Teaching young people to be mentally and physically stronger is at the top of many secondary school agendas. It’s true – good grades open doors, but essential soft skills, such as resilience, give young people the tools to overcome setbacks in life.
Outdoor adventure learning at Kingswood plays a vital role in enriching the lives of students through character-building activities in a meaningful and authentic setting.
21st century skills
It’s not only resilience building that’s achievable at Kingswood; it’s also expanding a student’s capacity to learn in new and challenging environments.
Our experiential learning programmes – particularly the five-day ‘Live It’ course – give secondary school students a platform to develop and harness their 21st century skills.
Communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking – collectively known as ‘the four Cs’ of 21st Century skill learning – are attributes widely recognised as being essential for successful academic and working lives.
Evidencing impact
Experiential learning creates positive and immediate change. Our latest research, published in the peer reviewed Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, finds that young people attending our residentials increased their resilience by 36%, and psychological wellbeing by 23%.
Additionally, 94% of young people stated feeling more self-confident in the month following their experience.
Kingswood experiences positively impact children’s capacity to cope with uncertainty, improve stress responses and create healthier, more adaptable youngsters.
“It was lovely to see the students flourish in all aspects, especially their confidence. Their personal and employability skills were hugely developed.”
Derby College teacher; visited Dearne Valley in March 2023
Funding for schools
Kingswood’s outdoor adventures are accessible to all children, including those facing financial hardship or affected by serious illness, whether personally or through a parent or carer.
In addition to the government’s Pupil Premium funding, fully funded places are available for children and young people aged six to 18 as part of its hardship fund for both schools and groups – terms and conditions apply.
For further information, call 0800 655 6564, email sales@kingswood.co.uk or visit kingswood.co.uk.
- > Our 11 centres each offer unique benefits, with activity choices spanning water sports to archery, and accommodation ranging from dorms to ecopods, allowing you to find the perfect fit for your students.
- > We are committed to green initiatives and making a positive change to the environment. In 2024, we planted over 500 trees to offset our carbon emissions.
- > Our support for teachers takes the stress out of trip planning, via an innovative portal that brings everything together in one place. Pre- and post-visit questionnaires and toolkits help to illustrate learning and impact, enabling you to link your trip to tangible results.
