You can come to us
Children in river © carolinejenkinsphotography.co.uk
You can come to us for outdoor education
We provide learning outside the classroom on our nature reserves for schools and groups, from Early Years education right up to A-Level, giving students the opportunity to explore and discover a wide variety of natural environments.
Choose from one of our visit packages or work with our Education Officer’s to create a tailor-made visit which matches your group’s requirements. All visits are planned during a pre-visit with our Education Officers.
We hold the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge.
Where you can find us and booking information
For more information on which activities can be carried out in a particular site or area, please contact the relevant Education Centre from the list below.
Please note that due to high demand, we recommend six months advance booking.
Blashford Lakes, Ringwood
An attractive 360 acre nature reserve, these former gravel pits encompass lake, pond, river, woodland and grassland habitats.
More about Blashford Lakes Online enquiry form
blashfordlakes@hiwwt.org.uk
01425 472760
School children on a nature reserve visit © Paul Harris/2020VISION
Bouldnor Forest, Isle of Wight
Bouldnor Forest nature reserve is 105 hectares of heathland, ponds, conifer plantation and mature woodland, boasting strong populations of red squirrels.
More about Bouldnor Forest Online enquiry form
ioweducation@hiwwt.org.uk
01983 760018
Pond dipping © Ross Hoddinott/2020VISION
Swanwick Lakes, Fareham
Swanwick Lakes nature reserve is a beautiful mosaic of habitats such as lakes, woodland and flower-filled meadows.
More about Swanwick Lakes Online enquiry form
swanwicklakes@hiwwt.org.uk
01489 570240
Children outdoor learning © Ross Hoddinott/2020VISION
Testwood Lakes, Totton
Testwood Lakes nature reserve has rivers, lakes, woods, meadows and even a Bronze Age Roundhouse.
More about Testwood Lakes Online enquiry form
testwoodlakes@hiwwt.org.uk
02380 667929
Children in river © carolinejenkinsphotography.co.uk
Winchester nature reserves
Enjoy clear chalk streams, rustling reedbeds and historic water meadows. Our ‘ministream’ is the perfect place to discover the creatures which live in this habitat.
More about Winchester Online enquiry form
Winchestereducation@hiwwt.org.uk
01962 828629
College Copse Farm
Free 2 hour farming focused visits, funded by Natural England, at our working farm: College Copse, Rotherwick, near Hook. More details are here.
Forest School and Coastal Visits
Our Forest School Programme
We also offer Forest School sessions which cover a range of topics and develop social, emotional, communication and physical skills. Our Forest School programmes provide six or more sessions for groups of 12-15 children or young people.
Milton Locks nature reserve Pirate Party
Coastal visits
Bring your class or group to the beach. We offer a range of coastal activities at beaches on the Hampshire coast and across the Isle of Wight.
Charges and Suggested Donations
Educational visits
Suggested Donation:
Full day £7 per head (minimum £100 for full day)
Half day £4 per head (minimum £60 for half day)
Talks, walks and activities for organised groups
Suggested Donation:
Full day £7 per head (minimum £80 for full day)
Half day £4 per head (minimum £40 for half day)
Forest School
From £100* per session. Max 15 children per group. Min six sessions.
* Mileage charges may apply, depending upon location. A half day is two hours, full day is four hours or over.
Staff & Safety
Providing an excellent experience in a safe environment is extremely important to us, and we know how important it is to you.
All our staff are trained in Outdoor First Aid and all staff and volunteers are DBS checked. Our small class sizes ensure that there is always a high staff-pupil ratio.
Before each visit rigorous risk assessments are carried out and all equipment used in sessions are well maintained.
Safeguarding and Child Protection
We take child protection and safeguarding very seriously. Our Child Protection and Safeguarding Statement sets out how we implement child protection and safeguarding across the Wildlife Trust and who to contact if you have questions or concerns.