Testimonials
From Access to Education NW
Quadrant Court,
Woking,
Surrey,
GU22 7QQ
July 2024
RE: Outdoor Learning Sessions at Briars Field
Access to Education NW provides education provides a flexible interim service for children/young people who through exceptional circumstances cannot attend school including for medical reasons and permanent exclusions. We are delighted to be able to offer outdoor learning sessions at Briars Field as part of our provision.
The sessions at Briars Field have limitless opportunities for teaching and learning across a breadth of areas of development and education. We have seen amazing personal accomplishments from our students attending the sessions and it is a firm favourite with our team of Teachers and Learning Mentors.
Below are just a few examples of the benefits A2E have observed through regular sessions at Briars Field:
Student’s self-confidence and social skills have improved
Students are more independent and are more confident to make choices in their learning and play
Being outside in all weathers has fostered resilience
Activities like crafts, pony grooming, walking, water play, and planting have been amazing for building creative thinking, independence and resilience
Students have learnt practical skills like building, lighting and safety around a fire Students have opportunities to take risks which is a great transferable skill for learning
Overall, Briars Field oƯers A2E students the opportunity to have the time, space and freedom to be themselves, learn, develop and grown in a safe, naturing and natural environment.
Katie Johnson
Access to Education (A2E) NW Area Lead
Designated Safeguarding Lead NW A2E
FROM POND MEADOW SCHOOL
LARCH AVENUE GUILDFORD GU1 1DR
3rdJuly 2024
To whom it may concern,
Our school is Pond Meadow, based in Guildford, Surrey. We are a special needs setting for children with autism and severe learning difficulties, many of our children struggle with communication, socialising and regulating their emotions. We are lucky that we have weekly trips into the community as part of diverse curriculum.
We have been taking our key stage 1 pupils to Brair’s Field for the last 2 years and it is favoured by children and adults. Our child need routine and to feel safe, Brair’s Field offers both. Alex is able to adapt to the needs and wants of our children from week to week. Each term a different class visits and the confidence and exploratory skills they learn in 14 weeks is fundamental to their development. The children often start by playing with the mud kitchen and unsure of their surroundings, hesitant to brush the ponies and stick to walking on the path with an adult. After a few weeks, they are off! Exploring the hammocks, roaming through the grass and putting hair clips in the pony’s hair. Alex’s kind and sweet nature helps the children and staff to feel comfortable and relaxed to try new things and experiment.
Our children have enjoyed it so much that we were able to add a second sessions so more of our children were able to have access to such a valuable resource for their growth and development. Next year we are wanting to extend this provision further to key stage 2 so they can experience the wonders Briar’s Field has to offer.
Kind regards,
Jeni Hall
Phase 1 Manager and Early Years Teacher
Surrey Care Trust
July 2024
Through sessions at Briars Field, we have been able to support a broad range of young people with mental health needs including anxiety, isolation, low confidence, low mood, bullying, self-harm, social dysfunction and ASD/ADHD.
Young people with these mental health needs gain significant positive benefits from group sessions, structured around peer mentoring and delivered in outdoor contexts – which we would not be able to deliver without access to a wonderful facility like Briars Field. Activities at Briars Field help young people to centre themselves ‘in the moment’: this gives them a respite from anxiety and trauma, helping them on their journey to recovery. It also builds their confidence, giving them a sense of achievement and self-worth.
Peer Mentoring is at the heart of our sessions at Briars Field: constructive, supported activities in a therapeutic natural environment, during which young people are gently encouraged to step outside their comfort zones; to do something practical, caring for the ponies. When these sessions are experienced as a group, it builds pro-social bonds between our young people: even those who have previously struggled to engage with their peers.
Isolation is a part (or symptom) of many mental health issues. Young people become trapped in a cycle: socialising will often help them to cope with (and start a recovery from) their mental health problems, but their social anxiety or poor understanding of social cues will stop them from doing so. This is particularly the case for young people whose school attendance is suffering due to emotional reasons. At Briars Field we can break down these barriers by giving young people something positive and focussed to do together.
Additionally, young people with personal issues (mental health problems or triggers of mental health problems) will often talk to their friends more readily than to an adult – especially an adult who is explicitly there to ‘support’ them. By providing a structured context to build peer networks through, Briars Field becomes an effective environment for young people to share their issues, overcoming isolation and receiving support from those with genuine lived experience – each other.
This is a very powerful project that has an impressive positive effect for our young people; we are very pleased to be part of it!
Parents
“I am grateful for your patience and kindness, briars field activities has been a real positive for L at a really difficult time”
“E absolutely loved the pony experience – she came away very happy - thank you so much for inviting her and to all involved in running the session.”
Young people
“I love the ponies, looking after them and being out in nature”
“I like being at briars, I feel calm and the small groups mean I don’t feel as anxious”
Sian Jones – Surrey Care Trust
Manager (Child Psychotherapist)