Classroom Redevelopment Part 2

Construction of our new classroom is due to start in a couple of weeks. The project has taken nearly four years of planning and preparation to reach this stage. Firstly we had to finance it and this has been achieved completely from the Centre's resources. We first sold the 'Warden's House' which was next door to the Centre and surplus to requirements. This provided half of the capital required. Then over the last four years we put aside some of our revenue each year to make up the surplus to finance the project.

Plans for our new classroom

The building has been designed to reflect the environmental values we teach at the Centre. It is going to be made of timber and constructed similar to a log cabin. It will have superior insullation with U-Values <0.16. Heating will be provided by a wood pellet boiler. There will be a wild flower living roof and a raised deck at the front covered by a canopy which will provide a good place to eat lunch. An even better view of the Centre Grounds will be had from a viewing area on the roof! The building itself will be used as an environmental activity by students learning about sustainability and the environment. Various orientation displays and 'peep through' features in this 'eco' building will allow students to discover more about its susatinability. 

 Inside the building there will be room  to seat our usual maximum group size of 70 staff and students. The room will be able to set out either lecture style or classroom and tables style. One third of the main working area will be able to be divided with a sliding wall partition to create a separate meeting room. When opened up it will provide a presentation end allowing data projection etc. There will be a kitchen, toilet areas including disabled and baby change and good storage rooms. Large doors and glazing open directly on to the deck allowing free low from inside to outside.

Above: Photo of a similar style of building constructed by our contractor Cabinco

We are very excited about the build and are look forward to using it with schools from February 2013. We will show progress on this Blog and provide further information over the coming weeks.

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.

Dean Field Studies Centre 40th Anniversary Celebrations 1

 On 13th September 1972 the Dean Field Studies Centre was formally opened by Councillor C Draper, Chairman of the Bristol Education Committee. See the Log Book entry below:

Below are some archive photos from earlier times at the Centre

Students with caving equipment in 1978. The photo was developed and printed in the Centre's darkroom.

Student at Cannop Brook in 1979.

Students undertaking River Study 1979

Forest Walk 1979

Somervale School field sketching from roof of Land Rover Nov 82

Some things at the Centre haven't changed in forty years! We still go caving, do stream studies and forest walks. OK perhaps we don't do field sketching from the roofs of LandRovers anymore! These students are likely to be nearly 50 year olds now. Since the Centre opened 40 years ago we estimate that over 100,000 young people have been here. We wonder if some will have children or even grand children that have been to the Centre. Last week when we surveyed a group of 38 students from Elm Park Primary, 8 had a Mum or dad that had come to DFSC as a student.

If you came as a student and are now a grandparent with grandchildren who have been / are coming, we'd love to hear from you!