Approximately 240 people attended a public exhibition held by Kingswood, the leading provider of residential educational activity centres. The event was held on Friday 8 and Saturday 9 April at The Ivanhoe Centre, Conisbrough to provide details of the proposed outdoor educational facility to be located on the former Earth Centre site.

Those who attended the event were able to view an exhibition outlining Kingswood’s proposals for the site and were asked several questions to gauge their reaction to the proposals. Feedback was positive and 97% of those who responded welcomed Kingwood’s proposed investment in the area and the proposed re-use of the site as an educational facility. Kingswood has used the feedback collected at the public exhibition to inform its planning application for the site.

Subject to receiving the necessary consents, Kingswood’s multi-million pound investment programme will create a flagship residential activity centre on the site, which has been vacant since 2004. Kingswood plans to retain and refurbish the site’s existing buildings as well as build new accommodation units for visiting students and teachers with a view to opening its doors in spring 2012. The centre will also feature an 11,000 sq ft indoor activity and sports hall, classrooms for ICT, field studies facilities and meeting rooms. The centre will offer low height initiative exercises, a high adrenaline ropes park for team building activities and multiple options for evening entertainment for visiting groups including indoor and outdoor amphitheatres and performing arts facilities.

Paul Gilbert, Kingswood CEO said: “We are delighted by the support and enthusiasm for our proposal, which we see as a natural continuation of the site’s heritage as a centre for learning, with a focus on environmental sustainability. We will be investing ten million pounds in the project to recommission the existing buildings and add new accommodation units. When the centre is fully operational, we expect to employ up to 200 staff across a range of jobs from educational instruction through to IT support and catering.”

For more information visit www.kingswood.co.uk or call 01603 309300.

For media enquiries contact:
Debbie Hindle, Maitha Ahmed or Nina Derham, Four bgb on Nina.Derham@fourbgb.com / Maitha.Ahmed@fourbgb.com

Kingswood Educational Activity Centres currently offer a full range of programmes at eight British and one French centre for Key Stage 2 to A Level and Scottish P4-7 through to Highers & Advanced Highers students. The educationally rich courses are designed to complement current curricula exam criteria and provide a stimulating learning opportunity outside the classroom for maximum academic benefit.

Kingswood’s current UK centres include Dukeshouse Wood Centre in Northumberland, which was formerly operated by Gateshead Council; Peak Venture Centre in South Yorkshire, which was formerly operated by Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council; Colomendy Centre in Wales, which was formerly operated by Liverpool City Council and Grosvenor Hall in Kent which opened in 2010 and was formerly a police-training academy.

Education Travel Group is the UK’s leading supplier of educational group tours, school ski and educationally rich residential centre breaks for schools. Education Travel Group brings together well-known brands such as Kingswood (www.kingswood.co.uk), STS School Travel (www.ststravel.co.uk), Ski Plan (www.skiplan.co.uk) and Equity Student Travel (www.equitystudenttravel.co.uk).

Kingswood is a leading provider of residential education and adventure activity courses for schools and young people, with a 30-year track record, operating eight centres within the UK and one in northern France.

Kingswood’s multi-million pound investment programme will create a flagship residential activity centre on the site which has been vacant since 2004. The proposal is a natural continuation of the principles of education and environmental sustainable living, including preservation of the site’s parkland and infrastructure. Kingswood plans to retain and refurbish the existing buildings on the site as well as build new accommodation units for visiting students and teachers. The centre will also feature an 11,000 sq foot indoor activity and sports hall, classrooms for ICT, field studies and meeting rooms. The centre will offer low height initiative exercises, a high adrenaline ropes park for team building activities and multiple options for evening entertainment including indoor and outdoor amphitheatres and performing arts facilities.

As well as providing a stimulating and unique environment for young people to learn, the centre will play a key role in the community by creating up to 200 full time and temporary jobs from activity instruction through to IT support and catering.

“Some people will already know us as we welcomed nearly 1,000 Doncaster children to one of our centres last year. We want to make sure we get to know local people from the start and hear their views and ideas before we submit our planning application. We want to be part of the community in the future and this is the first step of that process.” Said Paul Gilbert, Kingswood’s CEO.

Summary

o Kingswood invites members of the local community to a public exhibition to take place on Friday April 8 between 11am to 7pm and on Saturday April 9 between 10am to 3pm.
o The event is a drop-in session. Visitors are welcome to spend as little or as much time as they would like learning about the project.

ENDS

Notes to editor

• More than 800 Doncaster children experienced Kingswood centres during the last academic year 2009-2010. They were among more than 145,000 children and young people and 3,000 schools across 130 local authorities who attended one of the nine Kingswood Educational Centres that are already operational – eight in the UK and one in France.

• Kingswood is a leading provider of campus-based educational and adventure activity courses for schools. Kingswood offers a full range of programmes for Key Stage 2 to A-Level and Scottish P4-7 through to Highers & Advanced Highers students. The educationally rich courses are designed to complement current curricula exam criteria and provide a stimulating learning opportunity outside the classroom for maximum academic benefit. During school vacations, Kingswood provides adventure activity and cultural exchange programmes under the Camp Beaumont brand.

