Education
Mere Mountains has been delivering outdoor education courses in partnership with a variety of schools for over 18 years. John and Elspeth Mason, the directors, are both escaped teachers who have extensive knowledge of Outdoor Education and are Accredited Practitioners of the Institute for Outdoor Learning.
We run courses for junior and secondary schools and have an AALA Licence (aals.org.uk) . We support schools with both residential and non residential programmes, in and around the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales. For accommodation we use youth hostels or self catering units, we can also support school camps.
We offer fully programmed, flexible, residential or non residential courses to meet identified educational aims. Alternatively, for schools organising their own programmes, we can support teachers with technical expertise, local knowledge and equipment.
Examples of what we can offer:
- educationally tailored adventurous activities (AALA Licence)
- educational outdoor activities for teambuilding & wellbeing
- support for geography and biology field trips
- environmental activities ; woodland, stream, estuary, moorland
- forest schools programmes and forest school experiences
- residential or non residential courses in and around the Lakes
- school site (we come to you) days with mobile climbing wall etc
Our aim is to work with the school's teaching staff to deliver whatever support is needed to achieve the learning outcomes for the programme. For some schools this means the teachers hand over to us for both technical and education content (all but the pastoral duty of care), for other schools, where staff are experienced at delivering Outdoor Education, we provide technical and qualified support where needed. We can also provide various levels of support for the residential side of an experience - from organising it all including catering and evening activities, to just recommending suitable hostels and the practicalities of suitbable activities in and around the venue.
We also provide support to the local schools. We offer a varied and adventurous 'Outdoor Ed' day which can be run on most school sites, including a 7m high mobile climbing tower. New for 2009 we are launching Forest Schools programmes introducing children to their local woodland environment as a vehicle for personal, social and spiritual development
Residential Course Accommodation
Youth Hostel - fully catered
Arnside - Many educational opportunities nearby, we can offer climbing and abseiling, orienteering, initiative and team challenges. Many groups also hire the Sands Guide for a a walk on the bay. Many other activities available in the Lakes; canoeing, gorge walking etc
Ambleside - In the heart of the Lakes and on the shore of Lake Windermere. This large hostel is ideally situated for many adventurous and watersports activities.
Self Catering - we can arrange catering support
Windermere - Venture Forth Base; 5 Self Catering Units various sizes from 12 bed to 32 bed in dormitories with separate staff accommodation. Total bed spaces around 120 will ample additional camping on the 50 acre woodland site. Many activities including climbing, high ropes, archery etc on site and watersports a short walk away
Windermere - Moor Crag ; Self Catering unit in a stunning location on the shores of Lake Winderemere. 24 beds in 5 rooms . Watersports on the door step and many other activities a short walk/drive away.
A sample of last year's schools:
Ashdown House School a Sussex prep-school who come each year to the Lakes for a year 6 residential week based in Consiton which includes a variety of activities: caving in the yorkshire dales, fell walking, raftbuilding on Lake Windermere and a canoe trip on Coniston visitning Wild-Cat Island as a link to reading Swallows and Amazons.
Berwick School a Northumberland LEA middle school. The whole year group of about 90 year 8's plus about a dozen staff take over the self catering buildings at Great Tower for a week in May. For the last 8 years we have provided a programme using the 250 acre Great Tower woodland site, the waterfront base on Lake Windermere and the nearby climbing crags. The youngsters also get a walk up the Langdale fells with their own staff.
Cartmel Priory School a local secondry school and community college. Last year we took our mobile climbing wall into school for the community sports event, and ran a geography field trip in gorge walking!.We have also run First Aid training for teachers around the South Lakes Federation area.
Eaton Hall Specailist College a Norfolk LEA school they bring a small group of students who need behaviour and learning support, to stay in Consiton Coppermines YHA. We support them with several days of outdoor and adventurous activities, including last year climbing Consiton Old Man.
Leven Valley School our local primary school. We have run a variety of activities for them over the years. In 2009/10 we ran weekly Forest Schools sessions for infants and juniors in the school wildlife garden throughout the winter (when it is too dark for the kids to play out after school) We like being asked to run the leavers gorge-walk evening 'do' -which is a laugh!
Royal Grammar School Newcastle a private school with a reputation for acedemic achievement and team sports, it also has a strong cadet force. In conjunction with the school, we have developed a bespoke Personal Development week as part of the curriculum for the end of year 7. Around 140 pupils, supported by teachers and selected prefects, camp in the woodland glades of Great Tower overlooking Lake Windermere. Each day groups of 8 pupils undertake themed outdoor challenges involving; Abseiling & Gorge Scrambling near Consiton; Bushcraft, Shelter-building & improvised Raft Building on Lake Windermere, Fell walking,( with art input) & Rockclimbing, plus a Canoe Journey and an Orienteering competition. The week stretches the youngsters significatnly. In addition to the obvious technical skills they learn, a busy week under canvas with a full timetable of day and evening activities develops thier personal organisation, teamwork and social skills.
Others
There are a number of schools we have supported with activity sessions, including schools staying at Ambleside YHA who wanted some team building activities as part of a geography field work trip, and a private school who we take on a steamer & lakeshore walk around Ulswater.
