Slapton Ley

South Devon Coast

Every Child Matters

At Slapton Ley we believe that every child does matter and the experience of a visit to our Centre can make a huge impact on a young person. Here are some examples of how the Slapton experience can make a difference

Healthy lifestyles

Most students take part in daily exercise through outdoor fieldwork. Many students also choose to use the indoor recreational space in a converted barn during their free time. Most students eat healthy food made from unprocessed, seasonal and organic produce. Many students choose to buy additional organic, local and fair trade products from the Centre Shop.

Staying Safe

The safety of both students and visiting teachers is of immense importance to us. We meet stringent requirements so that visitors can have complete confidence that all significant health and safety matters have been properly taken care of: this is a very important reason for choosing an FSC centre for most schools. All students receive an introductory talk which defines the safety rules and expectations of behaviour. Students are involved in making risk assessments and in developing a personal awareness of safety issues and developing a culture of safety. Students feel safe because tutors are trained in First Aid, Risk Assessment and carry a safety sack in the field and there is a very effective duty system. Students can hire waterproof clothing if needed.

Enjoying and Achieving

Many students say in their questionnaire responses that their stay at Slapton was an enjoyable, memorable and formative experience. Many visiting teachers enjoy coming here too: some do so for many consecutive years. The main reason for coming is to undertake fieldwork and to use equipment and staff expertise that are not normally available at school or at college. The extremely good staff-student relationships and the outstanding fieldwork venues used makes their learning experiences very enjoyable and leads to high levels of achievement. Students take part in games, discussions and ‘fun activities’ which enliven learning, increase participation and improve concentration. Learning sessions finish before 8.30 pm to focus learning in times when students have most energy. The great majority of students enjoy the residential experience which encourages collaboration, friendship and participation. Students mix from different localities and cultural backgrounds work, eat and relax well together in the dining room and using leisure facilities. For many students the opportunities to see spectacular coastal or moorland scenery and to get close to wildlife generates a lot of excitement and interest.

Making a positive contribution

The emphasis that we place on active and personalised learning ensures that all students make a positive contribution in both indoor and fieldwork sessions. Students are rewarded by contributing to our Eco-Centre aims and environmental performance through our eco-league. Students are encouraged to express their views and to make suggestions about how their learning or welfare could be improved further. Student opinions are collected in Focus Groups and used to move the centre forward and reduce barriers to learning.

Economic well-being

Students are encouraged to ask staff about organising personal studies, coping with stress and career choices related to the subjects taught. Returning students comment that a course at Slapton has confirmed a desire to take biological or geographical courses at university. Some students take the opportunity for work experience at Key Stage 4 and post-16 students. Students progress in literacy is supported through scaffolded writing activities linked to investigations. Students progress in numeracy is supported through activities that make good use of specific spreadsheets. ICT capabilities are developed through using spreadsheets, laptops and interactive whiteboards.