Here at Painshill we offer a range of outdoor learning activities and workshops for children and adults with a variety of special needs. Read on to find out what we can do and call 01932 868 113 or email education@painshill.co.uk to discuss your groups visit.
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Activities, Workshops & Visits
Campbuilding 
An activity for moderate special needs and for people with behavioural/ emotional/ social special needs. Campbuilding is a great activity to get groups working together and communicating. Work as a team to construct a woodland den or survival shelter from natural materials. You can then have your lunch in your camps.
Painting in the Park
With an emphasis on movement, physical connection and sensory exploration of surroundings this activity can be modified for each group.
Option 1 – Groups use natural materials to create a woodland collage, paint outdoors and experiement with leaf rubbing.
Option 2 – We have a range of indoor art and craft workshops, including mask, puppet, natural craft and painting workshops.
Sensory Explorers 
We explore different senses through the natural environment. Use your eyes on a scavenger hunt, Use your nose to create a woodland purfume, use your ears and voice to make a sound orchestra and feel your way round a blindfolded rope trail!
This activity can be adapted depending on the different types and severity of the special needs.
Story Telling Adventures
With the help of the Little Group we have created a range of matching stories and activities especially for children with autism or language difficulties. Using kinaesthetic techniques and dances, rhythm and song and (of course) the story box of props children will join in the story before exploring the park with an outdoor learning activity to match the story.
Bespoke Activity & Specifically Adapted Education Activities
If you have a specific theme or idea, come and have a chat with us and we can work together to create an activity that is perfect for your group.
We can adapt a range of activities from our mainstream Education Programme to your specific needs. Choices include Minibeast Safaris, costumes and lots more
Have a look at our Education Programme to see more activities and email or call us to find out more.
BIG NEWS!
We have just received funding to complete the restoration of our amazing Crystal Grotto. We are in the process of creating a range of brand new activities especially for SEN groups to make the most of this stunning building… AND we need your help!
We can offer Teacher Planning Passes (admitting 2 adults and 4 children) to any staff who would like to get involved. We also have opportunities for pilot visits in 2012, so your group could be the first to benefit from own new workshops for FREE!
Email education@painshill.co.uk to get involved!
General Information
In order to create a visit that is perfect for you, do please call us to discuss your needs or visit us for a chat and a pre-visit to get your bearings of the park. Our activities can be adapted and modified to your needs. We can make activities shorter, cater to small and large groups, and work with you if you had specific ideas for your own activities. You can visit us for a day, a morning or afternoon or you can arrange multiple activities or regular access to Painshill at special prices.
Clubs and After School Activities
As well as running activities for school groups we can run activities in holidays or at weekends. In Spring and Summer we can also run activities twilight sessions after normal opening hours.
Prices
To reflect the high numbers of accompanying adults and often small groups we have special concessionary prices for SEN activities.
Led Activities: £5.50 per child or attendee (minimum 10 per workshop)
Entry to Painshill Park: £3.50 per child or attendee
Carers or Accompanying Adults: FREE
Concessions are available for multiple or off season visits.
Health & Safety
Risk assessments for education activities at Painshill Park are listed below.
These are general risk assessments for your information only and we highly recommend that you come for a pre-visit to see the Park for yourself and to discuss your visit with a member of the Education Team.
We have an access route for people with physical disabilities and who may need to use a wheelchair. We can also provide a buggy for the use of a person with special needs, as long as we have at least 5 day’s notice in order to book it. Additional wheelchairs may be available to book, if given notice.
Painshill Staff
The Education Team have experience working with a wide range of SEN groups. We have a close working relationship with The Little Group, Cobham and St Philips School Chessington who have provided training, advice and trialled new activities.
Visits from The Little Group and St Philip’s
We have two school groups that come to us regularly and we thought we’d share with you what they get up to! The Little Group (an autistic pre-school) in Cobham and St Philip’s (secondary special needs school) in Chessington have been on multiple visits to Painshill Park. The Little Group visit on a Monday afternoon for storytelling and a walk in the park and St Philip’s came for several visits to create arty masterpieces for our picnic area.
Special Educational Needs (SEN) activities, workshops, visits and outdoor learning at Painshill Park, Cobham, Surrey, near London
