Q & A
- Q: Can I talk to someone about study requirements before I visit?
- A: We’ll call you a few weeks before you visit, but you can contact us at any time if you have questions or concerns. Don’t forget you can also find out more information from the Environmental Field Studies pages of our website.
- Q: Can I visit my chosen centre?
- A: Just let us know when you want to visit and we will happily arrange a personal tour of our centres and arrange a time to discuss specific study requirements with you.
- Q: Do I need to bring any specialist equipment?
- A: Not normally. We have a comprehensive inventory of fieldwork equipment to specifically match our courses. Please feel free to discuss any particular requests with us prior to your arrival.
- Q: Do students need any specialist clothing?
- A: No, but obviously bearing in mind the great British climate, suitable wet weather gear and waterproof footwear such as wellington boots are often an absolute must!
- Q: What do students do in the evenings?
- A: The courses make the most of the study opportunities available and therefore usually run well into the evening. However, when work is finished, we do encourage students to use the recreational areas for socialising as we consider this an important part of the residential experience.
- Q: Who is my point of contact during my stay?
- A: A tutor will look after all the needs of your group for the whole of your stay. Tutors are hand-picked after taking account of their specialist knowledge for your required study area.
- Q: What is your payment process?
- A: Once you have reserved your dates for a Kingswood visit, the first, non-refundable deposit will be due within 21 days. The second deposit is due 8 weeks after the first and the third, and final, payment is due 8 weeks before you arrive.
- Q: Do students from different schools mix?
- A: Not usually. Our Centres usually have several schools staying at any one time, but classmates remain together throughout the day. The evening entertainment is the only time of the day when it is possible to meet and make new friends from other schools. Most importantly, students from different schools never share the same dorms.
- Q: Will students need additional pocket money?
- A: All students’ needs are cared for. Each Kingswood Centre does have a shop, however, where students can buy postcards, limited refreshments, pencils and souvenirs like T-shirts & sweatshirts. Any students completing off-site studies may also be given the opportunity to visit local shops at the request of the teacher.
- Q: What is included in the booking fee?
- A: Your booking fee covers a fully supervised programme of field study course work, as well as adventure activities and evening entertainment, comfortable accommodation, good, healthy meals and free places for a teacher pupil ratio of 1:10. The booking price does not include transport to and from the Centre, nor between Centre and off-site field locations. These are charged at a standard rate of £5 per student per excursion – or small groups may prefer to bring their own minibus.
- Q: Can you arrange insurance?
- A: Whilst on site all visitors to Kingswood are covered by our standard £20 million Public Liability Insurance. Some schools prefer to take out our additional Group Travel Insurance at £5 per student, which covers students and their party leaders from the time of booking their Kingswood visit to the return to school.
- Q: What about students with special needs?
- A: We can cope with many needs as long as teachers make us aware of them at the time of booking. We will advise you if we think we are not equipped to cope with a specific situation.
- Q: What is the food like?
- A: All our meals are created with health and nutrition foremost in mind. Menus vary from day to day, according to season and the individual Centre. Meals are served in a communal dining room, where there is always a choice of hot and cold dishes, vegetarian selections and fresh salad bars. We can also cater for students with special religious or dietary needs if we are informed well in advance. Groups who are studying away from the centre at lunchtime are provided with a packed lunch including sandwiches, fruit, biscuits, crisps and drink.
- 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: How secure are the centres?
- A: Each Kingswood centre has secure and clearly defined borders to maintain the highest safety standards at all times. For more information on the security and safety of our centres, please see above.
- Q: Do you have fire drills?
- A: Upon arriving at the centre, all schools receive a fire safety briefing, where all the emergency exits and meeting areas are pointed out and procedures for evacuating buildings are rehearsed. This is followed by an emergency fire drill that involves everyone on site – students, teachers and staff alike.
- Q: Do you have first aid cover?
- A: There are fully qualified first aid staff on site at all times. For more information on medical issues, please see our Safety & Peace of Mind Section on the previous page.
