Venue for youth and school residential trips with on site outdoor and curriculum-based activities, by Cranborne Chase
Holiday Rental for Groups of Families and Friends. The Springhead Trust, Shaftesbury, Dorset, sleeps 2 - 44 in 11 bedrooms.
Springhead’s 7-acre estate attracts schools and colleges countrywide due to its vibrant, inspirational position in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and its neighbouring Site of Special Scientific Interest: a chalk downland with over 90 species of flowers and grasses and a stunning collection of butterflies.
The Centre itself is rich in flora and fauna and boasts fresh water springs, a lake and stream; supporting a wide range of subjects and cross-curricular themes within the National Curriculum. Students find it an exciting and enriching place to visit, both as a resource for learning and for play. Many find it a life changing experience: on an individual basis youngsters widen their horizons and develop important life skills and as a group they bond together with their peers and leaders.
Among the many activities are hill walking, map work, pond dipping, river studies, night animal safaris, small mammal studies, shelter-building, bird-watching and camp fire sing–a-longs. A walk round the village of Fontmell Magna is often included on the primary school itinerary, where pupils look at the similarities and differences compared to where they live and go to school, while older students find the peace and tranquillity of the place excellent for study and revision trips. Additionally, the Centre can arrange for creative workshops run by professionals.
Both staff and tutors are DBS checked. Health and safety is of prime importance with risk assessments completed on all activities.
The Centre offers large indoor work areas and full board or self-catered accommodation with dormitory, twin and single rooms in the grounds and an en-suite twin bedroom in the Mill Building with disabled access and facilities.
Renowned for its friendly staff and informal atmosphere, schools return again and again to experience the warm hospitality and delicious food. Special dietary menus are available upon request.
