Seasonal Outdoor Education
Low Season & Off Peak Savings
Does your school always run their residential trip between the SATs and the end of the summer term? The weather is reliable and a week away from school may have less impact on the timetable at this time of year, but you will pay a premium! Most activity centres could sell May, June and July many times over as this is when the vast majority of schools run their activity weeks. If you are able to look at other times during the year, you will have a wider choice of venues and the cost of your trip is likely to be significantly lower. The venues below are just a sample of the types of savings you can make on your outdoor education residential. Use the purple form below to let us know about your trip and we will help you get the best prices. Or visit our residential school trips page to search by location.
Why should you consider other times of year?
Helping schools organise their outdoor education experiences, we are increasingly aware of how many schools are restricted in what they can offer their pupils because of funding. Whether the schools are unable to contribute to the cost because of cuts to budgets, or they are severely limited on how much they can expect parents to pay, prohibitive costs can prevent trips from taking place and is the main reason children are unable to take part in an outdoor education experience.
What some schools may not realise is how much the cost is affected by the time they are looking to travel. In the same way you will pay a lot more for your villa in the Algarve during August when the owner could let out the property many times over, if you get in early enough to book a week at a residential centre in early July, they price you will be asked for will be significantly more than if you were to try to book the same trip in April or October.
Being flexible with the dates of your outdoor education experience is a great way to bring down the average cost per pupil. We have included some examples of savings below, but ask us about any outdoor education trip and we'll help you get the best price for your group.
Lockerbie Manor
Scotland 
Physical Education, Watersports
Lockerbie Manor offer outdoor residential school trips during term time, and all inclusive family activity holidays during the summer holidays. Activities take place in the extensive Manor house grounds or at
Adventure Residential Trips
Wales Bushcraft, Geography, Environmental Geography, Physical Education, Science, Biology, Watersports, Wildlife
TYF offers a wide of range of outdoor activities, courses and workshops for school groups of all ages. The main mission is to inspire students to enjoy adventures connected to nature and the environment on an exciting school trip.
Bushcraft with the Field Studies Council
All UK Regions Bushcraft, Fieldstudies, Wildlife
Experience amazing outdoor locations at Field Studies Council’s network of UK Centres. Our courses are all focused on students being immersed in the natural world. They also make use of the beautiful surroundings including using bushcraft skills.
Bushcraft with the Field Studies Council
All UK Regions Bushcraft, Fieldstudies, Wildlife
Experience amazing outdoor locations at Field Studies Council’s network of UK Centres. Our courses are all focused on students being immersed in the natural world. They also make use of the beautiful surroundings including using bushcraft skills.
Encompass Training
South West Accommodation Only, Geography, Physical Geography, Physical Education, Watersports
Nestled in the heart of rural Devon, Encompass Training is located at the historic Grade I Great Potheridge House. We specialize in offering sole occupancy, a diverse range of high-quality outdoor education activities, delivered by experienced staff
The Bioasis
South West Bushcraft, Fieldstudies, Geography, Environmental Geography, Physical Education, Biology, Sustainability, Team Building, Science
Adventure and Positive Environmental Impact Await Your School's Next Residential Trip! Unlike other school residential trips, we flip the script by creating positive growth in students' development and education.
Benmore Outdoor Centre
Scotland Bushcraft, Fieldstudies, Physical Education, Watersports, SEN
19th Century listed manor house set in Benmore Botanic garden grounds, sleeps 120 young people. Located in Loch Lomond National Park in Argyll, our adventure education residentials provide inspirational outdoor learning experiences for schools
Hedley House Hotel Ltd
Yorkshire Accommodation Only, Archaeology, City Break, History, Local History, Vikings
Hedley House is a family-run City center hotel in York, offering comfy ensuite rooms. Enjoy hearty breakfasts, pack lunches and home cooked evening meals. Close to the station, city center, & riverside walks. Safe, reliable & friendly for school trip
Buzz Active Bushy Wood
London & South East Accommodation Only, Bushcraft, Fieldstudies, Physical Education, Sustainability, Team Building, Watersports, SEN
Buzz Active provide affordable outdoor education, water sport and activity sessions, days and residential trips to the whole community. Three great locations combine to create an excellent residential. or choose to visit just one of our locations.
Lagganlia Outdoor Learning Centre
Scotland Physical Education, Watersports
Located in Cairngorm National Park, Lagganlia is set Glen Feshie amongst forest, mountains, loch and rives. We deliver outstanding outdoor education activities and inspirational outdoor learning experiences to schools.
