Here is a list of questions, together with our answers, that we hope you will find helpful. If there is anything else you would like to know about, but which is not covered here, please just give us a call (Mon - Fri 0900 - 1700hrs) on 01202 677272 or email us your query to [email protected]
What do we need to pack for the trip?
We provide a comprehensive kit list to all our schools and groups, this can be found here:
However, it is worth reminding you with regard to the following important items:
Wet and dry footwear is essential as your child will need something on their feet for the duration of the trip. Wet footwear must stay attached to their feet whilst in the water - old trainers or plimsols are ideal. Alternatively, wetsuit shoes are widely available and are really the best and most comfortable option. Your child should have one pair of closed toe dry footwear, such as trainers, for use on shore based activities.
Bedding and towels are NOT provided so please remember to bring your own sleeping bag, pillow and towels. All our beds have mattresses with a fitted sheet.
We can't stress the importance of sun protection and the need for hydration strongly enough. Please ensure your child is provided with ample sun lotion (water resistant) of SPF 30 or above and a hat. Pupils will also be required to carry a named water bottle on activity sessions and these can be refilled with fresh drinking water at all our centres.
If your child is travelling to one of our centres in France they will need:
Please remember to label ALL your child's belongs, that way if anything gets left behind we have a chance of returning it. We do make a charge for returning Lost Property.
Decathlon is a good place to purchase good quality clothing and equipment.
What do we not (!) need to pack for the trip?
As an active, outdoor trip and especially if your child is visiting one of our centres in France where the group will be staying in tents, there are a number of things that are NOT required for the trip!
Mobile Telephones
Please do NOT allow your child to bring a mobile phone on the trip - all our sites have public payphones for a short message home if required.
Groups normally operate a telephone tree or other suitable notification system to inform parents of safe arrival of the group and to notify parents if there are any amendments to the timings for the return journey and hence the drop-off time.
If your child is homesick, then the ability to call home whenever they like may actually exacerbate the situation and will certainly cause the parents/guardians at home much distress. It is normal for a child to feel a little homesick at the start of a trip and this is usually overcome in the first day or so (if not hours!). Obviously, if this is not the case with an individual child, then the Group Leader and our team at centre will deal with such a situation in the most sensitive and appropriate way possible and will facilitate calls home if these are necessary.
As mentioned elsewhere, our insurance is unlikely to cover the loss/theft of a mobile phone as we are unable to provide secure storage for this or any other type of valuable personal item.
There are also no facilities to charge mobile phones!
We have found that mobile telephones can spoil the residential experience.
Valuables
It is not possible to provide secure storage for pupils' valuables, therefore it is recommended that these items are left at home. Additionally, our insurance policy is unlikely to cover the loss or theft of valuable items because we cannot provide secure storage.
We are sure they can manage without their Smart watches, hair dryer and straighteners, game consoles etc for a week!
At our centres in France there are NO (!) facilities to power or charge electrical items - please therefore leave them at home.
Can you deal with special needs?
All special needs should be clearly notified to your child’s Group Leader at the time of booking. We will make every effort to accommodate all special needs. We need to know about any medication, special diets, food allergies or physical disabilities that your child may have, normally we can cater for just about anyone!
Severe Food Allergies/Intolerances
In extreme cases, where a child is violently intollerant or allergic to certain foodstuffs, we wouldn't use it in any of our catering or preparation for that week. As all of our food is made from base products we do not have a problem with anything containing nuts, for example, without us knowing. We don't use many pre-packaged foods. The only real exception is breakfast cereal, where, as in the UK, you cannot guarantee a lack of contamination due to different brands being made in the same factory.
For children with very restrictive diets it may be simpler and give you, as parents/guardians, more peace of mind if you provide a suggested menu plan and/or supplement our meals with specialist foodstuffs that your child brings with them and which, particularly in France, may not be readily available.
Are there any extra charges?
Our school activity trips are supplied to schools inclusive of full board accommodation, return transport (overseas trips only), travel insurance (unless your school has alternative cover in place), our standard day time activity programme and evening entertainments. Schools will normally factor any 'optional extras' they choose into the cost of the trip at the point of launching it to pupils and parents. This means that the price they quote is the price you pay for the trip.
We provide three wholesome meals a day with fresh fruit and drinks available throughout the day. With that in mind, pupils only really need a very small amount of spending money for a meal and snacks enroute to and from our centre and sweets, snacks, ice creams or souvenirs for their stay at our centre.
Please ensure that any spending money is already changed into Euros prior to departure for a French trip as foreign exchange facillities are few and far between in rural France. Your child's Group Leader will advise you if pupils in the group hold their own money or if they operate a system to hold all monies and will distribute pocket money during the trip.
What about insurance?
The cost of our overseas residential activity trips include* personal accident and travel insurance cover for each member of your child's school group (except anyone normally resident outside the UK). The insurance policy is an annual policy and is valid for trip departures between 1st January and 31st December.
