Here I would like to put any establishments, attractions etc that are home ed friendly, by that I mean discounts, hand outs, free tours and generally good educational visits. Please send them on to me here so other families can benefit them! The ones below that say you need an EO card, might be worth phoning to see if the discount applies to those of us that aren't members of Education Otherwise. If you do, please let me know so I can share the information. Thanks!
The Brading Experience
46 The High
Street, Brading, Sandown, PO36 0DQ 01983 402112
www.bradingtheexperience.co.uk
Show EO card for the school rate of £4.25 per child, with 1 adult free per 6 children. Downlaodable 'School Activity Packs' on website.
Flamingo Park - Wildlife Encounter
Oakhill Rd, Springvale, Seaview, PO34 5AP 01983 612153
www.wight.info/flamingo-park
Book a group for educational rates of £4.70 per child, teachers free, doesn't specify how many are free - some may need to pay entry. Free bag of bird food per head, free teacher's pack downloadable from the website or request it sent.
Ventnor Botanic Garden
The Undercliff Drive, Ventnor, PO38 1UL
www.botanic.co.uk
Usual admission free. Free parking on production of EO card in the library situated in the visitor centre.
Isle of Wight Owl & Falconry Centre
Appuldurcombe House, Wroxall, Ventnor, PO38 3EW 01983 840188
www.appuldurcombe.co.uk
Show EO card for school rate of £2.50 per head. Guides available if you prebook on 01983 852484.
The Model Village
The Old Vicarage, High Street, Godshill, PO38 3HH 01983 840270
Show EO card for entry at school party rate.
Dimbola Lodge Museum - Julia Margaret Cameron Trust
Terrace Lane, Freshwater Bay,
PO40 9QE
01983 756814
www.dimbola.co.uk
Hold movie workshops, life drawing, art and craft workshops for children and much more.
£2.50 per head which will include a workbook and a juice for children under 16 for home educating groups. If you would let us know in advance how many books are required and when you will be visiting we can print them off for you. Also hold the odd free sessions. Email Nicky Dabbs and mention where you got the info.
Heading On
51 Greenlydd Close, Niton, Isle of Wight, PO38 2BJ
01983 730766
www.islandbreaks.co.uk/site/what_to_see_and_do/p_151851
'Heading On' offers The Old Days of Smuggling, Victorians and Tudors.
"Why not use a 'Heading on' programme to enhance your visit? Interactive stories, role play and drama provide an imaginative stimulus with a great deal of fun as well as sound educational value.
Artefacts appropriate for each topic recreate the atmosphere of smuggling, Victorians or Tudors and are brought to life at your Island base in the evening or at a time convenient to you."
Not really sure what this is, but the guy who emailed back said he'd never worked with home educating children before, but he normally worked with groups of about 20/30 at a minimum fee £70. If anyone was interested, ring
01983 730766 and talk to Derrick and he would talk you through the program.
The Needles
Alum Bay,
PO39 0JD 0870 4580022
www.theneedles.co.uk
Free entry, £3 parking all day. Has sweet factory, glass making, sand shop, rides etc.
Wight Water Adventure Sports
Dunroamin Beach, Lake, 01983 404987
www.wightwaters.com
Huge selection of courses ranging from Kayaks, canoes and wave ski's to Surfing, body boarding, Catamaran sailing, Windsurfing and skimming. Group prices available on request.
Fort Victoria Aquarium
Fort Victoria,
Westhill Lane, Norton, Yarmouth
PO41 0RR 01983 760283
www.fortvictoria.co.uk
For a guided tour of the Aquarium (this must be booked) we need a minimum of 10 paying children. Two accompanying adults would not be charged, any over that number would be charged £1.50 each. If a family group would like worksheets these are available (no extra charge).
Blackgang Chine Fantasy Park
Blackgang, Chale , PO38 2HN 01983 730330
www.blackgangchine.com
Have a downloadable quiz on the website.
Group discounts for groups over 15 or more. Worksheets on request.
