Visits led by our staff
Booking is essential for visits to Bedgebury.
- Contact the Education Team by telephone (01580 213045) or email to check availability and to discuss your requirements
- A booking form and provisional programme will be sent to you
We recommend that you arrange a preliminary visit with the Education Team to discuss all aspects of the programme.
Costs and payment (2010/11 charges)
Full day programme: approx. 4 hrs
Charge per student £7. Minimum charge £175
Half day programme: approx. 2 hrs
Charge per student £4. Minimum charge £100
Visiting teaching staff, leaders & helpers accompanying groups are admitted free of charge.
Those groups coming on educational visits led by our staff will get complimentary parking vouchers.
If we need to provide extra education staff due to programmes or numbers of pupils, we will charge a daily rate of £60 per extra staff member.
Schools will be invoiced after their visit.
Travel bursaries
We are currently offering school travel bursaries to encourage more young people from socially and economically disadvantaged areas to visit Bedgebury. Please contact us for more details on 01580 213045.
Guidelines for a safe and enjoyable visit
The group leader's responsibilities
To ensure a safe visit, the group leader and other adult helpers will be expected to take an active part in the visit and will be entirely responsible for discipline, safety and overall control of the group. Group leaders should try to arrange a preliminary visit with the Forestry Commission staff to discuss the programme and the group's needs and to assess the site conditions.
The group leader must carry out the necessary risk assessments for the visit and the journey to and from the forest or other site. (To help with this you can download a copy of our risk assessment by clicking on the link in the right hand column of this page.) All parental or guardian consents and permissions should be obtained by the group leader before the visit.
For school groups the Local Education Authority should lay down the maximum ratio of students to supervisors. It is the group leader's responsibility to ensure that students are wearing appropriate footwear and clothing for the conditions. Weather conditions can change rapidly and forest sites are often muddy - advice should be sought if in doubt.
The forest is a working environment. The group leader will ensure that warning signs and instructions from Forestry Commission staff are heeded, areas where work is in progress are avoided and the group is kept together. In the case of an accident, the group leader and visiting staff will be on hand to give any information about special requirements. The group leader will be responsible for ensuring that at least one supervisor has a basic knowledge of First Aid. Accidents, whether requiring treatment or not, must be reported to FC staff.
The school or other group, through the LEA or other insurance, as appropriate, will indemnify the Forestry Commission against all claims arising from any loss or damage, or injury or death to participants and any third parties arising from the education visit and will, during the period of the visit, maintain an insurance policy with a reputable insurance company for an amount of not less than £5 million in respect of any one claim. The amount of such insurance shall not limit the liability of the school, group or LEA to the Forestry Commission.
The group leader is responsible for ensuring all litter is taken away with the group and that no damage is caused to the environment or site facilities.
Additional permits may be required for specialist activities or field studies. Contact the ranger staff for advice.
Forestry Commission staff responsibilities
During a visit led by Forestry Commission staff, the staff member will co-ordinate the activities of the group and will advise the group of any particular known hazards that may apply on the day of the visit.
Most Forestry Commission staff have basic knowledge of first aid and have kits at their disposal, although prime responsibility for rendering first aid remains with the group leader.
Forestry Commission staff have the discretion to exclude from the visit anyone who is not properly equipped or fails to comply with other conditions listed above.
