Group Leader Information

We make every effort to ensure your visit is safe and enjoyable.

Please read this section carefully if you are bringing a school or group to one of our forests - it contains essential informal for all visiting groups.

Organising Your Visit

• Select a limited number of objectives as a focus for your visit.
• Know what you want your student to gain from the visit
• Contact the Rangers to confirm details and availability of facilities ideally at least a month before your visit.

Organising Your Group

• Break your party into small groups each with its own leader.
• We require a maximum leader to pupil ratio of 1 to 8.
• Leaders should be aware of the requirements of their own LEA or regulator Authority
• Leaders should be aware that they are responsible for the behavior of the group.
• The maximum group size for Ranger lead visits is 30 children per ranger per session.

Session timing

• Each half day session typically starts at 10am (morning) or 1pm (afternoon) and lasts 2 1/2 hours (under 16's) or 3 hours (over 16's)

Forestry Commission Staff Responsibilities

• A staff member will coordinate the activities of the group and will advise of any know hazards.
• Most staff have first aid knowledge. A qualified first Aider is usually on site during normally working hours.
• Forestry Commission staff have the discretion to exclude from the visit anyone who is not properly equipped or fails to comply with the conditions listed.

Group Leaders Responsibilities

• To ensure a safe visit, the Group Leader will be entirely responsible for discipline, safety and overall control of the group.
• The leader is responsible for ensuring that the group is properly equipped for the outdoors including footwear and protective clothing.
• The forest is a working environment, the leader must ensure warning signs and instructions from staff are obeyed.
• The group/school through the Local Education Authority if 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 educational visit, and will during the visit maintain an insurance policy of not less than £5 million in respect of a single claim. The amount of such insurance shall not limit the liability of the school or Local Education Authority to the Forestry Commission.

What to Bring

• Suitable Outdoor Clothing - Strong shoes and waterproof coast, hat, scarf and gloves in cold weather.
• Packed lunch and drinks (all three Learning centers do have a tearoom - contact rangers for availability)
• Pocket money for souvenirs - Each Forest Park Visitor Centre has a shop with a wide range of gifts at pocket money prices.
• Register of children - in case of emergency and to facilitate regular head counts.
• Name badges - Particularly useful with young children and for the Ranger to be able to identify individual children.
• First Aid - Including medicine - children may need to bring inhalers.
• Payment - If you haven't paid in advance ,we accept cash or cheque.
• Adult helpers - maximum 1 helper to 8 children.

How To Book

• Choose a date for your visit
• Phone the relevant Forest Classroom or use our free ring back service to check that the date is available and reserve it for your group.
• Complete the booking form that we will send you and return it to us. We cannot accept this by e-mail as we need your signature. Enclose you payment if you are paying in advance.
• The form will be checked and processed. A copy will be returned to you as conformation that you visit has been booked with us.
• Please book at least 4 weeks in advance - we get very busy at peak times.