Outdoor Education
in the Cotswolds

“From the moment you set foot in the woods, a magic descends and the sight of a crackling fire under a canopy through the trees stirs your heart.”

-Bisley Blue Coat School

Outdoor classroom in a forest with people sitting under a large canopy and a leader speaking.
Children playing tug-of-war indoors on straw with joyful expressions.
Children walking through a metal livestock chute, smiling, with a woman watching from the background.
Child solving a Christmas-themed crossword puzzle outdoors.
Group of children on a farm leaning against a railing, with a barn and greenery in the background.
Children roasting marshmallows over a campfire in a forest, wearing winter clothing. A person in a Santa hat is assisting.
Children with backpacks walking along a dirt path in a wooded area, following an off-road vehicle.
Two children wearing winter clothing drinking from black cups outdoors.
Children and adults sitting on logs around a campfire in the woods, wearing winter clothing.
Campfire grill with foil-wrapped food over flames

Copsegrove Farm School Visits

We offer a wonderful and personal rustic alternative to the usual commercial school trip. A day at Copsegrove Farm is fundamentally about experiencing a day out in the countryside. It is about escaping technology, classrooms and playgrounds. It’s about getting muddy, rosy cheeked and sitting around a camp fire.

It provides a valuable and rare opportunity for children to experience hands-on learning and traditional old fashioned fun in the great outdoors, whilst also in the context of a working farm.

Outdoor Education in the cotswolds. Farm day out in the cotswolds. Children and adults gathered under a tarp in the woods for an outdoor classroom session.
Large tree with thick branches and people observing a herd of black cattle in a field.

We are a family run livestock farm of about 320 acres, nestled in the Stroud valleys on the edge of Bisley. Animal welfare and conservation are both at the forefront of our farming.

Visits are delivered by Kate Bankes, an experienced qualified teacher with a PGCE in Secondary Science and with 20 years experience of outdoor education and farming. Kate is also paediatric first aid trained.

A day will typically include a balance of curriculum linked activities with a forest school twist.

Days are tailor made for each group visit, based on an initial consultation with the teaching staff involved, usually involving a preliminary visit to the school, or/with a visit out to the farm if teachers prefer.

School visits to Copsegrove Farm are suitable for reception all the way up to year 6, with a maximum group size of around 30.

Your Day

Your programme will include a mix of activities tailored for your school after an initial discussion with you, from an extensive menu developed from 20 years experience of running successful visits. Anything and everything from the curriculum can be covered in a way in which children are engaged, busy, actively learning and having fun.

Activities will be adapted accordingly for the age group of children and size of group. The setting for your programme is a beautiful old mixed woodland, with prolific garlic, bluebells and a large jungle like area of Laurels. There is also a covered area if wet.

Black cow standing in a grassy field with trees and a stone wall in the background.
Group of people walking in a field, carrying backpacks and some holding flags, in a black-and-white photo.

The structure of a typical day at Copsegrove Farm is:

• Arrival in Bisley: We will be there on your arrival to meet your coach.

• We walk you into the farm, just a 5 minute stroll.

• Welcome to Copsegrove Farm: What goes on here? Copsegrove's composting loos with views!

• Walk to the woods, just a 10 minute stroll: Safety in the woods around the camp fire.

• Time to explore: An initial activity enabling children to get to know the woods and explore.

• Snacktime: Fruit and toasted marshmallows by the fire.

• Activity 1: Tailored from a range of possible activities.

• Packed Lunches by the fire.

• Activity 2: Tailored from a range of possible activities.

• Best bits of the day by the fire.

• Walk back to Bisley to catch the coach.

Activities are adapted for the age group of children and size of group, after consultation with teaching staff.

Depending upon your arrival and departure time, there may be more activity slots.

The day is basic, rustic, but full of character! A full risk assessment is provided, and there is hot water from flasks with copious amounts of anti-bacterial soap for hand washing.

 Your Visit

Team Building Activities:

  • The Tennis Ball Run

  • Hula Hoop

  • Walk of Trust

  • Walk the Plank

  • Circle of Trust

  • Mini Rafts/Stretchers/Music Making

  • The Tightrope Challenge!

  • Visit to a badger sett

Themes:

  • WW2 Evacuation

  • The Stone Age

  • Vikings

  • Romans

  • The Great Fire of London

  • Survival in the Woods

  • Woodland Art

  • Food Foraging and Feasting

  • Mini Beasts

  • Super Heros

  • Farming, Food Production and Climate Change

  • Woodland Crafts

  • Team Building

  • Stick-man

  • The Woodland Habitat

  • Great Green Giants

  • Egypt

Activities:

  • My Funny Feely Bag

  • Woodland Art

  • Scavenger Hunts

  • Mini Beast Hunts

  • Pitfall Traps

  • Den Building

  • Camp Fire Cooking

  • Map reading and grid reference skills

  • Animal Skulls

  • Food chains and food web activities

  • Tree Studies and ID

  • Classification and use of identification keys

  • Pond Dipping

Woodland Crafts:

  • Charcoal - making a charcoal pencil.

