Andrew Simpson Centre Portland School Trip

We take a practical approach to introducing students to our local wildlife and habitats. The focus is on not only providing scientific knowledge but also demonstrating the positive impacts outdoor spaces can have on our mental and physical health. In Dorset we are lucky to have some vital and unique habitats, including the extensive seagrass beds right here in Portland Harbour. They learn how these habitats can provide homes for wildlife and how they can help humans too.

We cover topics such as climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss; giving the students an opportunity to explore each topic outside of the classroom and come up with creative ways to help combat these issues. Throughout the programme participants have the opportunity to develop scientific fieldwork skills to enrich their learning. These include water sampling, scientific data collection, data analysis and ecological survey techniques.
Our sessions support the National Curriculum (KS2) and general scientific understanding (KS3), to help students excel in science lessons at school. Taking part in field work can help develop valuable life skills such as teamwork, problem solving and effective communication. Providing this opportunity will inspire students to consider career pathways they may not have discovered yet.

Sailing, Kayaking and Stand-up Paddleboarding are accessible sports for all. Our instructors are able to tailor the sessions to your group ensuring all participants learn or experience something new. Sailing improves hand-eye coordination, balance and core strength whilst paddlesports work on upper-body strength. Engaging in these activities offer students numerous health and wellness benefits
Each sport improves stamina and endurance whilst participants work together to complete tasks and games on the water. This has a knock-on effect of increasing teamwork and communication skills.

With a wide range of activities such as kayaking, giant paddleboarding and sailing we're able to offer your group unique sessions on the water. We tailor each visit to the groups request, we can adjust sessions to suit your needs or ability of the group. Whether you'd like to develop communication skills and confidence through sailing, teamwork whilst paddleboarding or independence when kayaking, we've got the session for you!

Games and challenges are used throughout our sessions to encourage teamwork. Students typically sail in pairs, one controls how fast the boat is moving by moving the sail and the other controls which direction the boat goes by steering the boat. Constant communication and teamwork is needed throughout the session to be successful, even in the event of a capsize, with instructors on hand, the students must work together to re-right the dinghy and get back in the boat.