DFSC Spring 2018 Update

 Spring 2018 brought its challenges with snow and cold weather at times. And when it melted our pond flooded!

Despite this we carried on running some very successful outdoor learning courses, predominantly with Year 4 groups, who got on with things despite the weather. They had great fun and dealt with all the challenges with great resilience.

 A lot of our developments over the last few months have been the sort that don't visually stand out but are nevertheless important maintenance and upgrades, particularly for safety. E.g our main fire staircase has had new landing platforms installed and has been completely painted. It has gone form being white to black, to be less intrusive to the architecture of the building.

Also just visible, top right, is a new upgraded lightning conductor and surge protection device that have been installed to comply with new regulations.

 The stair treads all have new high visibility non-slip plates on them so that they can be easily seen.

 Also related to fire safety, we have been replacing all our bedroom fire doors with new more modern fire doors. There are also some new emergency lights in the building and again we have spent £000's upgrading some of our lighting to be more efficient and offer greater security and safety.

Another small electrical addition has been a new water boiler to the kitchen in the Garden Room. This now greatly facilitates making hot chocolate for 60+ students when they're having their disco or talent show evening. 

 In February we ran a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Inspection Training Course. This was attended by 12 Instructors from various Outdoor Centres around the country. It provided useful additional training in the best ways to inspect and record checks on all climbing related equipment.

 Every item is individually coded and reference to its serial number for inspection twice a year in addition to its pre-use check.

Obviously safety is a key priority when looking after our groups but we do still try to keep our activities exciting and adventurous and sometimes there remains an element of risk that is integral to the challenge. Our crate stacking is a good example of this and we have recently uploaded a new You Tube video of this in action - see below. Our risk/benefit assessment manages the main hazards but there remains the possibility of being hit by a falling crate or getting bumped when the stack collapses. An element of unpredictability keeps the activity exciting for all concerned. The benefits in terms of developed teamwork, communication skills, trust and cooperation etc. outweigh the risks and provide learning outcomes that would not be so easily attained with a mundane non-adventurous challenge. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq3s_CPQQgQ 

Autumn 2016 Update

We had such a busy Summer we unfortunately didn't manage a Summer Update. We weren't just basking in the sun like the slow worm we found one day on the front door step, shown below:

Instead we have been busy with lots of new development projects.

Work on the bridge over the stream in our Centre garden is now complete and much easier to use with a wheelchair

 

The surface under our High Ropes Course used to be mainly gravel. We've put in drainage pipes, levelled it all off and covered it in astro turf as shown in video below:

Again this is much easier to negotiate for our wheelchair using visitors and it keeps ropes and footwear clean

Another big development in the Centre grounds is a new Campfire area with seating. This is already being successfully used but has further development planned including the siting of a new permanent built BBQ; a shed housing a further 2 portable BBQ's and a cargo parachute canopy over the whole fire circle. We also plan to raise the fire place on to an altar style stone base to improve safety and visibility. Watch this space...

Another project that has been started involved putting trellis work below the deck. Ultimately there will be planters on top of the gabions with honeysuckle and ivies growing up the trellis. We also plan to water these with a rainwater harvesting system taken from the deck canopy.

The Garden Room and Garden are looking really good now and encouraged a happy couple to have a wedding reception here back in May. We have also just hosted our second wedding reception in Sept and look forward to showing you some photos of this in the future. So if you fancy having a wedding reception with a difference let us know...! We're not registered as a marriage venue but we make a great place to celebrate afterwards!

General Update March 14

Spring is here! The sun is out and so are the daffodils.

 

Do you remember struggling to open the old back yard gate? No more - we now have a nice new one with a split opening for easy pedestrian access.

 

 

No more washing up hot chocolate mugs in the evening. Use our new dishwasher in the Student Kitchen

 

We've just spent £8K on renewing and upgrading elements on our High Challenge Course. New round beams have been put up for our Jacob's Ladder to replace the square profile ones we had before. The spacings have also been changed to offer more progression to this team challenge as you get higher. We'll be interested to find out how our groups get on and up.

 

Last week we ran a very successful INSET training day for teachers looking at numeracy and literacy in the outdoors, alongside other cross curricular learning outcomes.

