CLIMATE CHANGE
Students learn about the causes and effects of climate change, using the projected change to the our local coastline due to sea level rise as a stimulus for wider discussion and understanding,
Using our resources they will consider what they can do to reduce their own environmental footprints (mitigating against future damage) and how we can learn to adapt to a changing climate.
They also will learn how they are crucial in shaping the decisions of the future and tackling one of the biggest challenges future generations will face.
TESTIMONIALS
"Thank you for a great day! The children have learnt so much from a wide range of activities. They will lead an assembly back at school and send information/advice in an Eco newsletter to parents about what we can all do."
Mrs McIver - The Ursuline Primary, Crosby
"An excellent day linked to our Key Stage 3 curriculum, lots for the students to do. Clearly, enthusiastically and skilfully presented to engage students at all levels."
Mr Watkins - Bolingbroke Academy, Cheshire
"A lovely balance of interactive activities taking place in a safe, self-contained classroom and garden area. Both adults and children have learned a lot - thank you."
Mrs Whitelaw - Waterloo Primary, Crosby
ENERGY CHOICES
Packed with hands-on and interactive energy saving and renewable energy activities.
Students learn about a wide range of energy sources and are asked to look at their own energy consumption, its impact on our environment and how to reduce it.
In line with the centre's ethos, students will be encouraged to become educators and help spread the word that we can all play our part in energy conservation.
TESTIMONIALS
"A fantastic educational visit. The children all enjoyed participating in a range of fun activities, learning a great deal about relevant issues and enabling them to now think about how they can make a difference."
Miss Robinson - Roundthorn Primary, Oldham
A superb day out with excellent links to the appropriate national curriculum. Great fun and new experiences for all involved."
Mr Moore - Rainford Brook Lodge Primary, St. Helens
"We have thoroughly enjoyed our visit today. It has been academically enriching, physically engaging and very mentally stimulating. Thank you to Darren and his team!"
Miss Talent - Streatham Schools, Crosby
COASTAL CHANGE
Groups spend a morning at Formby on a stimulating guided walk to discover how and why our dynamic stretch of coastline is constantly changing.
Students will learn how the area is responding to climate change, human influence and erosion, and the effects this has on the wildlife/habitats.
Later at the Eco Centre, students use the notes they made during their site visit to create a computer storyboard. This work will be forwarded to you post visit.
IMPORTANT: If you wish to book for the full day we cannot deliver the topic in less that 4.5 hours due to travel time between sites. If you cannot commit to this, please only opt for the tour of the coastline only.
Please note: The National Trust host this walk and an access fee is applied to support the work they do there. Educational Group Members of the National Trust are exempt from this fee. To become a National Trust EGM click here.
If you are looking for a 'beach play' day, this topic is probably not for you. We can factor in some time for play on the beach, dependent on timings and arriving on time.
TESTIMONIALS
"I have been on this visit every year, for six years. It never disappoints. The children learn so much and talk about it for the rest of the year ."
Mrs Dower - Forefield Junior School, Crosby
"A fantastic day! The children thoroughly enjoyed every aspect and engaged wholeheartedly. Thank you Darren for the way you involved every child and sent them away wanting to know more."
Mrs Adamson - Kingsmead School, Wirral
"Julie was a brilliant teacher, interesting and patient, and her subject knowledge enhanced the learning and engagement of all children. Thank you so much!"
Ms Green - Barrowford Primary, Lancashire
"A wonderful day! Great presentation and leaves plenty of room for continued work in the classroom as well as opening up other learning opportunities."Mrs Dunn - All Saints Catholic Primary, Liverpool
STONE AGE/PREHISTORY
Students go back in time 14,000 years and travel through the three periods of the Stone Age to learn how hunter-gatherer communities used the natural environment in co-operative, ingenious ways.
Using our bespoke resources, students will explore the different roles members of the community would have played to ensure their survival and learn more about the climate, landscape and biodiversity of the time.
A wealth of archaeological evidence unearthed in the area gives the day inspiring local context.
TESTIMONIALS
"Very well organised and relevant - activities were organised for a range of learning styles and in a way to reinforce/ consolidate that learning in a fun way!"
Mrs Carman - Bleak Hill Primary, St. Helens
"We keep returning as it is a fantastic experience. Everything is so well organised and the activities are catered for different learning styles. It is brilliant!"
Mrs Wilcock - Wood Fold Primary, Wigan
"A wonderful trip, the best I have been on! The children and myself have learnt so much in a fun way which would have been very hard to do for such a complex topic. Very safe and relaxed environment with excellent teaching staff."
Mrs Court - Arnot St. Mary CE Primary, Liverpool
NATURAL DISASTERS
Your class will use our in-house designed resources to understand how and why natural disasters occur, where they most commonly happen and how they have an impact on people's lives.
Subjects of study include:
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Volcanoes
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Earthquakes
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Flooding
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Cyclone/Hurricanes
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Drought
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Forest fires
As climate change is likely to exacerbate many of these disasters in the future, we look at the environmental challenges our planet faces and what we can do adapt/mitigate.
