Warwickshire teachers and parents slam proposals to close 'life-changing' Marle Hall centre for pupils

A proposal to shut a 'life-changing' centre which allows Warwickshire pupils to visit the beautiful Welsh countryside for educational and adventurous programmes has been slammed by teachers and parents.

Located on the edge of Snowdonia and providing more than 100 beds for pupils, the Marle Hall Centre for Outdoor Learning has been part of Warwickshire County Council since 1971 and predominantly takes pupils from Warwickshire schools.

Next year the centre is set to celebrate its fiftieth birthday, and in the last five decades it has provided life-changing courses to around 60,000 young people.

But the centre, which has been closed since March because of coronavirus, is now under threat after Warwickshire County Council's cabinet suggested it should be closed.

In a joint statement, headteacher Jill Vavasour and deputy headteacher Louisa Brown from Knightlow Primary School in Stretton-on-Dunsmore said: “Marle Hall has, without a shadow of a doubt, changed the lives of generations of our children.

"It has taught them so much and given them a chance to see themselves in the most positive light.

"Through fantastic outdoor learning experiences, they have recognised their own strengths and character, developed resilience and fostered an awe-inspiring love for the wonder of the natural world.

“Marle Hall is an incredible educational opportunity for our children, but it is so much more than that.

"It is an absolute highlight of their childhood. It must be saved at all costs.”

Nick Williams, a teacher at Coten End Primary School in Warwick, joined the calls to keep the centre open, stating children and families would be left heartbroken if it were to close.

He said: "I have led four residential visits there and the unique outdoor learning experience it provides is invaluable.

"Even more so in the coming years, for those children who have had such limited outdoor experience throughout this pandemic.

"The decision to close has devastated local schools all over Warwickshire.

"There will be tens of thousands of children and adults all over the county who visited Marle Hall and will be appalled by its suggested closure. .

"Our current nine and ten year olds should be looking forward to the end of the pandemic and part of that should be the expectation of a visit to Marle Hall as is tradition in many schools around the area during Year 6.

"I know our children and families will be heartbroken by the decision."

Cllr Colin Hayfield, portfolio holder for education and learning, told this newspaper that staff at the county council are being consulted as to their views on the closure of the centre.

Because the consultation is for staff, members of the public cannot submit views - but a resident's petition calling on the council to keep the centre open has already gathered more than 3,300 signatures.

The petition can be accessed by visiting bit.ly/384dvruCllr Hayfield added: "We would like to reassure our schools and education leaders as well as parents, carers and the children and young people that enjoy outdoor activities as part of their learning that outdoor education is still integral to our offer for our current and future generations.

"The county is renewing its outdoor education strategy and offering.

"The development of a strategy is central to the commitment of the Council and its partners to facilitate the participation of our children and young people in sustainable and accessible outdoor learning from early years through to post-16.

"It will encourage the frequent use of local, natural and built outdoor settings, including school grounds, as well as opportunities for excursions and residential experiences in the delivery of outdoor learning across the curriculum.

"There are multiple providers that can provide high quality outdoor education activities for young people once current restrictions end."