Field Studies Council – Margam Discovery Centre
Photos of Field Studies Council – Margam Discovery Centre
What will students see and do?
FSC Margam Discovery Centre sits in the beautiful Margam Park, South Wales. This 850-acre estate is nestled on the coastal plain and southern slopes of Mynydd Margam, between Swansea and Cardiff.
To the west there’s easy access to field sites on the Gower Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, while the heritage coast lies east of the centre and the Brecon Beacons to the north.
There are offer plenty of activities on offer onsite too, including:
– Early years habitats
– KS3 scientific skills
– KS3 passionate about place
– GCSE ecosystems
– GCSE rivers
There are countless more workshops on offer for all ages which you can find on the website.
How does the trip link to the curriculum?
The centre offers plenty of activities that will enrich the curriculum, in particular science and geography.
Plus, at FSC centres the team encourage pupils to rise to new challenges that they face in the outdoors, helping them improve teamwork, environmental awareness, outdoor skills, safety outside the classroom, ‘leaving no trace’ in natural settings and confidence in learning.
Subjects covered
Teaching resources provided
While there are no teaching resources specific to this venue, you can find all the documents you need to plan your trip to Margam Discovery Centre on the FSC website.
FSC Margam also offers digital outreach sessions for staff and students.
Minimum and maximum group size
If you’re planning a residential stay, the centre has plenty of space. With 33 en suite rooms which have either one, two, three, four or six beds.
As for day trips, FSC Margam has the facilities to teach your whole class. But certain activities may require more adults to supervise than others. You can discuss the details and requirements for your potential trip with the Margam team.
Details of risk assessment
The Margam Discovery Centre has fully risk assessed all activities, and the centre holds the following accreditations, which are reviewed on a regular basis:
– Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge
– Carbon Trust Standard
– Safety Shield Health and Safety Award Gold
– Food Hygiene Rating: 5*
– Investors in People
– Secondary Geography Quality Mark
– Eco Centre
– Green Tourism Award Gold
– Green Dragon Award Level 3
– MET Office Active Participant
– Visit Wales Member
Please note that risk assessing your journey to and from the centre is your responsibility.
Don't miss our downloadable A-Z guide on completing a risk assessment
Facilities on-site
Margam is designed for fun educational residential stays. Here’s a list of what you’ll find there:
– Bar
– Car parking
– Common room
– Disabled access & accessible bedrooms
– Drinks stations
– Kitchen
– Linen provided
– Lounge area
– Outdoor clothing hire
– Outdoor learning area
– Shop
– WiFi
– Workrooms (5)
Opening times
The FSC Margam office is open from Monday to Friday. And you can call 01639 895 636 for general enquiries from 9am-5pm. Alternatively, email enquiries.mp@field-studies-council.org.
If you would like to book a trip for your school group, there is a dedicated team to contact. Get in touch with them on 01743 852 100.
Pricing
The cost of your trip will vary depending upon the number of pupils you are taking, the length of your stay and other factors. Contact the Margam team to discuss your trip.
The FSC offers various payment plans, which you can discuss when enquiring.
Travel arrangements
FSC has links with travel company First Travel Solutions, which is the recommended coach travel provider to Margam Discovery Centre. You can enquire about a quote for your journey by emailing school.travel@firstgroup.com. It offers a dedicated contact for each booking and 100% security on all deposits.
By car, Margam Country Park is easily accessible from junction 38 of the M4 motorway. You will need to press the ‘CALL’ button at the discovery centre gates to gain entry.
If you choose to travel by train, go to Port Talbot Parkway and then get the X1 bus from the station to reach the centre.
Address
Margam Discovery Centre, Margam Park, Port Talbot, Neath Port Talbot
SA13 2UA
Book your school trip to Field Studies Council – Margam Discovery Centre
For information on booking your school trip to this venue, click below.