they will often be available to take back home.
Safety
A final word on safety; safety is the primary focus of everything we do here at the Centre and we have an extremely good record in this area. Inevitably when dealing with over 2000 young people a year there will be the usual bumps and scrapes but nothing that you wouldn’t expect at home or school. All the Centre staff, including the domestic team, are trained in first aid and hold current valid qualifications appropriate to their role.