The Outdoor Ed School
BEST FOR
Ages 8-16
ENTRY
from £30
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Southampton
What it’s like
Daytime bushcraft, archery and axe throwing sessions in Hampshire woodland for home educated kids aged 8 to 16.
This one runs on weekday mornings and afternoons, which tells you straight away it's built around home education rather than a Saturday treat. Kids aged 8 to 16 get stuck into fire-lighting, shelter building, archery, axe throwing and air rifle shooting, all pitched as supervised and age-appropriate, plus mountain biking and laser tag mixed in across sessions. It's outdoor learning with a curriculum link rather than just messing about in the woods, though from the sounds of it the woodland challenges and nature exploration keep it feeling like the latter too.
Sessions land on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, either 10 to 12 or 1 to 3, so you're looking at a two-hour block rather than a full day out. A single session is £40, but it drops to £35 a session if you book the six-session half-term block, and £30 a session across a full term of twelve, so the regulars are clearly who this is priced for. They say the groups are personalised for age and ability, and specifically mention SEN, PRU and hard-to-engage students.
There's also a residential option with three-person pop-up tents, pitched at school groups wanting a proper night under the stars with marshmallows thrown in. Meals aren't fixed either way, catering or self-catering gets discussed when you book, and dietary or medical needs get worked out at that point too.
Axe throwing and air rifles alongside archery is the bit that'll get talked about on the way home, not the woodland challenges, however worthy those are.
Need to know
- Best for
- 8 to 16, especially home educated kids and small groups
- Priced for regulars: block booking a half-term or full term brings the per-session cost down a fair bit
- Sessions are only two hours long, morning or afternoon, not a full day
- Residential stays use pop-up tents for three, aimed at school groups rather than individual families
- The activity list covers fire-lighting, archery, axe throwing, air rifles, mountain biking and laser tag across sessions
Plan your visit
How much does a session cost?
£40 for a one-off session, or £35 each if you book the six-session half-term block. A full twelve-session term works out at £30 a session.
What ages is this for?
8 to 16, with groups arranged so different ages feel comfortable together.
When do sessions run?
Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, with a morning slot from 10 to 12 or an afternoon slot from 1 to 3.
Is this suitable for kids with SEN or additional needs?
Yes, sessions are personalised by age and ability and are described as designed for SEN and PRU students as well as hard-to-engage learners.
Can school groups stay overnight?
There's a residential option using three-person pop-up tents, with meal arrangements and any dietary or medical needs discussed at the time of booking.
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