Plas Caerdeon Parents Meeting Wednesday 27th September

Where is Plas Caerdeon?

Mission Statement Liverpool Hope University’s mission is to educate the whole person in mind, body and spirit and as an integral part of Liverpool Hope, Plas Caerdeon is a premier example of outdoor education. The Centre provides: a quality educational service to Liverpool Hope and the wider community added value both within and outside the curriculum inspiration and challenge to the whole person a location to develop intellectually, physically and spiritually a professional and valued service to its users

Aims for the Trip For our children to experience a range of activities that we cannot offer at Locking Stumps For children to develop new skills in a challenging and enjoyable environment For our children to apply learned skills across a range of situations and understand how these skills can be applied to situations at school and our everyday lives To have fun!

Safety Plas Caerdeon is fully licensed by the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA). AALA also responsible for regular inspections of the Centre and equipment, and the monitoring of instructional staff. All staff fully qualified, experienced and security checked The nearest hospital is Dolgellau & Barmouth district Hospital which is a 17 minute driver from the centre.

The Activities Children will be separated into 4 activity groups on the day of arrival. Each group will be allocated a teacher and instructor (who usually stays with the group for the week). Plas Caerdeon offers a comprehensive range of activities. We cannot guarantee the exact activities your child will be doing as some of these are dependant on the weather. Activities include: climbing, archery, zip-wire, beach combing, rope course, orienteering, kayaking and mountain walking. All activities are led by fully qualified instructors and have been risk assessed accordingly. All necessary equipment is provided by the centre i.e – lifejackets for water based activities There is no pressure for children to take part but we do encourage them to make the most of their experience whilst away.

The Rooms Rooms are separated over two floors - due to the demographic of the cohort there will be boys and girls on the same floor but not in the same room. There are both male and female toilet and shower facilities on each floor. Children sleep in rooms with a minimum of 3 and maximum of 8 children. Some rooms have bunk beds but most do not. There will be a member of school staff located on each floor – this is made explicit to the children on arrival should they need to contact us at night. It will your child’s responsibility to look after their rooms – this includes making their beds, hanging their clothes and keeping it in a general state of tidiness. All rooms are subject to inspections on a daily basis.

The Food! The food is plentiful and has been subject to rigorous testing by Mr Donoghue over the last 4 years. The centre staff have already been informed of any special dietary requirements in order to make necessary preparations. Breakfast – range of cereals, toast, beans, spaghetti, fruit and yoghurt. Lunch – a range of sandwiches, flapjacks, yoghurt and fruit. Dinner - a range of hot dishes including fish, burgers, cottage pie, fish pie, vegetables and desserts. Your children will not go hungry! The children will be responsible for their own choices and also tidying up the canteen area after meals – this is done on a rota basis.

A Typical Day at Plas Caerdeon Wake up – 7:30am for breakfast at 8:00am. 8:30am – tidy canteen, clean teeth and prepare for the day. 9:00am – meet with instructors for activity briefing. 9:30am - first activity. 12:30pm – lunch 1:00pm - meet with instructors for activity briefing. 1:30pm – second activity. 4:30 – return to centre – shower/get ready for dinner. 5:30 – dinner 6:30 - evening activity – quiz/singing/talent show/reflection time/free time. Bedtime ???? This is dependant on the group but usually children are in their rooms by 8:30pm with lights out at 9:00pm

What to Bring? PLEASE REFER TO THE KIT LIST PROVIDED FOR A COMPREHENSIVE LIST – THESE ARE JUST KEY POINTS. Please ask you child to pack their own bags – this way they know what they are bringing and what they need to take home. Old clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. A pair of swimshorts/swimming suit. Old trainers and a t-shirt to get wet for kayaking. A comfortable pair of outdoor shoes suitable for forest walking and mountain paths. Warm clothes and waterproof jacket. A towel, toothpaste, toothbrush. A warm hat and gloves. A water bottle – this is essential as your child may be away from the centre all day. £5 maximum spending money – there is a very small shop selling a range of high quality trinkets, this will be opened on an evening chosen by the school staff. On the day of departure please ensure your child brings a packed lunch in a disposable bag. We will probably stop off at Bala lake for a rest and refreshment break along the way.

What NOT to bring! Mobile phones or anything else electrical (hairdryers/lights/tablets). Any other food – we do not want to encourage any little visitors to the centre other than the children. Any aerosols, hairspray, deodorant (roll-on deodorants are fine.) Any make up or jewellery. Party clothes – there is no disco!

Other things to know. Should your child fall ill we will do our best to look after them. We will let you know as soon as is reasonable and discuss a suitable course of action. The nearest hospital is 7.4 miles away in Dolgellau – approximately a 17 minute drive. At night the school staff are responsible for the children. The building is locked and is safe and secure. There is always a duty officer on call from the centre should they be needed. We promise to keep you updated via our school life blog – the wi-fi can be unreliable at times but we will do our best to update you each evening.

On the Day! Children should arrive at school not later than 9:30am for a prompt departure at 10:00am, or at normal school time if this is more convenient. The outer Hall door will be open for children to leave their luggage safely. Come in your own clothes – ties are optional. A packed lunch (no fizzy drinks) in a disposable bag is required. Those children who need travel sickness tablets should take one before they leave home. The tablet for the return journey can be handed to Mrs Bate or Mrs Percival, again, please make sure that this is clearly labelled. We will be stopping at Bala Lake for lunch on the way. Please ensure ALL medication is provided in a clear plastic bag with your child’s name on it. This should be given to Mrs Haynes on the morning of departure at the school hall. We aim to return on Friday at 1pm, but will let you know when we get back so you can come and collect your children.

A Snapshot of 2016