The Practicalities - Before the visit and on the day
The other pages tell you what the children and students can learn and how much fun they can have. This page tells you about the practical arrangements you can make and about how we run the visits. The First Step
Please contact us to discuss your requirements and we will make a provisional booking over the phone. We will then send you a booking form and an information sheet which sets out respective responsibilities and some health and safety advice. You will need to complete and return the form to confirm your booking. If you haven't been before we will send Primary School teachers a CD which to use with the children to prepare them for the visit. It also has lots of suggestions for follow up work which we hope you will find helpful. Pre-Visits
You are welcome to visit Alice Holt Forest at any time to check the site and do your risk assessment and we are very happy to meet you to discuss the details of your visit, if you think this would be helfpful to you. This way we can find out more about your class to help us plan a programme to suit your children. We can also answer any questions you might have. You'll find us 4 miles south of Farnham just off the A325. Click on the link in the right hand column for a location map. The School Visit
Timing and Charges
Visits normally start at 10 am and finish at 12 noon or 2.30 pm. For full day visits we allow between 30 and 45 minutes for lunch. The price for a visit is £4 per child for a half day and £7.50 per child for a full day with minimum charges of £90 and £150 respectively per class (i.e. per group led by one Foresry Commission leader). Arrival
Pupils are asked to put all their belongings into the classroom where they will be safe for the day. Primary classes are then given 5 -10 minutes to look at and touch the displays around the room. There are toilets available at the classroom and at the nearby Forest Centre. After a brief introduction everyone goes out into the woods to get active and learn something. Organisation
It is very helpful if Primary School children are organised into groups and know which adult is responsible for them before they arrive. The number of adults needed is, of course, largely dependent on the age of the pupils. However, for Team Tactics it is helpful to have at least one adult for every 8 or 9 pupils / students whatever age they are right up to adult. Lunchtime
Lunch is eaten at or near the classroom with shelter available when necessary in our marquee. Everyone needs to bring a packed lunch and we ask that you encourage your pupils to bring lunches with a minimum of packaging - NOT DISPOSABLE LUNCHES IN PLASTIC BAGS. We have recycling bins and a composting system and are trying to encourage sustainable living and responsibility for the environment. Children who bring their lunch in reusable containers and have no wrappers that can't be recycled receive a special sticker - we don't expect Secondary School pupils or 6th Formers to want these but please tell us if you know otherwise! ALL NON - RECYCLABLE WASTE SHOULD BE TAKEN HOME as we do not have a regular refuse collection. Usually, after lunch everyone goes back out into the woods for more activities before returning to the classroom to collect belongings and be ready for the coach at the agreed time. Smoking is actively discouraged but, for those old enough to do so, it is permitted only in the classroom car park and away from young children.
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