School Residentials
At Heatree we believe that taking part in an adventure residential is an important life experience for all children. We know that time spent outdoors plays a significant part in supporting and improving children’s mental health, alongside physical and emotional development.
Set amongst the beauty and wilderness of Dartmoor National Park, our activity sessions provide opportunities to go beyond perceived limitations, improve self-confidence and resilience, and to develop trust and build positive relationships with peers.
Interwoven through each day are opportunities to learn about the Christian faith. We use the outdoor classroom to teach children how they can face life’s challenges through a God who loves and cares for us all. You can read more this below and we are always happy to answer questions so please get in touch if you would like to know more.
We offer free places for teachers and 1:1 support staff for children with SEND.
Children with SEND (and either an EHCP or IHCP) can apply for the Quantick bursary fund to receive 30% off their stay. For more details and to apply click HERE
Your Programme
Our team specialises in creating outdoor activity programmes all year round and in all weathers; creating a programme tailored to your group’s needs and requirements. A typical four-night residential would include eight instructor-led activity sessions, (usually 2.5 hour sessions). See an example activity programme for a four-night residential HERE
The group ratio for most activities is 1:12 and must include an adult group leader or teacher.
Useful things to know:
- We provide a gift shop selling branded Heatree goods for children to purchase during their stay; please book this in advance through the bookings team.
- We have resources available for self-led evening activities, such as campfire and night walks; please speak to the bookings team about this.
- Our indoor sports barn has a bouldering wall and various sports equipment such as unihoc and five-a-side football. This is free to use but must be booked in advance to avoid double bookings.
- Each morning your group meets in the lounge for a daily briefing from their lead instructor and includes an interactive ‘Thought for the Day’ where your instructor will talk through a short Bible story.
Themes
We offer a choice of three themes which will be the focus of your activity programme; Foundations, Journey and Character.
The learning outcomes of these themes are supported by the Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) Syllabus for Devon and facilitate an holistic experience, integrating adventurous activities with different discussion topics and Christian stories. Each theme has a slightly different focus, and all are underpinned by high quality outdoor education instruction and aim to develop elements of individual character education, teamwork and relationships.
Below is an example of the content you can expect for each theme.
Foundations
The foundation on which I build my life can help me to feel stable and secure…
This theme develops teamwork and individual self-reliance through adventurous activities, survival skills and exploring how Dartmoor has been used by people for thousands of years.
Particularly suitable for the Autumn term, this theme is about setting expectations, building relationships and team skills for the year ahead.
Example Discussions
What is the purpose of a blueprint or a plan? What would you like to achieve this week? We’ll be learning about biblical characters and how God had a plan for them. Who do you trust to help you?
Journey
Life is an exciting journey that each of us is on…
We’ll explore the opportunities and challenges of a residential adventure week; we’ll work to build strength and confidence in facing the challenges ahead of us.
This theme is particularly well suited to year 6 pupils during the summer term, looking to build confidence and a sense of adventure before progressing on to secondary school.
Example Discussions
Will your life journey always go smoothly and how will you overcome some of the obstacles that you’ll face? Looking at the life of Jesus and some of the miracles that he performed, we’ll be thinking about how challenges can be overcome.
Character
Developing mental strength and resilience while celebrating the parts that make us unique…
This theme focuses on identity and the impact that individuals can have on the world around them. We’ll use adventurous activities to challenge and discover the potential of each child.
This theme is suitable for all year groups and stages of the school year.
Example Discussions
What impact can we have on the world around us? We’ll be learning about characters from the Bible who had an impact on the people or places around them and finding out that everyone can chose to make a difference.
Accommodation and Facilities
Our three accommodation wings (Heatree, Farmhouse and Stables) offer private accommodation for your group. The dormitory-style bedrooms have bunk beds and the majority have en-suite facilities. School staff are provided with tea and coffee-making facilities in their bedrooms (full week bookings only) and all bedding during their stay.
Follow this link to read more about our accommodation facilities.
Our grounds offer extensive areas for outdoor play including a football pitch, swings, willow structures and woodland to explore (please note that children must be supervised at all times outside of formal activity sessions).
We also offer:
- Free parking with turning space for coaches
- Free wi-fi
- Out-of-hours emergency assistance
- Internet phone for school staff
- Easy access to the moors and local areas of interest
If you have not been to Heatree before we recommend coming for a preview visit where we can show you around and answer any questions. Please speak to our bookings team to arrange this on 01647 221307 or email bookings@heatree.org
Catering
Our kitchen team provides fresh and wholesome meals, all of which are cooked on site. We do our best to accommodate special dietary requirements or provide alternatives where possible.
If you have food allergies or dietary needs that you wish to discuss, please speak to our kitchen team (Stew or Jenny) on 01647 221927.
Tea, coffee, hot chocolate and squash are always readily available in the dining room. There are fridges available for storing your own items, or for any medication requiring cool storage. Lockable refrigerated storage is also available on request.
Follow this link to see our current school menu
Policies and Risk Assessments
Risk assessments carried out at Heatree Activity Centre are inspected by AALA (Adventure Activities Licensing Authority), to ensure we carry out routine assessments and are compliant with health and safety regulations.
What do schools need?
Schools should send us a Provider Statement to obtain information required by them as part of their risk assessment for an educational visit, before coming to Heatree Activity Centre.
For schools in the Devon County Council and Torbay Council areas:
- Heatree has a completed Provider Statement (SOE5) that can be accessed on EVOLVE – EVOLVE Login (Devon County Council & Torbay Council)
For schools outside of these areas:
- Schools can obtain a provider statement from their local council or through the Outdoor Education Adviser’s Panel website and submit it to us for completion.
If you have any questions specific to your group outside of the scope of the Provider Statement, please email them along with your Provider Statement to bookings@heatree.org
If you would like to see a copy of our Safeguarding Policy, please email bookings@heatree.org or phone 01647 221307.
Make an enquiry
To enquire or make a booking please complete the form below with as much detail as possible and we will be in touch.
School Enquiry Form