Further and full details including the complete policy wording are available to view or download below.
* On occasion schools may choose to opt out of Rockley's inclusive policy, therefore parents should check with the group leader before making any claim to ensure they follow the correct claims procedure.
If you do need to make a claim on the travel insurance policy, please see the "How to make an Insurance Claim" section in the Parents Information and Resourcessection of this website. If you still require assistance please do not hesitate to contact us on 01202 677272 (Mon-Fri, 0900-1700) or email us your query on [email protected]
What about safety?
Safety is our number one priority here at Rockley. Full details of our safety management procedures are available via the Teachers Information & Resources pages of this site, which is quite comprehensive (Parents Warning - read lengthy!), however, here are just a few things you may be interested in.
All our locations have been chosen for their suitability for the activities in question which means your child will experience the best possible introduction to the outdoor activities chosen by their school.
We are inspected each year as part of our recognition by the RYA (Royal Yachting Association) for the tuition of sailing, windsurfing and powerboating.
Our Rockley Point and Poole Park centres are AALS (Adventure Activities Licensing Scheme) licensed as part of a statutory scheme in the UK overseen by the HSE (Health & Safety Executive).
In France, our centres are licensed by the DDJS (Département de Jeunesse et des Sports) as required by local legislation.
If you have any concerns or questions in respect of your child's trip, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
What travel documentation do we need?
Some schools choose to travel to our French centres using group passports, whereas others will ask parents to arrange individual passports for their children.
The Group Leader will advise you of any documentation requirements and any procedures put in place to collect these prior to departure. However, in the event that your child is asked to arrange their own passport, please be aware that this must have at least 6 months remaining validity from the date of their intended return to the UK.
Where necessary please apply for your passport in plenty of time. Those children applying for their first adult passport will be required to attend an identification interview and the process can take up to six weeks with no fast track alternative available.
Details of the Home Office Identity and Passport Service can be found on our Parents Information & Resources page.
At the time of writing and as a UK resident you do not require a passport to visit our centre in Poole!
Medical Treatment whilst Abroad
As a British citizen, resident in the UK, your child is entitled to any medical treatment which becomes necessary, free or at a reduced cost, when temporarily visiting a European Union (EU) country. Only treatment provided under the state scheme is covered. However, to obtain treatment your child will need a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which you can get, free of charge by completing an online application or a form available from your nearest post office. For details of how to make an online application, please visit our Parents Information & Resources page.
Is our money safe?
In accordance with The Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992, all pupils and accompanying adults booking with Rockley Adventure, part of Rockley Watersports Ltd, are fully protected for the initial deposits and subsequently the balance of all monies paid to us, including repatriation if required, arising from cancellation or curtailment of your trip due to the insolvency of Rockley Watersports Ltd.
This protection is provided by way of an insurance policy arranged by International Passenger Protection Limited and underwritten by certain underwriters at Lloyd's. For further information please go to www.ipplondon.co.uk
There is no requirement for financial protection of Day Trips and none is provided.
Where will my child be sleeping?
At all Rockley centres pupils are grouped in their accommodation according to their age and sex and, where possible, within friendship groupings. Pupils, accompanying adults and our staff all eat together in our communal areas, which provides a convivial setting for socialising.
For trips to our 3 centres in France, which are based on campsites, all children and accompanying staff are accommodated in tents which are grouped into 'villages'. Our tents have electric lights, metal frame beds, mattresses, curtains and, for added safety, a personal alarm. Teachers' tents are located by their pupils' villages.
For trips to our UK centre at Rockley Point, pupils are accommodated in bunk rooms which sleep between 4 and 6 pupils and have en-suite facilities. Teachers are accommodated in rooms adjacent to their pupils.
What sort of things are on the menu?
Healthy Eating Contributes Significantly to the Lives of Children and Young People
At Rockley Adventure the only food choice is a healthy one. In France, our 'al fresco' dining area makes a positive contribution to the whole trip experience. Our meal times are an important social aspect of the trip. We ensure there is adequate time available to eat their meal and chat about the activities and learning that they have experienced on and off the water!
Three healthy, balanced meals a day, freshly prepared by our onsite chef and catering team.
Cereals, such as rice pops, honey pops, muesli, oat bran and bran flakes with apple or orange juice, tea, coffee, hot chocolate or milk and fresh baguettes with jam, honey and marmite.
Buffet selection of cold meats, cheeses, fish, salad, pasta, rice, potatoes and dressings with a choice of yoghurts, cakes and pastries or fresh fruit.
A choice of two dishes of meat, fish or a vegetarian option (for specified vegetarians only). Dishes such as Lasagne, Tagliatelle, Curries, Casserole with vegetables. Light desserts including yoghurts and fresh fruit.
