Southampton, Hampshire SO30 2GH
Residential Trip Residentials London & South East Hampshire
Why Choose Fairthorne Manor?At Fairthorne Manor, we believe a residential experience should be far more than just time away from school. It should be a chance for young people to step outside their comfort zones, discover new strengths, build friendships, and return home with memories that last a lifetime. Every visit is designed to be exciting, safe, inclusive, and genuinely transformative.
A Place Built on Strong Values
Everything we do is shaped by our core values: welcoming, active, listening, inspiring, caring, and exciting. These aren't just words on a wall-they guide how our staff interact with every group, how activities are delivered, and how we ensure each child feels seen, supported, and encouraged throughout their stay. From arrival to departure, every moment is designed to make young people feel confident and valued.
Flexible Options for Every Group
We offer both day visits and residential stays, allowing schools and groups to choose the option that best suits their needs, timetable and learning goals.
Skilled and Supportive Staff
Our fully qualified team is friendly, experienced and passionate about outdoor learning. They create a safe and encouraging environment where young people feel confident to try new challenges.
Exciting, Purposeful Activities
A wide range of activities helps develop teamwork, problem-solving, decision-making and resilience, all while keeping learning fun and engaging.
Inclusive and Accessible
Fairthorne Manor is designed to be fully inclusive, with adaptable activities and facilities so that all children and young people, including those with additional needs, can take part and succeed.
Comfortable Accommodation & Good Food
We offer comfortable indoor accommodation or camping options, along with healthy, full-board catering that meets all dietary requirements.
Great Value, All Year Round
With affordable pricing and year-round availability, Fairthorne Manor provides high-quality experiences that schools can rely on at any time of year.
A Trip to Remember
Every visit leaves young people with stronger confidence, better teamwork skills and memories that last long after they return home.
Current special offers for school groups
33% Off Your Next School Trip
With our special offer, schools can book three days and get one of the days for free, making residentials more affordable than ever. This is a fantastic opportunity to help children bond, grow in confidence, and enjoy the great outdoors - all while easing the cost for families. With one free teacher place per 12 pupils and a minimum group size of 30, it's the perfect way to deliver impact without stretching budgets.
Offer valid for residentials between November 2026 and March 2027 stays.
valid until: March 2027
Teacher Checklist
Get Risk Assessments Inspection Visits Free Places for Teachers Bursaries or Funded Places Available AALA Licence
What activities are available during educational visits in 2026?
Our activity programmes help develop life skills, stimulate learning and improve confidence.
Our programmes include activities on water (kayaking, canoeing, raft building, bell boating), up high (climbing, abseiling, Jacob's Ladder, aerial runway and more), as a team (blind trail, team challenge, obstacle course, initiative tests) and much more.
Our programmes include activities on water (kayaking, canoeing, raft building, bell boating), up high (climbing, abseiling, Jacob's Ladder, aerial runway and more), as a team (blind trail, team challenge, obstacle course, initiative tests) and much more.
Which curriculum topics do we cater for?
Fieldstudies
Ecology Rivers
At YMCA Fairthorne Manor, we cover land ecology, as students will have the chance to explore our impressive woodlands. We also cover water ecology, for students looking to discover more about ponds and rivers. One way we do this is through pond dipping.
Bushcraft School Trip
Our immersive outdoor Bushcraft sessions and challenges focus on teaching students survival skills. Bushcraft sessions at Fairthorne can cover den building, fire lighting, camouflage and tracking, and so much more. Our 95-acre woodland site means that their is plenty of wilderness to explore, and utilise for your studies.
Outdoor Learning School Trip
Every outdoor and indoor activity at Fairthorne Manor offers a learning experience for children. Whether that be learning new skills such as fire lighting or orienteering, or learning how to be more independent with a first trip away from home.
Physical Education
High Ropes Kayaking Archery Orienteering Canoeing Climbing Zip Line
At Fairthorne Manor, the YMCA Fairthorne Group's outdoor activity centre, children develop physical fitness, coordination, teamwork, and confidence through a wide range of outdoor and adventure activities. From high ropes challenges to water sports, participants engage in fun, active experiences that promote physical wellbeing, resilience, and healthy lifestyles.
Sports Centre School Trip
Team Building Abseiling Zip Line High Ropes Kayaking Archery Orienteering Canoeing Climbing Indoor Climbing Outdoor
Fairthorne Manor offers outdoor and indoor activities at its activity centre. Our centre covers water sports, and so much more, including archery and climbing. Set on our 95-acre site, we have plenty of room to accommodate groups looking for extra-curricular sporting activities.
Team Building
>Watersports
>Wildlife
>What size groups do we cater for?
For residentials, depending on the accommodation, we can sleep around 85 people. We can accommodate large groups with extended notice, and depending on our availability.
On-site classroom facilities?
We have rooms on-site that could be used by schools during their stay, depending on availability.
Is there first aid on site?
Our activity staff are all first aid trained.
Access for visitors with disabilities
We have accommodation, a dining hall, toilets and common areas that have disabled access. Many of our activities can be adapted for children with additional needs.
Visitors with Special Educational Needs (SEN)
We take pride in offering activities to those of any ability. We are accessible and inclusive, as we have off-road wheelchairs and specialist equipment available. Please enquire about this when booking. Our activity centre covers all terrains, so we recommend a tour if you have any concerns.
Anything else?
We offer site tours before your visit if you are interested - get in touch!
Who are YMCA?
At Fairthorne Manor, we use a wide variety of activity programmes to help develop life skills, stimulate learning and improve confidence.
Our programmes include water activities (kayaking, canoeing, raft building, bell boating), high ropes (climbing, abseiling, Jacob's Ladder, aerial runway and more), team sessions (blind trail, team challenge, obstacle course, initiative tests) and much more.
We appreciate the great importance of a group trip, recognising the value of the complete residential experience delivered to a high standard by our impressive staff team.
The YMCA Way brings together our values and our mission to deliver outstanding services.
We do! But it is ad hoc.
Teacher Checklist
Get Risk Assessments Inspection Visits Free Places for Teachers Bursaries or Funded Places Available AALA Licence
The Best Autumn and Winter Residential and Day Trips at YMCA Fairthorne Manor
Just because the sun isn't out doesn't mean the fun stops. School Trips at Fairthorne run year-round for your students to enjoy adventure. The colder months are still an excellent time for residential and day trips full of team-building activities and adventure. At YMCA Fairthorne Manor, we...
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