Frequently Asked Questions
Out of School Care
What activities will my child do during the out of school care?
There will be a wide variety of activities on offer in the Classroom designed to cater for the different ages, stages and interests of the individual child. The activities will range from individual, quiet pursuits indoors such as reading a book or magazine, drawing or painting or just relaxing on the sofa to more energetic activities such as playing outside on the climbing frame, playing basketball, football or playground games. It really just depends what your child is in the mood for that day. There will be daily tasks for the children to help with such as feeding and attending to the animals as well as baking and of course dedicated time is given for completing homework.
Do I need to provide anything for my child on the days that they attend?
It would be beneficial to bring some spare clothes and outdoor shoes that you can leave at the Classroom. These will be returned to you if they become dirty and should be replaced with fresh ones. If we were doing any that required specific clothing we would let you know in advance.
What kind of snacks are available for my child during the Breakfast and After-School club?
Research suggests that children who eat breakfast tend to be healthier overall and are more likely to participate in physical activities. If children skip breakfast they are more likely to be tired, restless and irritable. The importance of Breakfast does not go unnoticed at Our Little Outdoor Classroom. We believe that it is important for all children to eat a good breakfast before going to school or nursery to set them up for the day. Bread, fruit, cereals, breakfast muffins and fresh eggs are some of the foods available for breakfast. Similarly, children are often very hungry after a long day at school and there will be substantial snacks available at the end of the school day including home baking, fruit and toast.
My child has a nut allergy, are they still able to attend?
Our Little Outdoor Classroom will do our best to accommodate any child with a food allergy so please get in contact if your child needs specific care over their diet.
Can you provide for specific dietary needs?
Our Little Outdoor Classroom is able to accommodate all kinds of dietary requirements, so please talk to us if your child follows a particular diet.
My three year old is still wearing nappies, can he still attend the Classroom?
Unfortunately we are not able to accommodate children who are not toilet trained.
Do you collect from other villages?
Unfortunately, we do not have the facilities to collect children from nurseries and schools in surrounding villages however, if you would like to make your own arrangements regarding transport, we are happy to enrol children from these villages.
How do I pay for the Out of School/holiday care?
Families will be given the option to pay on a termly or monthly basis. If you choose to pay on a termly basis an invoice will be given to you at the beginning of the term and payment should be made for the term ahead. If you choose to pay on a monthly basis, you will be invoiced on the 28th of every month requesting payment for the month ahead. Invoices must be settled within 7 days . We accept payment by Direct Debit, Bank Transfer, Cheque or Cash. If you choose to pay on a termly basis you will be offered a discounted rate on holiday care.
Is there a minimum number of days that my child can attend?
No. You are welcome to use the days and services that you need. Our Little Outdoor Classroom has be established to make life easier for parents so if you only need to use the Breakfast Club on a Tuesday morning then that's all you need to sign up for.
My child doesn't go to the Breakfast or After-school Club. Can I still enrol her for the Holiday Club?
Yes. If your child is not enrolled in the Out of School care you are still very welcome to make use of our Holiday Club. Please get in contact if you would like to enrol your child in the Holiday Club.
Schools
I am a Geography Teacher and I am taking my N4/5 class on a River Study in Fintry for their Assignment. Is it possible to hire the Classroom for the day and have half the class remain there while the others complete the river study and vice versa?
Yes. We are able to accommodate up to 25 children in the Classroom between the hours of 9:30am and 2:00pm. Please note that our Classroom staff cannot contribute towards your staffing requirements. There are kitchen and toilet facilities in the Classroom that you can use and there are teaching resources such as fieldwork textbooks, O.S maps, stationary and a whiteboard that the can be used. For more information on the cost of this please contact us.
I'm a teacher in Glasgow and I'm interested in taking a group of students on a field trip to the Loch Lomond and Trossachs area. I don't know the area very well, is there any interesting things to do around Killearn for school children?
Killearn is a small village to the north of Glasgow and is approximately a 15 minute drive from Milngavie. The village itself has some local walks such as short woodland walk in the Killearn Glen and another walk up the Ibert, which is right outside of our Classroom. The Watertrack runs from Killearn to Strathblane, which is relatively flat and not too challenging. And of course the West Highland Way runs along the bottom of the village. There are a couple of hills nearby such as Dumgoyne, which is just outside of Killearn and Conic Hill isn't too far in the village of Balmaha. Our Little Outdoor Classroom is perfectly situated to be a base for your trip.
I'm a Primary School teacher and I can see from your website that you offer an informal service for Secondary Schools to use the facilities in your Classroom, can other schools use them too?
Of course, the Classroom can be used by anyone, so if you are organising a trip and would like to use the Classroom please get in touch.
I can see from your website that you will be offering workshops to Special Schools and Primary Schools, can you give any more information on that?
Our Little Outdoor Classroom is currently developing materials to offer Special Schools and Primary Schools the opportunity to visit the Classroom and complete workshops on various topics. The workshops will be in line with the Experiences and Outcomes of A Curriculum for Excellence and A Curriculum for Excellence Through Outdoor Education. They will also be designed to develop and enhance cognitive skills as well as garnering interest in the natural world. All of the workshops will be designed to create Confident Individuals, Successful Learners, Responsible Citizens and Effective Contributors.
