Category Archives: Uncategorized

SEN Soft Play with the East Bunny

The Easter bunny is coming to Lea Green’s SEN soft play sessions.

For £20 per child, you will be able to book on to the breakfast with a Easter Bunny session.

So what’s included?

  • 2 hours of soft play
  • Meet and greet with the Easter Bunny
  • Easter egg
  • Light breakfast
  • Complimentary refreshments and snacks for parents / carers

Breakfast with the Easter Bunny 9:30 – 11:30

  • Freshly baked pastries
  • Fresh fruit
  • Yoghurt
  • Juice
  • Complimentary refreshments and snacks for parents / carers

Spaces are limited to 25 people per session to offer a calmer experience for those with additional needs.


Book Here

Women’s Wild Wellness Retreat

Unwind and reconnect in the beautiful Derbyshire countryside with a nature-inspired weekend of adventure and relaxation.
Following the huge success of last year’s wellness retreats, we’re back in 2025 for another Women’s Wild Wellness Retreat. Striking the perfect balance between energising outdoor adventure and calming moments of relaxation, this weekend provides the perfect setting to refresh your mind, body, and spirit.

From relaxing yoga sessions to obstacle courses, and local walks to forest bathing, the entire weekend is carefully curated and tailormade to provide you the perfect blend of movement, mindfulness, and fun – all in a welcoming and warm environment among a small group of like-minded women.

All activities are optional, meaning you can participate as much, or as little, as you feel comfortable with. What’s more, the entire weekend, from start to finish, is women-only, including all our qualified instructors.

When and where is it?
The weekend takes place at the Lea Green Learning and Development Centre, located in the heart of Derbyshire and on the edge of the stunning Peak District. The retreat starts on Friday 9th May from 5pm, and ends on Sunday 11th at 4pm.

Accommodation is spread across 17 spacious, yet cozy, dorm rooms, with shared toilets and hot showers. You’ll likely be sharing with a couple of others, but if you’d prefer to share with a friend or family member, we’ll do our best to accommodate.

What to expect?
Enjoy an outdoor adventure, relax with a book in one of our comfy communal spaces, chat with new friends over a cup of tea… or try a bit of everything! With plenty of activities to choose from and lots of optional downtime, it’s entirely up to you how you spend your weekend. Here’s a taster of the activities you can look forward to:

  • Yoga
  • Local walks
  • Navigation skills
  • Archery
  • Forest bathing
  • Obstacles courses
  • Campfires
  • Mindfulness activities

No previous experience is required. More information about activities will be sent out nearer the time. All activities are weather permitting, and subject to change depending on popularity.

What’s included?

Accommodation and activities.

  • All meals and we also cater to additional dietary requirements.
  • Regular breaks for tea, coffee, and delicious cakes will keep you fuelled throughout the weekend, but you may wish to bring your own snacks.

Total price for the weekend:

  • £280pp

Booking information will be available soon…

SEN Soft Play Session with Santa

Santa Claus is coming to Lea Green…

The team at Lea Green has been busy planning a special experience for SEN children this December. Our SEN soft play session with Santa offers a calm and relaxed experience at a pace to suit your needs. 

Upon arrival, you will be greeted by our friendly staff, who will provide you with a ticket to visit Santa and receive a gift.

Our Santa will greet you in his grotto, where your SEN child can choose to sit next to Santa, at a short distance away, or even on the floor. Visiting Santa should be a magical experience for everyone; therefore we will try our best to tailor your visit to suit your needs. 


Date
Monday 23rd December 2024


Time Slots

  • 9:00 – 11:00
  • 12:00 – 14:00
  • 15:00 – 17:00

Price

  • £15 per child – includes a coffee and mince pie for parents / carers
  • £3 per additional parent / carer (includes a coffee and mince pie)

What does your ticket include?

