Opening Times

Open all year.
March to September daily opening: 10am to 6pm
October to February daily opening: 10am to 4pm

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

Explore our woods, discover our wildlife and learn our history through a range of fun outdoor activities during a memorable day visit or inspiring residential stay in our Learning & Discovery Centre (a recently refurbished 250 year old Stables block).

Gibside is a 600acre landscape forest garden with majestic woodlands, parkland and riverside habitats for you to explore and a variety of historic buildings and ruins to discover. This beautiful rural retreat lies on the urban fringe of Gateshead and welcomes groups of all ages.

What are the Curriculum Topics or Benefit to the students from a visit?

A visit to Gibside will help you reconnect with history and nature through hands on activites and exploration. You will learn new skills, expand personal and team capabilities and be inspired through a range of fun cross-curricula activities.

What are the activities?

Back from the Brink: unravel our history and stories through challenging games and tours

Wild in the Woods: explore our woodlands and other habitats while discovering our wildlife through numerous investigations and surveys

Creative Culture: Use our natural resources for seasonally themed art based activities

Team Challenges: test your own boundaries while developing personal skills and team playing tactics through physical challenges

Forest School and John Muir Award also available

What is the age range of the activities?

We personalise packages and can tailor activiites to suit all age ranges

Sample programme of the activities:

Residential Visit:
Day One
Morning - Gibside Gold Cup (explore the estate while on a virtual horse race to learn our history)
Afternoon - Low Ropes Challenge (physical test of stamina and strength)
Evening - Nightwalk (explore our woods in the dark to discover the creatures of the night)

Day Two
Morning - Orienteering (explore the vast estate developing map reaing skills)
Afternoon - Forest School Experience (learn to build shelters and learn some bushcraft skills)
Evening - Tracks & Signs (team experiments to identify the wildlife of Gibside through feeding stations & trail cameras)

Day Three
Morning - Check Tracks and Signs experiments, followed by Art in Nature (using natural materials to celebrate their visit before departure)

Day visit:
Morning: Mini beast safari (explore a range of habitats to find the tiny creatures hiding away)
Afternoon: Life Cycles & Adaptations (learn how wildlife adapts to its surroundings through games and exploration)

What materials to you provide or suggest groups bring to support the visit?

Groups should bring:
Clothes for all weather, sturdy footwear & refreshments and for residential visits a change of clothes, toiletries and a sleeping bag

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

Residential Centre max occupancy: 33 children plus 4 free leaders
Day visit: for NT led activities - 30 children with preferably 4 leaders
Required ratios are: KS1&2 - 1:8 KS3&4 - 1:15

Do you have or how do you arrange risk assessment?

All activities are risk assessed. They are available to visiting groups for referral but groups should be producing their own risk assessments for their visit.

Do you offer Teacher familiarisation days?

Yes

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

On site tea room and shop open daily.
Residential groups have full catering options
Disabled acccess
Coach parking available

Is specific clothing required?

Bring warm clothes to dress for the cold, waterproofs to deal with the rain and a sun hat for those hot sunny days! Sturdy footwear is essential. Be prepared to get dirty.

Do you have first aid on site?

yes, but groups should come with a qualified first aider.

Are there any restrictions on photos, copyright etc?

Photos of the historic buildigns can be taken for personal use but not for commercial gain.