Opening Times

March - October: open daily, 10am - 6pm
November - February: open weekdays only, 10am - 5.30pm

What makes this a great venue for School group Fun or Educational Visits?

Capel Manor College is Greater London’s only specialist College of Horticulture, Environmental Conservation, Animal Care, Floristry, Saddlery, Garden Design and Arboriculture (Tree Surgery) with gardens fully open to
the public. For over thirty years Capel Manor has been providing school visits based on a variety of programmes. All of which are led by our team of highly skilled and experienced staff.

Programmes are tailored to the teacher’s needs, for example whether they need help with plant life, animal life or ecological surveys. These can be carried
out at Capel Manor's 30 acres of gardens including woodland areas and ponds, the farm or river, all offering a ‘hands-on’ approach to bring teaching to life.

What are the activities?

NURSERY, PRE-SCHOOL, RECEPTION AND PRIMARY SCHOOLS - morning sessions:
Sensory activities
Animal encounters
Minibeasts
Plants from around the world
Caring for the environment
Storytelling
Pond activities
Cycles in nature
Food chains
Plants from around the world
Plant life cycles
Weather
Homes and habitats
Caring for the environment
Map and compass work

SECONDARY SCHOOL - half day programmes:
Freshwater Ecology
Conservation & land management, including grassland ecology
Soil studies and investigations
Habitate studies including ecological monitoring techniques
Environmental Science Studies
Thematic studies concerning rivers adn environmental change

What is the age range of the activities?

From Nursery to A Level.

What are the minimum and maximum group sizes and the free Teacher Ratio?

Pupil/Teacher Ratio
We ask that you take overall responsibility for your group whilst on the college grounds. Schools are requested to bring an appropriate number of teachers and helpers to ensure adequate supervision.

Do you have or how do you arrange risk assessment?

Teachers are encouraged to visit Capel Manor prior to making bookings to view our facilities, discuss programmes and carry out their risk assessment. Please telephone or email the School Visits Coordinator.

Do you offer Teacher familiarisation days?

Teachers are encouraged to visit Capel Manor prior to making bookings to view our facilities, discuss programmes and carry out their risk assessment. Please telephone or email the School Visits Coordinator (schoolvisits@capel.ac.uk or call 08456 122 122) to arrange an appointment, between Monday and Friday.
Teachers wishing to visit Capel Manor without meeting the schools coordinator may do so, free of charge, along with one guest, on any
day of the week during normal opening times by prior arrangement with the coordinator.

What facilities are there for school groups for food and drink, shop etc?

Younger children tend to want a light snack during their visit. We recommend a piece of fruit. However, this will not be provided by the college. If you are planning to picnic in the grounds after your visit, please remind your children to bring a packed lunch including drinks. Hot drinks can be purchased by teachers and helpers on site if required.

Is specific clothing required?

Our site has hard pathways but some activities will take place off pathways.
If the weather is wet, it is a good idea for children to wear appropriate footwear (wellington boots for our younger visitors). Outdoor activities normally continue in cold or showery weather. Therefore, suitable clothing for these weather conditions is required.
If pond work is required, all pupils must wear disposable gloves. These will
be supplied by us during your visit.

Do you have first aid on site?

We have a number of trained First Aid personnel on site.

Are there any restrictions on photos, copyright etc?

Standard 'Permission to Photograph' rules apply for minors.

Additional information.

Free car and coach parking (limited space on busy days)

Disabled access around most parts of the estate including toilets and
restaurant with ramps and firm surfaces where possible. There are a limited
number of wheelchairs available to borrow and must be reserved in advance
to avoid disappointment. Audio loops are located at the main reception.