Swainswick Explorers are based in a small, rural village near Bath, offering child-led adventure experiences.

Description

Swainswick Explorers is a family-run service, organise adventurous and stimulating outdoor play and learning opportunities for children. The providers are qualified playworkers that have a passion for offering children positive experiences outdoors.

Most sites can be walked to and a circular route through varied countryside often forms a key part of the sessions. Through knowledge of the surrounding areas and carefully building relationships with local landowners, they have established a really good network of appropriate wild spaces in the local vicinity to take children.

Details

The provision gives children the opportunity to take part in activities that they would not normally get the chance to do and provides 'memorable experiences' for them to enjoy. The children are allowed to do things that they are usually discouraged from doing, such as getting muddy, playing in water or carrying sticks.

Children learn about nature through their experiences and learn to overcome their fears. There is a sheepdog that accompanies them on walks, which the children enjoy. For some of the children it is the first time that they have ever walked in the rain, or played in such natural environments. The provision caters for a range of abilities. There is a chemical toilet in the tent, which can use for children with mobility problems. All children are encouraged to take part in stimulating and challenging play.

Children and community involvement

The activities are child-led and the staff try to incorporate as many of the children's ideas as possible. On the camping trips, children pick where they want to set up camp and where they go on trips. The equipment that they use in the after school club and the activities they take part in are chosen by the children. The play providers keep in regular communication with parents via email and listen to any suggestions and feedback that they receive. Parents are given a diary at the end of the sessions, which tells them what the children have been doing and includes the 'best bits' as chosen by the children. They maintain a close relationship with parents and have informal chats with them after sessions to discuss any issues they wish to raise.

Staff. policies and funding

There are 6 members of staff in total; some have NVQ levels 2 or 3 in playwork. The provision is independently run, so funding comes from the fees parents pay for their children to attend. They also receive funding from other organisations that wish to use Swainsick Explorers. For example, schools often use their services to take out a class on an adventure day in the countryside. COMPAS, an organisation that works with children who are at risk of offending have also used them.

The provision has been used in the play strategy for the area and they are also part of the play advisory group, so they attend the meetings, and the group uses pictures of their provision. Evaluation is informal, but on going. Accidents are carefully monitored to balance the fun with safety. The provision is subjected to Ofsted inspection, from which they have received positive feedback, particularly in term of creating a fun environment for children to play and providing them with memorable experiences.

Further information

Swainswick Explorers offers a mixture of day trips, after-school sessions, parties, playschemes and baby and toddler groups for children ageing between 3 and 18. The provision is open after schools, Saturdays and during school holidays. There is a charge of £5 per family for outside play, £13.50 for after school activities and £35 for the holiday day trips. The mother and toddler sessions are open access, but other sessions must be booked in advance. There are currently 24 children using the holiday play schemes, but the numbers vary.

Contact

Rachel Leigh-Wood - manager
Upper Swainwich House
Tadwick Lane
Bath BA1 8BU

Web: http://www.playingoutdoors.org
Email rachel@playingoutdoors.org
Tel: 0122 585 8251

Page updated September 2008