Parents Guide Château de Chantereine

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1 The experience at the Château is typically French, the food is authentic, the activities excellent, educational and very enjoyable. - Christs School Parents Guide Château de Chantereine kingswood.co.uk +44 (0)

2 Dear Parent, There is no better way to help a child than to inspire them, and an unforgettable school trip can do just that. It can offer a wonderful opportunity to open minds and nurture potential, to teach life skills, build confidence and create a better understanding of the world. Spending time away from home can also offer young people a chance to embrace adventure and take calculated risks, face new challenges, build self-esteem and make life-long friends along the way. At Kingswood this is exactly what we do. Working closely alongside leading education organisation, schools and teachers, we have developed an enriching Learning Outside the Classroom experience that supports young people s formal education and helps them to develop and grow as individuals. With a focus on accelerated learning by doing, our courses go beyond classroom teaching and textbooks. Aiming to both challenge and inspire, our Château de Chantereine programmes combine educational modules, challenging adventure activities, excursions and fun evening entertainment - with the added camaraderie of overnight stays and an experience shared. We offer an unforgettable life-changing adventure in a safe, controlled and nurturing environment. The magnificent Château de Chantereine offers the perfect study destination for schools visiting France. Steeped in history and part of a thriving local economy, the Château offers students an excellent opportunity to experience another country and culture, while still being easily accessible from the UK. With exceptional standards of care, safety and guidance from our friendly, highly trained team, we re confident that not only can we provide a life-changing experience for your child, we can also offer complete peace of mind for you too. With 30 years experience and over 130,000 students visiting Kingswood every year, we re proud to deliver experiential learning at its very best, and we look forward to welcoming your child to Le Château de Chantereine soon. Yours sincerely, Matt Healey MA (OEd), LPIOL, FRSA Head of Education 2

3 Peace of mind Fantastic visit, excellent organisation! I wouldn t hesitate to recommend it to others. - Moniaive Primary School Safety and staff All Kingswood staff are vetted, inducted and trained to the highest levels. Every member of staff working with young people completes a comprehensive induction programme including NSPCC safeguarding training, health and safety and practical guidance, as well as undergoing an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check. Throughout their employment with Kingswood all staff are monitored to ensure compliance with our health and safety procedures. All activities have rapid access to first aid trained staff and facilities. Instructors are trained to recognise each individual child s own capabilities and teach to his/her individual level and pace. All staff wear identification badges and uniforms at all times, with all visitors and teachers required to wear a security badge. Safety and standards UK Kingswood centres comply with standards set by the British Activity Providers Association (BAPA), Learning Outside the Classroom and Adventuremark. Being based in France, the Château isn t governed by UK safety accreditations but we ensure all activities nevertheless meet the same high standards. We also conduct rigorous internal health and safety audits. We operate comprehensive risk assessments on all activities. We are fully responsible for all emergency procedures, safety systems and security arrangements at the Château. Safety and supervision For most activities children are placed into groups of no more than 15. Our strict supervision policy ensures that children are always accompanied by Kingswood instructors and group leaders. Between 9:30 pm and 9:30 am and at meal and break times they are supervised by their teachers. Teachers are in loco parentis throughout the visit. The Château has secure and clearly defined boundaries. Teacher rooms are situated close to their students. The Kingswood Duty Manager and first-aiders are on call 24 hours a day. +44 (0) kingswood.co.uk 3

4 Château modules Excursions Our interactive programme is such a fun and immersive experience that it makes soaking up the French language, history and way of life less of an aim and more of an inevitability. Taking in WW1 battlefields, local produce manufacturers and important towns, our programme offers art, geography, history, culture and language-based excursions that will captivate the group. Workbooks will be provided for students to complete throughout their excursions, along with study outlines to help them continue the learning journey once they return to school. Reportage Pounding the streets in search of that elusive story, the buzz of the bustling newsroom, the adrenaline rush of presenting, our Reportage programme lets participants experience the hectic life of a news reporter while developing their understanding of French culture, history and language. Young people work in teams and against the clock to gather information and photo footage from the locations they visit. Once back at the Château they ll work in our ICT lab to put their multi-media reports together, guided by our Animateurs. 4

5 Sample timetable Day session times Monday Tuesday Breakfast Wednesday Friday Breakfast WWI Battlefield Climbing Treasure hunt WWI Battlefield Beach games Bouldering 12:05-13:15 Session 3 WWI Battlefield Team tech 13:15-14:30 Lunch Lunch Lunch 09:30-10:40 Session 1 10:40-10:55 10:55-12:05 Session 2 Travel to Kingswood Breakfast Thursday Breakfast 08:00-09:00 Breakfast Lunch 14:30-15:40 Session 4 Arrivals WWI Battlefield Pétanque 15:40-15:55 15:55-17:05 Session 5 Welcome tour WWI Battlefield Nausicaa 17:05-18:15 Session 6 Climbing Circus skills Nausicaa Field games Dinner Dinner Dinner Dinner Scrapheap challenge Trail of Mystery 18:15-19:30 Dinner 19:45-21:00 Social Sundown Scrapheap challenge Trail of Mystery Travel home +44 (0) kingswood.co.uk 5