  • Entry to the soft play
  • Ticket to see Santa
  • A gift from Santa
  • A coffee and mince pie for each parent / carer

Booking Information
Please contact the centre to book a place. Pre booking is essential. Payment is to be made in full, 2 weeks prior to the event.
Telephone: 01629 534561
Email: leagreen.admin@derbyshire.gov.uk


Additional Information

  • There is a hoist available on request, which allows wheelchair users access into the ball pit, or play mats.
  • Accessible toilets can be found within the soft play premises and changes places are available close by in Meadow Lodge.
  • There is ample free parking at the centre including accessible parking spaces.
  • You are welcome to bring your own food and drinks, but these are not to be consumed on the soft play equipment.

Please Note:

  • Payment is to be made in full, 2 weeks prior to the event. 
  • Refunds can not be given after the 9th December 2024.
  • Places are limited to 20 children per session.

Thinking about a residential?

The Paul Hamlyn Foundation special initiative Learning Away is researching What makes a ‘Brilliant Residential’?

The study describes ‘Brilliant Residentials’ as school trips with an overnight stay, which are led by teachers, co-designed with students and fully integrated into the curriculum. They are a ‘multi-tool’ for achieving vital educational outcomes, have a huge impact on students of all ages and can help to deliver whole school change.

The following selections from the initial study findings will provide more of an insight into what a residential could offer your children and young adults as well as some recent feedback from groups visiting Lea Green.

To chat to the team at Lea Green about what you are looking to achieve call us on 01629 534561 or complete a residential booking form here.

For more information about the report and Learning Away, visit http://learningaway.org.uk/residentials/

1. Impact on relationships

  • New peer relationships created.
  • Relationships built between staff and students.
  • Opportunities for students to develop social skills.
  • Development of more trusting and respectful relationships.

Post residential, 70% of key stage 2 students felt they knew their teachers better and 71% felt they got on better with their peers as a result of their residential experiences.

Interestingly, 72% of secondary students felt that as a result of the residential their teachers had a better understanding of how they liked to learn best. Given that only 56% of students felt that this was the case prior to the residential this can be seen as an important finding.

“We can actually be on a level with the kids and we can sit down on the grass with them. Whereas in a classroom situation it is ‘I am teacher, you are student’. You’re actually physically levelled and I think that has a massive impact on relationships with students” (Secondary Staff Focus Group)

“The visit has really ‘gelled’ the class together and has had a huge impact on the atmosphere in our classroom for the remainder of the year. This in turn allows for a much better learning atmosphere in class as the children feel more comfortable in taking risks with their learning and encouraging each other.” (Lea Green feedback)

2. Developing a ‘Learning Away’ community

  • Opportunity and experience of living with others.
  • Opportunities for group reinforcement and support.
  • Participants can learn more about themselves and others.
  • Strong sense of community and support in working towards a common purpose/goal.

“Most of the things you had to work together, like the tents, the cooking, the den building or making the fires. You had to do it with at least one other person. You might be partnered with someone you didn’t get on with at school but with camping it was either get the thing done or not so… you have to deal with it” (Primary Student Focus Group)

“Children learnt team building skills and gained the confidence to have a go at things they wouldn’t usually try, as well as having fun whilst they did.” (Lea Green feedback)

3. Impact on confidence

  • Improved relationships.
  • Better engagement with learning.
  • The development of leadership skills.

“We feel all of our children made progress/reached a target they were aiming for.” (Lea Green feedback)

4. Impact on attainment and engagement with learning

Residentials were felt to be particularly effective for students who had difficulty concentrating and engaging in the classroom context as it gave them a positive experience of themselves. The more relaxed learning environment, the availability of one to one support and small group work were all felt to contribute to improved learner engagement.

  • The development of students’ vocabulary and their speaking and listening skills (particularly for primary students).
  • Improved creativity as residentials provided inspiration and helped to enrich students’ work in a range of subject areas (both primary and secondary students).
  • Developing study and research skills (both primary and secondary students).

5. Developing student leadership skills

  • Increased confidence, particularly being given responsibility to lead activities.
  • Providing a role model for other students.
  • Improved organisational and presentation skills.
  • Improved independence and maturity.

“The children have really enjoyed their trip – they have followed instructions well and worked as a team, tried new things and gained confidence.” (Lea Green feedback)