Thurston Outdoor Education Centre: Residential courses

Contents

1. About the centre
2. Residential courses
3. Activities
4. Self-catering
5. Camping for groups
6. Safety policies and procedures
7. Friends of Thurston
8. Contact and directions

Residential courses

We have been providing adventurous activity and educational courses for over 50 years.

Organising a residential trip

See information and forms for organising a residential trip. 

About the courses

Our courses allow students to develop, in a real setting, the concepts of responsibility, adventure, awareness, trust, co-operation, community and an understanding of safety and risk.

A course at the centre is not a holiday, but a rich and varied learning experience with the emphasis on fun, adventure and learning.

Courses involve:

• tailored outdoor adventurous activities
• helping with the day to day running of the centre, such as making beds and keeping the place clean and tidy

Benefits for young people

We believe that outdoor adventure and residential courses are powerful experiences for developing young people, especially in:

• motivation
• self-confidence
• self-esteem
• resilience
• decision-making
• communication
• teamwork
• leadership
• problem solving
• time management
• goal/target setting
• prioritising
• self-evaluation and review
• compromise and negotiation
• communal living

Accommodation

Student accommodation is in small dormitories with bunk beds.

Showers and toilets are in the main building.

See full details of rooms and floor plans.

Food

For fully catered courses, all meals are provided. Read about meals and an example menu.

What to bring with you

See what to bring with you for a residential course. 

Find out more

If you have any questions about our residential courses, please contact us.

Next page: Activities