  • Lashings

  • Whittling

  • Fire Lighting

  • Wattle & Daub

The Copsegrove menu of activities is almost endless, and Kate is always happy to develop new activities where necessary to fulfil teachers’ wishes, wants and requirements for their day.

Kate is always up for the challenge of taking on new topics or themes, and relishes the opportunity to work with teachers to create a programme that will support and bring to life school topics in the great outdoors.

Teachers Resources

Teachers Information Pack

View and download all the documents you need for your visit, including our Teachers Information Pack and full Risk Assessment, as well as information about funding from Natural England.

Our free Teachers Information Pack contains all the detailed information you need for a successful school visit to Copsegrove. Please click on the link below:

Copsegrove Farm's Teachers Information Pack

Costs

Copsegrove adopt a slightly flexible costing policy, whereby the cost per child will vary from £7.75 to £11 per day, depending upon class size, programme chosen, materials required for the day, and length of visit. We hope this helps enable all schools to come and visit! A minimum day fee is applicable with some classes. Kate will advise on pricing for your particular visit.

Health & Safety

Copsegrove also provide full health and safety documentation for your visit to the farm. Please click on the links below to view the documents:

Risk Assessment

In Case of Emergency

Basic Firelighting Risk Assessment

Pond Dipping Risk Assessment

Please ensure that all the adults accompanying children on your visit to the farm have seen a copy of these Heath and Safety documents and are familiar with their content.

After the trip

We would be grateful if you could spare a minute at the end of your day to complete our Evaluation Form. This helps us to continually improve the experiences that we give the children during their day at Copsegrove Farm. Please click on the link below to view or download a copy:

Copsegrove Farm Evaluation Form

“Every child should have a Copsegrove to visit.”

— Stroud Valleys Primary School, Summer 2024

Children gathered for an outdoor lesson under a canopy in a forest setting with a leader speaking.
Three children smiling and playing outdoors in a park. One child in the center wearing a red shirt with a rainbow design is being playfully lifted by the two other children on either side. Trees and greenery are in the background.
A group of children and an adult pushing a large pile of hay in a barn setting.
Children having a hay fight in a barn.
Children playing tug-of-war in a barn with straw on the ground.
Children playing and laughing in a barn filled with straw.
Children playing tug of war indoors on straw flooring, with visible expressions of joy and concentration.
Children walking through a metal livestock chute, with several kids in the background following the one in the foreground. The structures around them are made of metal bars and panels.
A group of children leaning on a metal fence, wearing casual and warm clothing, with a rustic building in the background.
Children gathered around a campfire in a forest
Child working on a crossword puzzle on a clipboard in an outdoor setting.
Children roasting marshmallows over a campfire in the woods with an adult supervising.
Two young children outdoors, drinking from black mugs. One child is wearing a yellow jacket and the other a winter hat.
Group of children with backpacks walking on a dirt path through a wooded area, following an off-road vehicle. The trees are bare, suggesting a winter or early spring setting.
Children sitting in a circle in a forest, participating in an outdoor activity, with a campfire in the center.

“For the last 20 years we have been hosting school visits from primary schools throughout the county. We have developed strong relationships with many of these schools, welcoming staff and children back time and time again, year upon year, for more memorable Copsegrove experiences.”

— Martin & Kate Bankes, Copsegrove Farm

School Reviews

  • Smiling child dressed in a blue costume with a stick outdoors.

    Avening Primary

    “Content and delivery was pitched at exactly the right level. Children and adults enjoyed the experience immensely. A real learning experience for the children.”

  • Two children in outdoor clothing drinking from mugs; one wears a yellow jacket, the other a winter hat.

    King’s Stanley Primary

    Thanks again for a super day Kate. The children were so well behaved due to the organisation of the day and it being filled with activities. Your enthusiasm and patience also rubs off on them.

  • A group of children walking through a metal livestock chute, led by a smiling boy in a black "Just Do It" shirt. An adult is visible in the background.

    Eastcombe Primary

    We had the most fantastic two days. Kate’s ideas were so well planned and perfect for the children. Clear safety rules resulted in a ‘pain free’ visit. They’d like to come everyday if they could.

  • A group of children sitting in a circle in a forest, participating in a camp activity with an adult. Sunlight filters through the trees, creating beams of light. Backpacks are placed on the ground nearby.

    Wycliffe Preparatory School

    A great day! Well organised and resourced. A wonderful experience for children and staff. Most children thought it was their best trip ever! We will be back, often.

  • A child wearing a red cape with white fur trim, a pink knitted hat, and blue gloves holding a stick in a wooded area.