TESTIMONIALS
"Very educational with great curriculum links. The excellent, encouraging manner of the teachers ensured full pupil engagement. Would definitely recommend."
Mr O'Brien - Thatto Heath Primary, St. Helens
"It was a fantastic day, really interactive and relevant learning. The activities were ideal for assessment of this topic, the children enjoyed all of it. Great!"
Miss Adkins - Kings Meadow Primary, Southport
"We had an excellent time today, the course was delivered enthusiastically and Darren had a lovely manner with the children. We will definitely be back again!"
Mr Scholz - Kirkland and Catterall Primary, Preston
"A great start to our 'Extreme Earth' topic. All the children have learnt lots of fascinating facts."
Mrs Limerick - St. Nicholas CE Primary, Crosby
WATER CYCLE/CONSERVATION
Students learn how the water cycle works and are shown how wasteful we can be with such a precious resource.
Learning strategies for water conservation, students are encouraged to spread the message about how to be more water wise.
Students will also have the opportunity to look at the problems some communities face as a result of too much or too little water.
This topic complements some of our other visits such as Natural Disasters and Climate Change.
TESTIMONIALS
"Thank you so much for a great day! This visit consolidated prior learning and gave the children a hands-on experience to make this relevant to them."
Miss Hopkinson - Hindley Junior & Infant School, Wigan
"An enjoyable, informative and well planned day. Darren was very efficient in delivery of teaching, fully engaged children and prepared to share resources and continues links with school. Would definitely recommend to other schools."
Mrs Rowlands - St. John's Catholic Junior School, Wirral
"Julie was great with the children, very enthusiastic and clear about the activities and the information. Easy to contact and arrange the visit too!"
Mrs Binns - St. Jerome's Catholic Primary School, Formby
UNFORTUNATELY, THE RESOURCES REQUIRED TO DELIVER THIS TOPIC ARE CURRENTLY UNDER MAINTENANCE.
RAINFORESTS
As a consequence of both development and ignorance, human impact on the rainforests of the world has been devastating.
Bringing the global dimension into the curriculum, students will learn how important rainforests are to the world's climate and the preservation of endangered species. Your class will discover why they need to be protected through a range of hands-on activities.
They will also learn about the features of a variety of rainforests around the world, supporting learning opportunities within the geography curriculum.
TESTIMONIALS
"Supported our curriculum very well. It has been brilliant, girls very engaged. Well organised day, children and staff have learnt a lot. We've loved it, thank you!"
Mrs Nagy - Merchant Taylors Girls' School, Crosby
"Excellent resources kept pupils extremely engaged. They learnt so much in a lovely, safe environment."
Miss Monaghan - Ormskirk Primary, Lancashire
"Teachers very friendly and made the whole visit very enjoyable. The children learnt lots of new facts. The quiz at the end was very interactive and a great way to assess the days learning."
Miss Collins - Milton St. John's Primary, Tameside
HABITATS
The day begins with an informative walk through the range of habitats at a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Formby, with special attention given to local endangered and protected species found in this biodiverse area.
Your class will find out about the threats Formby faces and what we can all do to understand and try to preserve the key habitat areas visited.
Back at the Eco Centre the class will take part in activities to test their new knowledge.
IMPORTANT: If you wish to book for the full day we cannot deliver the topic in less that 4.5 hours due to travel time between sites. If you cannot commit to this, please only opt for the guided tour only.
Please note: The National Trust Formby host this walk and an access fee is applied to support the work they do there. Educational Group Members of the National Trust are exempt from this fee. To become a National Trust EGM click here.
TESTIMONIALS
"Excellent facilities, the teacher Darren was both very enthusiastic and knowledgeable, constantly adapting his delivery for our children's needs."
Miss Davies - Elm Tree Primary, Skelmersdale
"The trip was fantastic. Well organised and the children were fully engaged. Darren was wonderful with the children and really fed their interest. Thank you!"
Mrs Taylor - Lunt's Heath Primary, Widnes"
We have had a wonderful day; action packed, fun and educational. Julie was fantastic with the children and made sure all children learned regardless of their ability."Mrs Baldry - Beech Hill Primary, Wigan
LOCAL AREA STUDY/VICTORIANS
Please be advised that due to closure of Southport Pier, we are unable to complete that part of the usual tour during this time. An alternative route through Kings Gardens/Marine Lake will be provided.
Students start the day on a guided walk of Southport town centre, learning about the key features and changes that have shaped both the town's history and geography.
They will discover how and why the Victorians defined the town's coastline and find out more about other historical influences, including the advent of the industrial revolution in neighbouring cities and towns.
Returning to the Eco Centre to sum up the morning's learning, the class will document their findings as a 'then and now' ICT storyboard and take part in an interactive quiz to test their new knowledge.
TESTIMONIALS
"Wow! What an amazing experience for the children - highly engaging and informative for all 60 of them! Staff knowledgeable and very well organised. We cannot praise the centre enough, if you've not been, get booking!"
Mr Catterall - Red Lane Primary, Bolton
"This was a brilliant trip. a complete topic delivered in a day!"