6 Château excursions World War 1 battlefields Our full-day battlefield tour is a powerful inclusion to any school trip, bringing this moving period of history to life. Itinerary options include the Musée des Abris in Albert, Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial, Thiepval Memorial, Lochnagar crater, La Boiselle and Mansell Copse. Half-day excursions Arras Vimy Ridge Amiens Dieppe Eu Cheese farm Boulangerie Chocolate factory Nausicaá (aquarium) Participants walk their way through history on our guided tour of the capital of Upper Normandy. The city has long been a cultural, religious, economic and administrative centre and bears witness to its impressive past through an exceptional architectural heritage. Dieppe Packed with history, this charming seaside town has been a medieval fishing village, premier port, cartography centre and stylish beach resort, playing a key part in WW2. The famous Saturday street market offers a veritable feast for the senses. Paris & Disneyland/Parc Astérix tour Combine learning and fun with our Paris & Disneyland/Parc Astérix tour. Students will extend their trip to include a half day tour of the capital, a night in a Parisian hotel and a full day at Disneyland Resort Paris or Parc Astérix. 6

7 Questions & answers Q: What experience does Kingswood have in working with schools? A: Kingswood has been delivering high-quality residential education programmes to schools for over three decades. Our teams currently reach over 130,000 young people from around 3,500 schools every year. All instruction is given by our team of professionally-qualified outdoor educators, supported by a strong centre management team. We constantly review our programmes so we can quickly respond to the changing educational needs of schools and their students. Q: Will children need additional pocket money? A: All children s needs are catered for. However, children may wish to bring a few Euros to buy souvenirs or postcards from the places they visit. Q: What are your accommodation arrangements like? A: Boys and girls sleep in single beds or bunk beds on separate floors in warm, comfortable dorms. Sheets, duvets and pillows are provided. Toilet and shower facilities also form part of the accommodation blocks. Q: When is bedtime? A: Our Social Sundown activities typically end around 9pm when students enjoy a refreshment before returning to their dorms. We suggest a lights-out policy of 10pm but this may vary depending on the age of the group and their teachers preferences. Q: What care is available during the night? A: Teachers are located just down the corridor from their pupils and there is also a Duty Manager on call throughout the night. Q: What is included in the booking fee? A: Full board and accommodation at the Château. Return travel by coach and ferry from school gate to school gate. Entertainment programme. Use of all ICT hardware and software for Reportage. Services of Kingswood Château staff. Exclusive use of coach for visits and excursions. Château excursion notes and back-up information packs. Comprehensive travel insurance. Q: What about children with special needs? A: Kingswood is committed to an inclusive approach and values the involvement of all young people. We can support special needs students with many of their requirements as long as teachers make us aware of them at the time of booking. We re happy to provide extra support to those who are used to taking part in activities with the rest of their classmates but if we think it won t prove a positive experience for them, that it might prove overwhelming, or that we re not equipped to cope with a specific situation, we ll let you know. Q: What s the food like? A: The discovery of French culture continues during meals. Days begin with a healthy, filling continental breakfast. While on excursions packed lunches of baguettes, fruit, snacks and drinks are provided. A traditional French three-course dinner is served at the Château every evening. Q: Do children from different schools mix? A: Children from different schools never share the same dorms or mix during the day. However, they may have the chance to meet and make new friends from other schools during the Social Sundown, the Château s evening entertainment. Q: Can you arrange insurance? A: Group Travel Insurance is included in the booking for Château visitors, so you don t need to arrange separate insurance. This covers students from the moment they leave school until their return. Q: Can parents telephone their children? A: In special circumstances, of course. However, it has been our experience that parents phoning their children just to talk often makes the children s time away from home harder, rather than easier. If you ve got any other questions or concerns about your child s stay at the Château, please visit or speak to the teacher organising your visit. +44 (0) kingswood.co.uk 7 KWUK_BR_ _674

8 LET THE ADVENTURE CONTINUE WITH CAMP BEAUMONT All the benefits of Kingswood in the school holidays. With a new adventure at every corner, activities from the moment you arrive and more fun than you ever thought possible, Camp Beaumont is the perfect school holiday childcare solution. Campers make lifelong friends, create lasting memories, develop their skills and get to try new things, all whilst having the time of their lives! Over 60 exciting activities at 5 UK camps. Day camps, short breaks or full weeks available. All inclusive prices, including meals and all activities. Full programme of additional excursions and specialist activities. Escorted transport options available.* Safe, secure camps with CCTV and boundary fencing. Flexible payment options, including Childcare vouchers. To book the holiday of a lifetime for your child, or to find out more, call or go online at What s more, quote KWGuideOffer whilst making your booking and receive an additional 5% off our latest offer! Terms and conditions apply. Friends Activities *Escorted transport available for 7 day residential holidays only. Day camps, short breaks and full week residential outdoor activity summer camp adventures for 7-17 year olds. campbeaumont.co.uk Adventure CBUK_LF_ _673