Kingswood will undertake a multi-million pound investment programme to create a flagship residential educational activity centre on the site, which has been vacant since 2004. Kingswood’s proposal is a natural continuation of the site’s heritage as a centre for learning for children and young people, focused on environmental sustainability. The centre will attract UK and international schools and groups who will be eager to experience Kingswood’s programmes and activities within the site’s established parkland setting. Kingswood expects to create up to 200 jobs within 18 months of opening, from educational instruction through to IT support and catering, providing a welcome boost to the local economy.

The addition of a new Kingswood centre in Conisbrough, demonstrates Kingswood’s continued commitment to expanding Learning Outside the Classroom and the provision of outdoor education services in the UK. This development follows the successful opening of Grosvenor Hall in Ashford in 2010. Kingswood has a 30-year track record and a portfolio of eight residential centres in the UK and one in France.

Kingswood plans to retain and refurbish the existing buildings as well as build new accommodation units for visiting students and teachers. The centre will initially feature accommodation for 400 pupils and teachers, an 11,000 sq foot indoor activity and sports hall, as well as classrooms for ICT, field studies and conferences. The centre will offer low height initiative exercises, a high adrenaline ropes park for team building activities and multiple options for evening entertainments, including indoor and outdoor amphitheatres and performing arts facilities.

Linda Addy, Kingswood Managing Director continued “We are delighted to have been successful in this tender process. We shall take great care in ensuring the facilities are affordable for local schools, so that teachers and pupils across Doncaster and South Yorkshire can take advantage of this important educational resource on their doorstep. We are keen to get local people involved and I will be organising meetings for local residents in April to outline our plans for the site and the local job opportunities it will create.”

We are holding two conventions, one for School Groups on 7th to 9th March 2011 and one for College and University Groups on 21st to 23rd Feb 2011.

With the build up to London 2012 in full swing now is a great time to inspire students by offering the opportunity to visit the Olympic sites and meet former British athletic stars. The Sporting Legends Conventions also include a talk from an official member of the London 2012 team on the preparation and planning for the games. Students will also enjoy a wide range of activities and team sports at Grosvenor Hall as well as an official tour of the new Olympic site in Stratford, London.

Who is this for?

This School Convention is specifically aimed at KS2-KS4 particularly those studying - Physical Education, Geography, Design & Technology, History and Citizenship.

The College and University Convention is specifically aimed at KS5, FE & HE students and University students particularly those studying: Physical Education, Geography, Business Studies, Media Studies, Human Geography, Design & Technology, Engineering, Events Management, History and Citizenship.

Guest Speakers:

We have arranged for three top athletes to speak at the convention including:

Iwan Thomas (MBE)
Iwan is without doubt one of the finest 400 metre runners that Britain has ever seen. As well as being a former European champion, Commonwealth champion and World Cup winner Iwan is also the current British Record Holder. Iwan will tell his inspirational story and talk about the determination and commitment needed to ensure sporting success.

Karen Pickering (MBE)
Karen is Britain’s most decorated female swimmer and is also the first British female swimmer to win a world championship title. Having competed since 1986 Karen has a collection of winning medals that include 8 World Championship medals, 14 European Championship medals, 38 National Championship titles and a Commonwealth Games medal haul of 13 including 4 Gold. Karen is also a board member for the British Olympic Association Sports Advisory Panel for LOCOG 2012. Drawing on her incredible sporting experience Karen will tell her story of winning against all odds.

Danny Crates
Paralympic Champion, European Champion and World Record Holder
Danny is quite simply one of the modern world’s most inspiring athletes. Recently retired from International competition the former T46 arm amputee, 2004 Paralympic Champion, European Champion, Paralympic World Cup winner and world record holder has some amazing achievements and an amazing story to share. Danny was also given the honour of carrying the GB flag at the opening ceremony in Beijing 2008.

Accommodation:

Grosvenor Hall represents a new standard in the provision of learning outside the classroom with superb teacher and student accommodation, a 25,000 sq ft sports hall, an aquatics centre and a £1m high-adrenaline activity park. The activity park includes some of the most exciting sessions available in the UK including the unique Sky Climb installation which can cater for an entire college or university group, a double-power fan, Triple Zip Wire, Climbing and Abseiling towers and double 3G swings.

Visiting groups are allocated their own dedicated common rooms, and sleeping accommodation consists of student rooms that sleep between 2 and 4 and high quality mainly single en-suite teacher rooms.

If you would like further information on The Sporting Legends Convention please contact either STS Travel on 0870 241 6828 or Equity School Travel on 01273 648 248 or alternatively visit their websites: www.ststravel.co.uk or www.equityschooltravel.co.uk

Ski Resort Representatives will be regularly reporting on mountain conditions in our top ski resorts as well as informing customers of what’s new in resort, activities in resort and general travel information.

For all fans that join the RocketSki Facebook page they will enjoy 10% off all future basic packages including flights, transfers and accommodation. To follow RocketSki in the social media world visit www.facebook.com/RocketSki and www.twitter.com/Rocket_Ski

We aim to offer reassurance with our online presence as customers will be able to get all the latest information from us as well as get in touch with us in case of an emergency. We are confident in our expertise and that sharing our destination and travel knowledge with our customers will increase their trip’s enjoyment and success.