    Birdlip Primary

    “Thank you Kate. Despite the hail and thunder the children (and even the staff!) really enjoyed it.”

  • Child in a forest wearing a colorful hat and a floral patterned poncho.

    Badock's Wood Primary

    “We really enjoyed our day. The staff were very welcoming and our children were fully engaged. “More smores!”

  • Nailsworth School

    “What a wonderful day, enjoyed by all. Children and staff loved it! Thank you Copsegrove.”

  • Sheepscombe Primary

    “It was a fantastic day for all our children – fun and educational. Big thank you to Kate.”

  • Sherston School

    We had a great time at Copsegrove. A beautiful setting, lots of fun outdoor activities and an enthusiastic and well organised host in Kate. She is brilliant with both children and adults and always ensure everybody is having a great time. Our second visit as a school and I’m sure we’ll be back. Our children said it was the best school trip ever.

  • Bussage School

    I have brought a range of classes to the farm from both KS1 and KS2. Kate pitches the learning experiences perfectly to the children, encouraging and engaging them with her words. The children have been able to cook outside. Copsegrove is a magical place for the children to explore and learn with the freedom and fun they deserve.

  • Wycliffe School

    Copsegrove Farm provides exceptional outdoor learning opportunities. The facilities are excellent and the cross curricular activities second to none. Kate has continually updated activities for our classes to build on their experiences time after time, create subject themed days linked to topics that the children have been studying.

  • Danielle Keightley

    Coming to Copsegrove is one of my favourite school trips, allowing the children to feel free and really experience the outdoors whilst being safe in the environment. Kate is wonderful with the children and makes the entire experience a joy! I shall be returning next year with whatever age group I am teaching knowing we will have a fantastic day.

  • Warden Hill Primary

    A big thank you to Kate and everyone working behind the scenes at Copsegrove. The farm is in an idyllic spot, with good accessibility. The day was exceptionally well organised. All the activities were clearly explained. The pace of the day was perfect and we all came away with smiles on our faces. Everything was so well organised and the instructions so clear, and pitched perfectly. A great balance of listening and doing. The children were ‘children’ for the day and loved it. They took their own decisions and risks. Excellent.

  • St Matthews Primary

    So well organised and run. Amazing team building opportunities. Gave children who have trouble in the classroom real focus and enthusiasm. Kate, the group leader, is amazing. She is organised, kind and wonderful with the children. The children loved the loo with the view! The experience in the woods was magical. The children are safe, yet feel free to explore in the area. There is no cafe, no gift shop just pure, innocent exploration, learning, team building and fun. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend a trip to Copsegrove.

  • Bisley

    Kate always plans a detailed and unique programme that is carefully linked to the current themes of learning we are delivering and exploring in class. Kate outlines clear expectations of behaviour in the woods and in every session revisits the rules and ways in which to stay safe. The children gain so much from these experiences and I would recommend to anyone thinking about trying a Forest School to go for it. Having asked my class for a rating, we unanimously agreed Kate Banks and Copsegrove Farm are a 10/10 EVERY TIME!

  • Oakridge

    Oakridge

    Excellent organisation, safety and activities. There isn't anything the children do not enjoy and we have been in all weathers. Most definitely the favourite thing for the children is to sit around the fire cooking, singing and just gazing into it having time to reflect and talk about their most enjoyable part of the day. It's really good mucky, messy play that gives the children a real opportunity to take calculated risks in the safety of an enclosed space. Every school should try Copsegrove. We highly reccomend it.

  • St Gregory's

    Both our students and teaching staff had such a wonderful time at Copsegrove farm. From the minute we stepped off our coach, Kate had everything brilliantly organised, resulting in such a special day for us all. The base camp nestled in part of the woodland allowed our children to explore freely in a setting that many of our learners would have never seen before. The activities were carefully planned, with transitions seemingly effortless thanks to Kate’s expert experience. We would jump at the chance to return and cannot recommend Copsegrove farm and Kate’s fantastic hosting enough.

  • Brimscombe School

    WOW, what a magnificent day! I'm still buzzing now, thank you so much for being so organised and amazing with the children. I'm really looking forward to hearing all about it from them today at school! The sun shining all day made it even better, I really did feel so relaxed knowing the environment was so safe! The students, staff and volunteers had such a lovely time at Copsegrove farm. From the moment we stepped off the coach, Kate was waiting for us with everything brilliantly organised, resulting in the children having the most wonderful day! The children were able to explore freely in such a beautiful, safe setting which made the day feel relaxed for everyone. Each activity was well planned and thought through thanks to the amazing Kate. Thank you so much for a great experience, we will definitely be coming back!

  • Camilla & Arthur, Bisley School

    We both said how much we loved today, the woods are so glorious and you are so kind and clear. You hold boundaries and freedom so artfully together.

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