Afton Park
Newport Road, Freshwater,
PO40 9XR 01983 755774
www.aftonpark.co.uk
'Walk & Talk' around the gardens with garden owner and designer Christine Barnes is available at £3.00 per person (minimum of 10 people).
Butterfly & Fountain World
Staplers Road, Wootton, PO33 4RW 01983 883430
www.butterfly-world-iow.co.uk
Admission is £5.25 per adult, children under 15 - £3.25 and children under 4 go free. Free guided talks lasting 45 mins, groups no more than 30 and no less than 10.
32 page colour guidebook is £1.75,
a four page A5 size worksheet for children is available at 10p for those that want it!
English Heritage Properties
Carisbrooke Castle
01983 522107,
Osborne House
01983 200022
,
Yarmouth Castle
01983 760678
Appuldurcombe House
01983 852484
St Catherine's Oratory
www.english-heritage.org.uk
Free admission is granted to educational groups, on condition that planned educational work is undertaken on site...
Home educators who are members of Education Otherwise, The Home Service, the Home Education Advisory Service or TEACH. Other home educating families may be admitted at our discretion if application is made in advance. If you are a home educator, please supply details of the organisation to which you belong and proof of membership. Free entrance extends to parents with their children.
We are pleased to offer the above groups a 15% discount (for 11 or more), with free admission for the accompanying group leader.
Colemans Animal Farm
Colemans Lane, Porchfield,
PO30 4LX 01983 522831
www.colemansfarm.com
Group rates available on request.
East Dene Centre
Allnatt Centres, Bonchurch, PO38 1RQ 01983 852374
www.allnatt.co.uk
Outdoor Learning Centre, activities from 1/2 day to a week stay, prices from £16 per head to £220 per head!
Brickfields Horse Country
Newnham Road, Binstead,
PO33 3TH 01983 566801
www.brickfields.net
School rates (home educators included) are as follows: Children £4.00 - for every eight children one supervising adult is admitted free of charge Adults £5.50
Fired Art
64 George Street, Ryde
PO33 2AJ 01983 614455
www.firedartceramics.co.uk
Group rates are 12 people and over you pay a third less studio fee, if its an evening party you may bring your own wine they supply the glasses and tea or coffee. Will also come out to you to do workshop, minimum 10 people. Studio fees are £3 for adults and £2 for children, this gives about 1 1/2 - 2 hours studio time.
Goodleaf Tree Climbing Adventures
Cowes, PO32 01983 563573 / 07970033209
www.goodleaf.co.uk
We offer a 2.5 to 3 hour climb which includes all hire of equipment, insurance, health & safety briefing, full instruction, demonstration climb, fully supervised climbing and homemade refreshments. All this takes place on secluded private land in Whippingham. You climb 300 year old oak trees in groups of no more than 3 people and once near the top there are views across the Island to the Mainland. Prices are £25 for children 8 - 16 years & £40 for adults 17 & over (minimum group size 3 for children, 2 for adults), £60 for individual climbing. We can take smaller children, but would need to organise something specific for them. Paul always includes an educational component in any climb he takes, but I am sure we could expand on that if some of your members would like. We are also happy to arrange special events at the field.
Appuldurcombe House
Appuldurcombe Farm, Wroxall, PO38 3EW 01983 840188 / 852484
www.appuldurcombe.co.uk
Price is £2.50 per head for educational groups.Teachers pack also available from the shop.
Brading Roman Villa
Morton Old Road, Brading,
PO36 0EN 01983 406223
www.bradingromanvilla.org.uk
We welcome home educating families and groups. We therefore extend the offer we have for schools of £1.95 for children/students and allow supervisor/s in for free when accompanying the visit. This is done in accordance to the following ratios: 1 adult to 6 children for key stage one, I adult to 10 children for key stage 2 and 1 adult to 15 children for key stage three. We can also email a copy of the worksheets relevant to the level of the group in advance of the visit. (These should be available for download from our site by the end of the summer.) As with schools we request that the group let us know in advance of their visit.
Dinosaur Farm Museum
Military Road, Nr. Brighstone,
PO30 4PG 01983 740844
www.isleofwight.com/dinosaurfarm
Group/educational rates on request.