Introduction:

The Gordon Brown Outdoor Education Centre  was opened by the London Borough of Brent in 1976 to provide opportunities for Environmental Study for 10 and 11 year olds but also occasionally do day visits and theme days for KS 3/4 childen.

The Centre is situated  east of Basingstoke, in Hampshire, not far from Junction 5 on the M3 and about an hour and a quarter from London by road. 

The site consists of 25 acres of fields with a small woodland and is set amongst open farmland  between the small villages of  Newnham and Rotherwick.  The nearest towns are Basingstoke (12K) and Reading (25K).

Accommodation, which is single storey, is purpose built and consists of a "Main Building" with beds for 32 children, together with their teachers and “The Shrubbery” which has beds for  24 children and teaching staff.  In the Summer and sometimes in early Autumn  one group usually camps.

The Centre operates throughout the year although principally in term-time.  Programmes are arranged to suit the needs of individual schools although the requirements of the National Curriculum often result in a fairly standard programme being followed.

There are many opportunities for environmental work in the grounds and within the surrounding area.   Earthkeepers (an Earth Education programme for Key Stage 2) has been run at the Centre since 1988 and the Centre has had many visitors from this country as well as abroad to view it.

Visits have been made to a nearby dairy farm, local villages and  chalk streams for river studies.  There are 9 watermills (disused unfortunately) within a 6K radius.  The historic ruins of Basing House destroyed by Oliver Cromwell after a famous siege in 1645 are 7K away.  An introduction to Canadian Canoeing is a popular option on the Basingstoke Canal which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest as is the Greywell Tunnel - one of the U.K’s most important bat roosts.  Orienteering courses are set out in the grounds, which also contain donkey and goat paddocks, an apiary and a rather dilapidated ‘Iron Age’ roundhouse.  About 50 cm. beneath ground level, there is rich brick-red earthenware clay.  Safety is in the forefront of our minds in all of our activities.

In general the Centre has three aims :-

Fulfilling the Requirements of the
National Curriculum

For example,  in Geography at Key Stage 2., there is a requirement to study a locality that contrasts with that of the school. and also to study  a river.

Providing First-Hand Experience
of the Countryside

Around the Centre are wide open spaces offering a sense of freedom to inner-city children.  Many of them have little opportunity  to visit the countryside and have missed out on many experiences - some are unaware of the problem with stinging nettles.  Amongst many  other things, there are dark, starry nights, the comparative quiet of the countryside, puddles and when its wet, lots of  mud. There are the sounds of the wind in the trees, gurgling streams and owls hooting.  We want to provide these and other similar experiences for children and hope that happy memories remain with them long after they have returned home.

The Social Side

Brent is an area rich in ethnic diversity.  Living and working together provides opportunities for cooperation and for the understanding of different view points, cultures and circumstances.

The Centre operates as a devolved Service Unit within Brent Council and has control of its own budget.  The Centre is a Support Unit within the Brent Inspection Service for schools.

We work closely with Brent schools and other colleagues in the Borough in the development of our activities.

Our aim is to provide quality Environmental Education and to encourage children to adopt responsible attitudes towards their locality and their planet.

In the recent past a programme of development and refurbishment has being undertaken.  The kitchen has been extended and there are two new bed-sits available for Centre staff.  Our work is expanding and for part of this summer term we will have a third group of children present during the camping season.  Additional staff will be employed to cope with this increased demand.

Children generally, but especially those from an inner city have a great need for residential environmental education of the kind we offer.  The Centre still has much unfulfilled potential and we are looking forward to the challenges of the future with enthusiasm.