Educational visits

Bury Local Authority recognises that pupils can gain a great deal of educational benefit from taking part in visits with their school. Such trips can help children to experience activities and environments that are new and challenging and to develop initiative, resourcefulness and independence.

Visits can range from short trips to local parks or museums to overnight stays in foreign countries. Some visits may include potentially hazardous activities such as rock climbing or water-sports, but whatever the nature of the visit, it is essential that they are all carried out with the highest regard for the safety and welfare of the pupils, staff and any volunteers taking part.

The Authority is committed to supporting educational visits. The Outdoor Education Advisers' Panel provides national guidance for Educational Visits which promotes simple and proportional risk management. This guidance is available from their web site and a link to this can be found at the right of this page. The Authority has developed its own local guidance, underpinned by national guidance, which is available to schools. This guidance and 'Evolve', the electronic approval system, has been approved and adopted by the Authority and a link to this is also at the right side of this page.

Schools and all services and establishments undertaking off site visits have support from the Education Visits Adviser (EVA) whose contact details can be found via the Evolve website. Every school and service should appoint a trained educational visits coordinator to coordinate educational visits and outdoor learning activity within the establishment. In addition to Educational Visit Coordinator, Leader and Outdoor Learning Cards Training, the EVA can organise bespoke training relating to educational visits to suit your requirements.

Burrs Activity Centre

Burrs Activity Centre is situated in a country park 5 minutes from Bury town centre, the centre provides an excellent flat water training pool suitable for introducing beginners to canoeing and canoe polo. There is a permanent orienteering course and maps are available from the Office situated in the Activity Centre. The Activity Centre has indoor and outdoor climbing walls and an abseil wall within the Park. There are full changing and shower facilities available. Schools visit the centre for educational visits regularly.

The centre has a cafeteria serving all day breakfasts, snacks, hot and cold drinks and ice creams. The cafeteria area is also available for hire for small meetings or classroom usage.

The Burrs Cottages contains a 34 bed bunk room, function room, with full self catering facilities, alternatively catering can be arranged to suit your needs.

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