North Yorkshire County Council's Outdoor Learning Service is dedicated to developing outdoor learning for all children and young people. We aim to provide inspiring outdoor learning that helps every child and young person we work with become a successful learner, confident individual and a responsible citizen. We provide challenge, adventure and education based activities, helping learners develop personal and outdoor skills, value and respect others and appreciate the natural world.

Your Programme

We work with children and young people of all ages and abilities to support a broad range of curriculum outcomes within the latest curriculum developments and approaches.

Centre staff regularly visit schools, work alongside school teaching staff and receive frequent in-service training.

Our staff expertise, extensive range of environmental and adventure activities and surrounding environment provide exceptional opportunities that will enrich your curriculum. The sample programmes listed as attachments to this web page show examples of the types of activities offered based on aims agreed with course leaders. Please contact us to discuss your needs. We look forward to planning your programme with you.

How We Work With You

After your booking is confirmed we will carry out individual planning with your nominated course leader to agree the specific aims and programme for each group.

We will provide additional planning and meetings as required for specific individual needs. We can also attend a meeting with parents to answer their questions.

When you arrive we provide a comprehensive induction for the entire group. We will review your programme regularly, adapting to your students' needs. Throughout the course we involve all students in planning and reviewing their own learning in a flexible and creative way. Our skills and experience help students enjoy and achieve beyond their expectations, and we help transfer this learning back to school and home.

We Offer

• adventure and environmental learning that will challenge and inspire;
• real life experience in the outdoor environment;
• residential courses available during term time, weekends and school holidays;
• a programme of activities tailored to your students' needs;
• access to fantastic locations for all activities, both on and off-site;
• highly qualified and experienced teachers and tutors;
• the highest standards of safety and risk management;
• comfortable and secure accommodation;
• outreach activities at your school or day activities from our sites;
• accessible accommodation, equipment and transport to ensure all children and young people can participate;
• healthy, locally sourced food cooked in our own kitchens;
• quality outdoor clothing and equipment;
• transport for activities provided off-site;
• reduced fees for North Yorkshire pupils eligible for free school meals (term-time only)

We Can Also Provide

• extension holiday courses for children and young people who want to learn more;
• accommodation only options for groups who want to run their own programme;
• leader training and adult outdoor skills courses;
• management and performance improvement programmes;
• meeting and conference venues;

Where We Are

• Bewerley Park Centre
  Situated near Pateley Bridge close to Harrogate the 130 bed centre is set in 15 acres of beautiful grounds. A wide variety of adventurous and environmental activities take place in the natural environment of the Yorkshire Dales on land and water.

• East Barnby Centre
  Located on a large site near Whitby, the centre sleeps 104 people. Sited on the North York Moors and near the coast, programmes include a wide range of adventure and environmental activities on land and water.

When and how to make a booking

Please contact any of our centres (contact details below) to discuss your needs and how we can work with you. Booking details are circulated to all North Yorkshire schools and services each autumn inviting bookings for the following school year. After this first round of bookings, the centres are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Useful downloads Proof of Insurance for East Barnby Centre [78kb] [pdf] Proof of Insurance for East Barnby Centre Outdoor Learning Service Brochure for Schools and Colleges [6Mb] [pdf] Outdoor Learning Service Brochure for Schools and Colleges NYCC Provider Statement for East Barnby Centre [31kb] [pdf] NYCC Provider Statement for East Barnby Centre NYCC Provider Statement for Bewerley Park Centre [31kb] [pdf] NYCC Provider Statement for Bewerley Park Centre Outdoor education for adults - course calendar [11kb] [pdf] A calendar for adult outdoor education courses available at the County Council's outdoor learning centres. Bewerley Booking Pack Nov 2011.pdf [156kb] [pdf] Bewerley Booking Pack Nov 2011.pdf