Opening Dates

We are open all year

What makes this great accommodation for School groups?

Ringsfield Eco Centre has been offering residential school trips and day visits for over 36 years. The Ringsfield Hall Trust's mission is to 'foster the spirit of the child' by providing gentle and generous hospitality, a space for recreation and transformative education, and a place for reflection and contemplation.
Ringsfield Hall can accommodate up to 50 people with sole use of the house, which is an attractive, well presented Victorian country house.
The 14 acre site is beautiful and secure, with a wide variety of habitats, and is perfect for learning, contemplation, fun and freedom.
As well as all the freedom to explore and make noise, there is a real atmosphere of tranquility, and a special feature is that every child is encouraged to spend time alone in the natural world, observing and experiencing what may be something completely new- spider's webs covered in dew, a rabbit lost in thought, a barn owl swooping silently across the field at dusk.
The staff aims to create a community atmosphere with a last night 'banquet',
and evening camp fires under the amazing canopy of stars, which many have never seen before.
We encourage teachers to allow the children time to experience freerange childhood. The way we remember it?
Our programmes are geared towards PSE, Citizenship and Sustainability through outdoor learning.
Close by, for visits off-site, is wide open countryside for walking; the Suffolk Coast and Heaths including Minsmere Bird Sanctuary, and Dunwich Forest and a number of other nature reserves; also the Norfolk Broads with water sports etc; the resorts of Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth; and the ancient city of Norwich with castle, churches, galleries, historical sites, museums and science experiences, along with cinemas and theatres including the well-known Puppet theatre.
Close by for visits off-site

Property Description

Ringsfield Hall was built in 1887, and is a warm, welcoming centre, attractively presented. There is central heating throughout.The house sleeps up to 50 people, and though we prefer to have a minimum of 25 people, we recognise that some class sizes might make that difficult, and we can be flexible. A group has exclusive use of the house.
It stands in open countryside between Beccles and Bungay, on the Norfolk, Suffolk border.
There is an Art Barn available for craft activities, also a strawbale classroom,and a small Quiet Room and Quiet Garden, away from the house.

Disabled facilities:

The Hall is regularly used by a number of special needs groups, the grounds are quite level, but the house is limited in what disabled facilities it can offer. There is one single room on the ground floor with adjacent shower and WC.

Catering:

We offer full board and provide good quality home cooked meals, using only fresh produce. All diets can be catered for. All school groups do some chores: laying the tables, washing up, and preparing some packed lunches during the week.There are also self catering facilities

Kitchen:

As well as the large, well equipped kitchen with fridges,freezers and storage there is a 'guest kitchen' where guests make their own drinks and wash up.

Dining Room:

The dining room and adjacent conservatory seat up to 50.

Bedrooms:

The 13 bedrooms vary in size, and there a number of rooms available for teachers to have single rooms.
On the ground floor there is one single room
On the first floor, there are four dormitories sleeping, 12, 10, 8, and 5, in mainly bunk beds.
The second floor has three twin rooms, one room with a bunk and two singles, and another with three single beds.

Linen:

We provide duvets, pillows and blankets, and guests are required to bring a pillowcase, bottom sheet and duvet cover.

Bathrooms:

The ground floor has a shower and WC
The first floor has two bathrooms, each containing WC, bath and two showers, plus two WCs.
On the top floor there is a bath and WC

Sitting room:

The main library sitting room looks out over the parkland, and has a log effect gas fire and piano, which we are happy for children to play.
A smaller rear sitting room is often used as a quieter space. This room has an open fireplace.

Meeting room:

The cabin is a combined meeting/games room. It is well heated and overlooks the pond and woodland.

Games room:

The Cabin, which is separate from the house is used as games/workshop/meeting room. There is table tennis, darts, and a football table, also an electric organ.

Projector etc:

We have a digital projector and screen available, also flip chart etc.

TV and Music Facilities:

The TV cupboard contains TV/ DVD combi, CD player, video player,overhead projector,videos and board games.

Internet:

Internet access is available with wireless coverage.

Heating:

There is full and effective central heating throughout

Outdoor Facilities:

There are 14 acres of grounds at Ringsfield, with woodland areas, pasture, meadows, pond, garden, playing field, small adventure trail,willow labyrinth,camp fire circles and BBQ.
There is also an art barn and a strawbale classroom.

Parking:

Ample off road parking, with space for coach

Activities available on and off site:

We offer a number of activities relating to PSE, Citizenship, and Sustainability, through outdoor learning with a forest school format, and often using Earth Education material. We are able to work with young people of all ages from pre-school up to adult.
These include Earthkeepers for KS2, which takes place around a camp fire and includes den building and cooking, and four conceptual, hands-on activities that teach-that all energy comes from the sun, that the earth functions by cycling its materials, that all living and non-living things are connected through these two processes, and that through cycling of air, soil and water, things change over time. Put together these offer a basic but clear understanding of ecological systems , and demonstrate how humans fit into the processes. The final part of the programme back at school, helps them reduce their impact on the planet.the experience are designed to increase their attachment to the natural world.
also art and craft, environmental art, orienteering, nature walks, reflective activities, storytelling, team building games.
There are a number of water sports and adventurous activities available in the area with both the Broads, and Beccles and Bungay having canoeing and sailing clubs,riding, swimming pool nearby, walking, nature reserves, Minsmere Bird sanctuary,forest,coast, resorts, and historical and cultural opportunities in Norwich.