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Durham County Council Information Service
Killhope wheel

Activity Centres

County Durham owns 3 residential outdoor learning centres used mainly by Primary schools, but also available for booking by secondary schools and at weekends youth and community groups.

The 3 Outdoor Learning Centres are part of County Durham’s Outdoor and Sustainability Education Service (OASES). The service aims to:
  • Encourage the continued and developing use of out-of-the classroom learning, and to encourage children to make use of the opportunities offered to them
  • Develop knowledge and understanding through first-hand experience of growing, farming and the countryside
  • Raise awareness of where food comes from, of healthy lifestyle choices and to encourage a greater sense of responsibility for the environment on a local and global scale
  • Introduce young people to adventurous recreation
  • Develop partnerships locally, regionally and nationally.

OASES collaborates with a number of other outdoor learning providers to ensure a range of high-quality opportunities for Durham schools. These include The Esh Winning Eco – Learning (EWE) Centre, Howtown Outdoor Education Centre, Cassop Primary School ‘Environmental Extra’, The Clow Beck Centre.

For further information on OASES contact:

David Etheridge
Head of Outdoor Learning Support
The Esh Winning Eco-Learning (EWE) Centre
Esh Winning Primary School
The Wynds
Esh Winning
County Durham
DH7 9BE
Tel: 0191 3739799
email: d.etheridge100@durhamlea.org.uk

Outdoor and Sustainability Education Service