Warwickshire teachers bid to stop Marle Hall closure

Activities can include learning bushcraft skills

Teachers and parents in Warwickshire are fighting to save an outdoor residential centre they say brings children "life-changing" experiences.

Marle Hall, a stately home near Snowdonia, in Wales, has been owned by Warwickshire County Council since 1971.

One head teacher said the activities in the 35-acre site were what many pupils "remembered most" from their time in school.

The local authority is consulting with staff and unions regarding its closure.

It said it would not be commenting further until the consultation ends on 17 January.

In October, providers of outdoor learning facilities called on the government to end a lockdown block on overnight educational trips, saying the sector was under threat.

More than 400 people have signed a petition calling for the county council to save the "crucial resource" of Marle Hall, where activities include canoeing, rock climbing and exploring the coast and mountains.

Jill Vavasour, head of Knightlow Primary School, in Rugby, said thousands of children had used the centre.

At her school, pupils aged 10 and 11 usually stayed for four nights every February as a "landmark" experience in Year Six, she said.

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In a joint statement with deputy head Louisa Brown, she said Marle Hall had "changed the lives of generations of our children".

"Through fantastic outdoor learning experiences, they have recognised their own strengths and character, developed resilience and fostered an awe-inspiring love for the wonder of the natural world," they said.

The head of Knightlow Primary School said the centre provided an "absolute highlight" of childhood for many youngsters

Many parents who signed the petition said their children had benefitted, with one saying her son "came back a different person".

"He had learnt new skills, grown in confidence, including learning more about himself," she said.

Ms Vavasour added: "We knew they couldn't go next year but to think it could end for generations of children is just awful."