At Manor Adventure, we regard our staff as our greatest asset and fundamental to the rigorously high standards of safety at each centre. The Course Report Forms completed by every school who attend our centres continually rate Manor Adventure staff as excellent, professional and caring. This is not achieved easily.
Seasonal Recruitment
The vast majority of our instructors are not seasonal instructors, unlike many of our competitors. We promote from within our talented workforce. Due to our expansion over the years we, on average, recruit around 40 extra instructors each year.
We do not recruit our staff purely from application forms or rely on a one hour interview. Manor Adventure receives over 1500 graduates and high calibre outdoor pursuit applicants for every 40 instructor posts each year. Once interviewed and vetted, around 100 applicants are invited to Culmington Manor for a rigorous and demanding assessment weekend. 60 are then selected for an in-depth selection week, leaving only the best 40 to join the Manor Adventure instructional team.
What we look for in an instructor
- Empathy to relate to each child's personality
- Awareness of each child's differing levels and abilities
- Caring attitude to each and every child
- Understanding of each situation as it arises
- Awareness of medical & dietary requirements
- Character & personality
- Social skills
Training
Extensive training takes place once an instructor is selected. This covers not only the fundamentals and qualifications of each activity but also instructional techniques, health and safety, pastoral care, and first aid. All instructors are continually monitored on safety and performance on all activities. Great emphasis is placed on feedback from Party Leaders and Teachers via the Course Report Forms, which aids our assessment of the quality and safety of the instruction provided.
Qualifications
All Manor Adventure Instructors, not just Senior Instructors, hold the following qualifications as a minimum:
- First Aid Certificate
- Fire Marshall Certificate
In addition, specialist qualifications relating to specific activities include:
- National Small-bore Rifles Association: Youth Tutors Diploma Award
- UKCC BCU Level 1, 2 and 3
- Level 1 Paddle sport
- Mountain Leadership Training Board: Single Pitch Award
- British Fencing Association: Teaching Award
- Grand National Archery Society: Leaders Award
- RYA Dinghy Instructor
- RYA Powerboat Level 2
As well as the above awards, every instructor receives training in Customer Care, Radio Voice Procedures, Emergency Procedures, Child Protection, Fire Safety and Drug Awareness.
Instructor : Pupil Ratio
Manor Adventure operates all activities within the guidelines laid down by the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA) who rigorously inspect the Centre annually. Examples of Manor Adventure Instructor to pupil ratios are:
- 1:1 Climbing
- 1:1 Abseiling
- 1:8 Open Canoeing & Kayaking inland water
- 1:8 Sailing
- 1:12 Obstacle Course
- 1:12 Archery
Awards and Accreditation
AALA licence (Norfolk Lakes and Willersley Castle) - this ensures that we follow good safety management practices.
All UK centres hold Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) Quality Badge - this provides an assurance as to the quality of the educational experiences on offer.
Adventure Mark Badge - this allows us to demonstrate that the arrangements for managing the potential risks of adventure activities have been inspected and found to meet the necessary standards of good practice in the adventure activity industry.
Regular Audits and Assessments
All our staff are checked in line with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Every year an expert Health and Safety Consultant visits our centres to ensure that all areas are kept to the highest standards and updated to cover any new legislation. Each activity is continually monitored and assessed by a Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents trained assessor using the latest computerised programmes. Copies are available to all schools and LEA's.
Health and Safety and First Aid Training
All departments receive Health and Safety awareness training every six months by an independent expert. In addition, every instructor and one member per department receives first aid training and holds a First Aid Certificate with special emphasis on young people. All first aid incidents are recorded and copies are available to schools on request.
Equipment
The quality of the equipment is of utmost importance when operating outdoor pursuits. Manor Adventure employs a full time stores manager and assistants at each centre to ensure that all equipment is monitored and logged daily and is renewed on a continual basis.
Radio Linked Activities
All instructors carry two way radios linked to a Central Base Station located in the Duty Instructors room which is manned 24/7.
4 X 4 Vehicles
Manor Adventure provides 4 x 4 vehicles for rescue and emergency situations.