Cardfields Centre

What will students see and do?

Offering residential school visits since the 1980s, and set across five acres of ground, Cardfields Centre is an established centre for outdoor learning in the South East. From single-day visits, to full week residentials, it offers a combination of curricular and extra-curricular activities.

The centre holds the Learning Outside the Classroom quality badge, and offers high-quality educational opportunities, as well as fun reward trip options.

In addition to the adventure workshops described below, children can visit wildlife in the pond area or take part in a pond dip. The sunken garden is a relaxing area where visitors can enjoy a quiet moment.

The BMX track is very popular and suitable for those learning to ride bikes. More advanced riders can try the challenge of the hilly track. All equipment for this activity is included.

The centre also boasts a football pitch and all-weather games court suitable for basketball and tennis.

For a fun supervised activity, students can explore a blindfold trail which winds around the trees. Busy days of activity can be rounded off by toasting marshmallows by the campfire.

You are encouraged to plan evening activities for your students, led by your team. There are suggestions (such as games tournaments and quiz nights) in the welcome pack.

Students studying for GCSEs can attend weekend study groups at the centre. This is an opportunity to prepare for exams in a calming and focused group environment.

For residential visits, there are bedrooms on the first floor of the main house. Most bedrooms have bunk beds, and there are staff bedrooms available on each floor.

The resident chef prepares home-cooked food for each meal, with vegetarian options available. These can be eaten in the dining room or outside in the picnic area.

How does the trip link to the curriculum?

Cardfields offers a mix of on-site and off-site activities, which are designed to meet a range of learning outcomes. The centre specialises particularly in activities for primary age, with KS1 and KS2 curriculum learning outcomes.

Orienteering workshops start from KS1, where pupils learn to read site maps to create a wildlife picture. For KS2, participants use compasses to follow a course and record symbols.

Pond dipping invites pupils to discover freshwater habitats. This exploration continues in the lab, examining invertebrates through microscopes. This activity leads nicely into an exploration of food chains and different habitats.

For creative learning outcomes, students can take part in clay modelling to create a new type of vertebrae. The screenprinting workshop uses acrylic paints and inspiration from a woodland study. Meanwhile, observational drawing encourages awareness of natural surroundings.

The canal study workshop introduces the history of canals as transport, including the role of horsepower. Archery and trebuchet activities also have a historic aspect, while developing children’s teambuilding and communication skills.

Bushcraft activities available include lighting fires and building shelters with unique features. By night, stargazing introduces star constellations.

Students can learn more about where their food comes from by visiting the kitchen garden, where fruit and vegetables are grown for the centre. They can also feed the flock of chickens and collect eggs. This can tie in with a cooking class.

The Cardfields Centre staff can arrange visits to other nearby attractions. Colchester Castle links into studies of the Romans, which can then be continued back at base.

Colchester Zoo is a great option to continue studies of wildlife, food chains, and habitats. Nearby swimming pools and ice skating rinks are also popular options.

Subjects covered

Details of risk assessment

You will receive a full set of risk assessments for each workshop by email ahead of the visit.

A 24-hour emergency on-call service is available and operated by centre staff. It is requested that one of your team also be a nominated first aider.

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