Calvert Devon
South West Bushcraft, Physical Education, Team Building, Watersports, SEN
Calvert Devon is an accessible activity centre in North Devon for students with learning, physical, behavioural, sensory or multiple complex disabilities. We accommodate all classroom types with a specialism in SEN and disabled students.
Buzz Active Bushy Wood
London & South East Accommodation Only, Bushcraft, Fieldstudies, Physical Education, Sustainability, Team Building, Watersports, SEN
Buzz Active provide affordable outdoor education, water sport and activity sessions, days and residential trips to the whole community. Three great locations combine to create an excellent residential. or choose to visit just one of our locations.
Lagganlia Outdoor Learning Centre
Scotland Physical Education, Watersports
Located in Cairngorm National Park, Lagganlia is set Glen Feshie amongst forest, mountains, loch and rives. We deliver outstanding outdoor education activities and inspirational outdoor learning experiences to schools.
Residential Trip
South West Archaeology, Bushcraft, Physical Education, SEN, Watersports
Residential Activity Camps. We offer activity camps including paddle boarding, kayaking, windsurfing and surfing (depending upon conditions). On land we offer high ropes, archery tag, woodcraft, circus skills and team challenges. Home cooked food.
Benmore Outdoor Centre
Scotland Bushcraft, Fieldstudies, Physical Education, Watersports, SEN
19th Century listed manor house set in Benmore Botanic garden grounds, sleeps 120 young people. Located in Loch Lomond National Park in Argyll, our adventure education residentials provide inspirational outdoor learning experiences for schools
Lagganlia Outdoor Learning Centre
Scotland Physical Education, Watersports
Located in Cairngorm National Park, Lagganlia is set Glen Feshie amongst forest, mountains, loch and rives. We deliver outstanding outdoor education activities and inspirational outdoor learning experiences to schools.
Benmore Outdoor Centre
Scotland Bushcraft, Fieldstudies, Physical Education, Watersports, SEN
19th Century listed manor house set in Benmore Botanic garden grounds, sleeps 120 young people. Located in Loch Lomond National Park in Argyll, our adventure education residentials provide inspirational outdoor learning experiences for schools
YMCA Fairthorne Manor
London & South East Bushcraft, Fieldstudies, Physical Education, Sports Centre, Team Building, Watersports, SEN
YMCA Fairthorne Manor offers memorable day trips and residential experiences at its 95-acre activity site in Hampshire, nestled beside the River Hamble. We offer children the chance to step out of their comfort zone, work as a team, and have fun!
Lagganlia Outdoor Learning Centre
Scotland Physical Education, Watersports
Located in Cairngorm National Park, Lagganlia is set Glen Feshie amongst forest, mountains, loch and rives. We deliver outstanding outdoor education activities and inspirational outdoor learning experiences to schools.
Benmore Outdoor Centre
Scotland Bushcraft, Fieldstudies, Physical Education, Watersports, SEN
19th Century listed manor house set in Benmore Botanic garden grounds, sleeps 120 young people. Located in Loch Lomond National Park in Argyll, our adventure education residentials provide inspirational outdoor learning experiences for schools
Outdoor education forms and important part of school life for the majority of pupils, with most school age children being given the opportunity to go on a residential school trip at least once during their primary and secondary education.
If we look at our own data from working with thousands of school over the past five years, the majority of schools take their Year 6 children on an outdoor pursuits trip or something similar. This is usually as a reward for the end of exams or a goodbye for their final year at Primary school. In Year 7 schools take pupils on a residential as a way of welcoming them to Secondary school.
The expected outcomes include through team building and bonding, and the development of social skills and confidence. The majority of these trips last for 5 days and run Monday to Friday. The final trend we'll mention is the time of year that these trips are taken. Primary schools overwhelmingly opt for the summer term following the SATs exams, while Secondary schools cluster around the first few weeks in September.
There are, however, plenty of schools who's circumstances do not fit this mould, and who are looking for something different from their outdoor educational experience.
Why do residential trips cluster in May, June, July and September?
We already mentioned SATs for Year 6, but this summer term exam period is also mirrored in secondary schools. While Year 7 children are not necessarily taking exams themselves, many schools take the opportunity to keep the rest of the school out of the way during the GCSE period and taking groups away on a residential trip during this time may kill two birds with one stone. Another factor is the weather; the summer months less likely to deposit wet and windy weather on you if you are camping in a field or at least spending most of the day outside doing activities.
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