Mrs Carey - Holy Family Catholic Primary, Southport"
"The children have had a great day and have clearly learned loads. This has been a great 'wow experience' to begin our seaside town locality study."
Miss Waltho - Bickershaw Primary, Wigan
This was a fantastic experience for my children, many of whom haven't been to the seaside before. Great balance of history/geography and pupil involvement. Very happy!"
Miss Waltho - Bickershaw Primary, Wigan
WEATHER SYSTEMS/CLIMATE ZONES
We are currently working behing the scenes putting together the resources for this topic.
Estimated availability in September 2023. Please contact us for further details
visitcostings
Standard class size (maximum 32)
£60 per hour / Charged in half hour increments.
Delivery to larger groups
Additional numbers charged @ £1 per pupil per hour.
Please note: Restrictions on pupil numbers for this rate dependent on topic.
Dependent on topic, in order to facilitate large group bookings it may be necessary for two teachers to lead the day @ £120 per hour (cost based on maximum of 64 pupils). This will be discussed with you if necessary during the enquiry stage.
Visits including site work
Some topics including a site visit incur additional costs to cover staff time/travel expenses - £30 for full day booking, £60 for visit finishing on site. Some topics may incur additional charges dependent on site location subject to licencing agreements/insurance.
Our Coastal Change and Habitats topics are subject to parking charges as they take place on land managed by the National Trust. This helps support the work they do there. Educational Group Members (EGM) of the National Trust can park for free. To become a National Trust EGM click here.
Bespoke packages
We offer the opportunity to put together a day not already covered in our core key topic delivery, including a mix of existing topic resources into a co-ordinated visit plan, if given plenty of advance notice and we have availability to develop it. Charges for this are dependent on time/design to produce/adapt any specific resources and will be costed within the quoted price for your visit. Please contact us for more details.
Minimum/cancellation charge
Minimum charge in place of £180 for most topics, £240 minimum charge for Prehistory/Stone Age.
Upon receipt of a completed booking form cancellation charges do apply to protect our service's revenue stream so please make sure you understand our terms and conditions fully prior to booking.
advice/faq
Are your topics curriculum linked?
Yes, all of our topics are linked to the current national curriculum and most are adaptable across all age ranges and abilities. We pride ourselves on offering a personalised service and are more than happy to discuss your visit in detail with you to ensure we support your key learning objectives. We find the better communication our teaching staff have with you prior to your visit, the better your overall experience will be!
Who will be delivering the topic?
Our qualified teaching staff will facilitate your visit, all of whom hold current enhanced DBS clearance with 20+ years experience delivering environmental education.
Are your visits risk assessed?
Yes, upon booking with us you will receive comprehensive guidance notes, including risk assessment information to help your submit you own internal assessment. Please note, these are only supplementary to your own internal procedures and pre-visits are welcomed.
How long does a visit last?
We recommend timings of 4.0-4.5 hours to deliver most topics. Full day coastal change/habitats topics require 4.5 hours minimum, if this cannot be done your end we cannot accept the booking.
Do you offer a bespoke service?
Yes, we are happy to take elements from different topics and/or design bespoke days when contacted well in advance of your visit and if we have capacity.
Can my school visit the centre without being booked in?
Sorry, no. There are no coach/minibus drop off areas nor any facilities for non-booked schools. Schools turning up not booked in with the education service are in breach of the control measures we have set out in our risk assessment guidance and your school's own safeguarding procedures, representing a health and safety issue on both counts.
In the past coach drivers have sometimes insisted to schools visiting Southport that our building is a drop off point and the facilities can be used, this is incorrect and there are no additional, safe drop off points for coach parties on our site. If you need to know where you can drop off and access toileting facilities please contact Visit Southport.
How long can you hold a provisional date?
Due to the popularity of the education programme and as we are a self sustained service, we can only hold a provisional booking in our calendar for three working days without a completed booking form on file. Due to often being at capacity with teaching and planning for upcoming visits we do not have have time to chase up bookings, so please be aware of this once we confirm availability of a date with you and the booking form is sent.
Can you provide testimonials?
Yes, we are happy to! Word of mouth has been one of the best promotional tools for our service so we are more than happy to provide comments from previous visiting schools. We have also included recent testimonials in all of our topic information on this site.
Do you provide parking for coaches/minibuses?
Coaches/minibuses can park for free outside the centre at the designated school entrance gate.
Please note: The drop-off point is only for pre-booked school groups.
The site work elements of our Coastal Change and Habitats topic take place on land managed by the National Trust land and are subject to parking charges. If your school holds a current National Trust Education Group Membership (EGM) then parking is free. Topics involving most site visits require groups to have their own transport with them for the day.
Can I access the Eco Centre via public transport?
Yes, pre-booked groups using public transport can use the Park & Ride service operating from the town centre (pick-up point 5 minute walk from train station) free of charge to access the Eco Centre. The same service can be used to depart after your visit. Please let us know at the time of booking if you wish to use the service so we can issue a travel pass for your visit.