Accreditation
The centre prides itself on offering courses and programmes that are safe, rewarding, educating, structured, high quality and, last but not least: fun. In order to ensure this we have worked very hard in gaining National Recognition from the major awarding bodies within the UK.
HSE - Adventure Activities License Authority (AALA)
Demonstrates we have safe and efficient operating procedures in place. More about what holding a license means can be found on the Licensing Authority’s website.
Association of The Heads of Outdoor Centres and its Gold Standard Award
The AHOEC Gold Standard is an accreditation of a provider that assures good operational practice within the context of high quality learning outcomes. The standard is only available as a provider accreditation where the controlling body or centre employs full members of AHOEC in a senior management position.
It is a statement of principles and expectations for the responsible provision of organised outdoor education and training. These principles are primarily aimed at providers offering courses and activities to young people less than 18 years of age. These same principles can be adopted for use by those providing learning and training experiences for adult groups.
The standard forms a framework within which providers develop operating procedures to ensure that the principles and expectations embodied in the Gold Standard are realised.
The nine areas inspected are as follows;
- Compliance with AHOEC Code of Conduct
- Learning and Development
- Customer Care
- Safety Management
- Facilities
- Leadership and Management
- Environmental Sustainability
- Compliance and Insurance
- Continuous Improvement
The centre manager, Mark Richards, is a member of AHOEC. This organisation is the only UK organisation that represents Outdoor Centres and membership is criteria based.
It is very well placed to make a special contribution by providing high quality, challenging outdoor experiences, designed with course organisers to raise levels of achievement for all young people.
The Gold Standard is an AHOEC quality assurance scheme that builds on Learning Outside the Classroom quality badge and takes the assurance to a higher level.
For more information visit the AHOEC website.
OFSTED
OFSTED have recognised the value of the quality badge and learning outside the classroom in general. In addition to this, they inspected a variety of Outdoor Education Centres within the UK and found that teaching and learning standards were very good or excellent.
"When planned and implemented well, learning outside the classroom contributed significantly to raising standards and improving pupils’ personal, social and emotional development."
The Outdoor Education Advisors Panel
The Outdoor Education Advisers’ Panel comprises nominated representatives of Chief Officers of Local Authorities in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. It provides a forum for sharing and developing good practice in Outdoor Learning/Learning Outside the Classroom.
The organisation is also represented by a large majority of Outdoor Education Advisors in the UK and has endorsed the LOtC and AHOEC Quality.
They recommend that all users look for the badges when deciding on an outdoor education trip.
For more information on the Advisors panel visit the OEAP website.
Other Represented Bodies
Institute of Outdoor Learning
This organisation encourages outdoor learning by developing quality, safety and opportunity to experience outdoor activity provision and by supporting and enhancing the good practice of those who work in the outdoors. Blue Peris is a member.