Above a group of teachers replay a video of a successful 'Leap of Faith'

 

Despite poor weather the group immersed themselves in a variety of activities with enthusiasm. Above a 'circular mapping' exercise with cross curricular themes and outcomes. The day was supported by 3 Bristol CC School Improvement Officers, including DFSC's line manager below, in our Tunnel System

 



Delegate feedback on the course was all very positive some of which is quoted below:

 

I had a fantastic day in a fantastic setting. There are plenty of meaningful learning opportunities that will benefit all children in a holistic way. I would recommend visiting Dean Field to any primary school looking to provide a memorable experience for their children.

Shaun Hartnell, Yr 3 Teacher, Westbury-on-Trym Academy

An engaging, collaborative day that built/developed strong relationships, confidence and team building skills. A day that opened my eyes to how powerful and effective the outdoor learning environment can be!

Emma Robinson, St George C of E Primary

I was really impressed with the centre’s depth of knowledge about how to use their resources to develop cross-curricular learning, emotional development and children’s learning skills. A huge deal of thought has gone into the provision and how teachers could be supported to use it with their own classes. Overall I am extremely impressed with the centre and can’t wait to bring children here myself!

Joe Cook, Hannah More Primary

Fantastic place! Love the problem solving activities. I will definitely be trying these in my school. Great bunch of people with outstanding staff! Fantastic experience! Can’t wait to come back!

Emily Ball, New Fosseway Special School

A fantastic day which gave a wealth of ideas for literacy, numeracy and ICT. Also showed how many outcomes can be met through one activity.

 

Leanne Wilding, Fonthill

Thanks for a great day! It provided me with opportunities to experience the activities my class could benefit from if we came here and plenty of cross- curricular links with our curriculum which we could focus on here. It has also made me reconsider the values and emphasis we put on our curriculum and children’s learning and how learning outdoors could develop far more skills and emotional literacy than a classroom can! I’ll be back!

Claire Carpenter, Fonthill, Southmead

 

 



Opening Ceremony for The Dean Garden Room

Now that our fantastic new building is completed we couldn't let things pass without a celebratory event. So we put out the bunting and the Lord Mayor of Bristol kindly agreed to formally open it.

The Lord Mayor, Councillor Peter Main, unveiled The Dean Garden Room and then presented souvenirs to specially invited pupils from some of the schools that have visited over the last few months.

After this our 80+ guests all enjoyed a buffet lunch out on the deck. We were glad we'd had the canopy built when it sheltered us from a shower of rain.

Many of our guests then decided to have a go on our Zip Wire

Including The Lord Mayor in his Robes!

Some of our younger guests also had a go at a few of our other High Challenges. The sun came out and an enjoyable afternoon was had by all.

DFSC 40th Anniversary Celebrations 2

On 20th September the Bristol Evening Post Newspaper did a nice double page spread with the headline - "Still great in the great outdoors". It featured colour photos of pupils from Ashton Gate Primary School and detailed some of the activities they undertook.

On 29th September Simon Partridge, teacher at Ashton Gate and pupil Luke were guests in the studio of BBC Radio Bristol. Ian Healey, Centre Manager of DFSC joined them on the phone and they were interviewed live by the radio presenter Ali Vowles. Ian talked about how later in the day we were celebrating our 40th Anniversary.

Then we had the big celebration itself:

We had a nice big cake with edible photo icing!

A great buffet prepared by our fantastic cooks Jane and Karen

The Lord Mayor of Bristol attended and cut the cake.

Guests toasted the Dean Field Studies Centre with Champagne.

Ian Healey, Centre Manager (2005 to present) on the left and Dick Butling , Warden/Manager 1978-1990(?) on right.

Ian with Line Manager Jan Pritchard and the Lord Mayor

 

The Lord Mayor then went down the Zip Wire in full robes!

Lots of other guests young and old also had a go

 

Guests were given a complimentary Anniversary Mug as a souvenir of the day. Afterall if it's good enough for the Queen....

 

It was an enjoyable day in which we celebrated the last 40 years and also looked forward to the next 40.