We also wanted to create a space where both teachers and students could share their experiences, memories, photos and comments. Both our profiles feature the CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre) tab allowing all children visiting our profiles to add the CEOP Application helping them stay safe online.

To view or follow either the STS or SkiPlan Social Media pages simply visit any of the below links:

STS
www.facebook.com/STSSchoolTravel
www.twitter.com/school_travel

SkiPlan
www.facebook.com/SkiPlan
www.twitter.com/SkiPlan

“Dukeshouse Wood is our favourite residential site. This is our second year and we shall definitely come again! A lovely site with a great family ethos and fantastic facilities. Every session is a great adventure.” - Year 6 Teacher

Grosvenor Hall represents a new standard in the provision of learning outside the classroom with superb teacher and student accommodation, a 25,000 sq ft sports hall, an aquatics centre and a £1m high-adrenaline activity park. The activity park includes some of the most exciting sessions available in the UK including the unique Sky Climb installation which can cater for an entire school group, a double-power fan, Triple Zip Wire, Climbing and Abseiling towers and double 3G swings.

The educational programme features some totally new learning experiences including the Curriculus maze, kids court, media centre with its own radio station and high tec ICT block. Kingswood is also delivering their established learning programmes including Discovery, 3+ Plus, Environmental and Language courses from the impressive Education block. Recreation facilities are also excellent with a huge kids hub close to the main teacher retreat, Blu-ray cinema, radio station, indoor and outdoor laser arena, dance studio and recreation club.

Visiting schools are allocated their own dedicated common rooms and sleeping accommodation consists of student rooms that sleep between 2 and 4 and high quality mainly single en-suite teacher rooms. For night supervision all student accommodation blocks have fully equipped teacher lounges nearby. The substantial dining facility can cater for multi-faith groups simultaneously through separate dedicated kitchens.

Local Residents who want more information about development at Grosvenor Hall should visit our Community Pages

]]> http://www.educationtravelgroup.com/2010/02/26/the-new-%e2%80%98best-in-class%e2%80%99-educational-activity-centre-opens/feed/ http://www.educationtravelgroup.com/2009/10/01/504/ http://www.educationtravelgroup.com/2009/10/01/504/#comments Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:50:27 +0000 admin http://www.educationtravelgroup.com/2009/10/01/504/ In August 2009 the DCSF stated “There is absolutely no reason why schools should stop providing school trips because of the rarely-cover provisions” and reaffirmed that the Department recognised that “Schools trips should be an integral part of every child’s education and personal development and provision for them should be included in school calendars and timetables”. The DCSF has reaffirmed that it would expect LOtC activities to be built in to an integrated curriculum.

The 2009 School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document, which came into effect on the 1 September 2009, explains that learning outside the classroom is an important part of the curriculum and that provision should be included in school calendars and timetables. As part of a school’s cover policy, appropriate arrangements should be made for both the staff and pupils who will be participating in learning outside the classroom and for those who are not.

For further information on rarely cover, please go to: http://www.tda.gov.uk/remodelling/nationalagreement/cover.aspx

And to see the full guidance in Section 4 of the 2009 STPCD go to: http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/docbank/index.cfm?id=14150

]]> http://www.educationtravelgroup.com/2009/10/01/504/feed/ http://www.educationtravelgroup.com/2009/09/26/kingswood-centres-launches-new-primary-schools-programme/ http://www.educationtravelgroup.com/2009/09/26/kingswood-centres-launches-new-primary-schools-programme/#comments Sat, 26 Sep 2009 11:28:51 +0000 admin http://www.educationtravelgroup.com/?p=502 Kingswood’s new programme for Key Stage 2 / Scottish P4-7 students is launched this week. Courses continue to focus on bringing key educational concepts out of the classroom learning environment, fulfilling the Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto and Every Child Matters policy for teachers.

Our widely renowned “Discovery Programme” for 2009/10 has been refined into a selection of 8 core cross-curricular modules covering key areas such as ICT, the environment, science and lifeskills. Building on our key mission of “education” we assist teachers even further, with modules showing which year groups they are tailored for, the key learning objectives and evidence of learning. We have added many new activities at our 7 existing centres like new 3G Swings at Isle of Wight, Dukeshouse Wood and Peak Venture, new Team Challenge courses at Staffordshire and Isle of Wight and a High Ropes course at Overstrand, featuring High Equilibrium, Jungle Vines, High All Aboard, Leap of Faith, Jacob’s Ladder and Balance Beam. New activities also include Bouldering, Crate Stack and Bridge Building. Our new eighth centre for 2010 will open in March, at Grosvenor Hall, near Ashford in Kent, catering for Key Stage 2 pupils as well as older students. Many centres have had upgrades for 2009/10 including refurbishment of accommodation and facilities, with Dukeshouse Wood receiving a new Activity Barn, extending the number of indoor activities we can provide, especially in wet weather. For more information, please see our courses pages.

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