The 'All Aboard' Joint Educational Programme for SEND School Children
‘All Aboard’ Joint Educational Programme
The Classroom and River Trip Educational Programme - Learning about Rivers and the Environment
The ‘All Aboard’ Joint Education Programme is a unique learning experience for SEND school children provided by the Rivertime Boat Trust and the River and Rowing Museum.
School groups spend half of their session learning about rivers and the environment in the classroom using specially adapted apparatus designed for fun and tactile learning with the Educational Team from the River and Rowing Museum.
For the other half of their session, children and teachers board ‘Rivertime’ for a river trip to bring their learning to life. The children will have time to eat their packed lunch on the boat before departing early afternoon. The Rivertime Boat Trust and the River and Rowing Museum are both Council For Learning Outside the Classroom Accredited.
The Rivertime Boat Trust and the River and Rowing Museum Educational departments are both Council For Learning Outside the Classroom Accredited.
The Joint Education Programme
In 2023, HRH, Princess Anne launched the ‘All Aboard’ Programme.
With funding now secured for a number of sessions each boating season, the program is operating from the Autumn to Summer terms.
The River and Rowing Museum educational department has been operating for many years, and through the relationship with Rivertime, the opportunity was created to provide fully funded visits for SEND school children with a boat trip to enhance the experience.
The RRM team provide a safe, calm and fully accessible environment for visiting groups, with fully trained teachers leading the classroom sessions. Parking is available for minibuses and coaches onsite at all of our venues.
Fun and interactive teaching aids have been carefully produced specifically for the classroom and boat trip sessions by special needs teachers. The individual leaning stations involve a mixture of observation, communication, sequencing, fine and gross motor skills, sensory and coordination skills, experiments, object handling and creative activities.
Onboard ‘Rivertime’ the fun learning continues – this element is school teacher led, with the crew assisting with their knowledge of the river.
Groups are required to bring packed lunches and will have time to eat before disembarking.
The unique experience enables both organisations to be fully inclusive of all physical and learning needs, learning by using the classroom, boat and the river environment as an out-of-school classroom.
We hope that the experience will be stimulating, confidence building and memorable for both children and teachers.
Health And Safety
Both the River and Rowing Museum Educational Department and the Rivertime Boat Trust take the safety and welfare of their visitors very seriously and have independently achieved the rigorous Council For Learning Outside the Classroom accreditation. All training and equipment is suitable for the relevant age groups and are tailored to the needs of each group.
All necessary health and safety policies and procedures, insurance requirements and risk assessments are in place and are regularly reviewed.
Children and staff are required to bring a picnic and must provide their own food and drinks.
All staff and volunteers undergo DBS checks and have the relevant qualifications and training.
Easy Access and Booking
For over 17 years, the award-winning Rivertime Boat Trust has provided valuable and enjoyable trips for thousands of SEND children from schools and organisations and their teachers, guardians and carers.
Boarding Rivertime is made possible and easy with our hydraulic lift suitable for wheelchair users and people with reduced mobility.
Our purpose-built boat operates on the River Thames on the beautiful stretches at Henley-on-Thames from April to October.
Organisations must provide their own transport, food and drinks.
Features Onboard Rivertime
- Hydraulic wheelchair lift – fully accessible for all passengers
- Accessible toilet area
- Large open saloon with sliding roof for sunny days
- Picnic table – children are invited to bring own picnics (or snacks and drinks – (Rivertime is unable to provide)
- Central heating
- Up to 12 passengers including teachers or carers
- Buoyancy aids or life jackets for all participants
- Fully qualified and trained skippers and crew (first aid trained/safeguarding/DBS checked)
Booking an 'All Aboard' Programme Session
We’ve made booking simple!
Teachers can contact the Rivertime booking team to make an enquiry or to find out about availability.
When completing a booking, the classroom and boat is reserved on our system and an email confirmation will be sent immediately, confirming the details and supplying important onboarding information.
In addition, both the River and Rowing Museum and Rivertime are required to gather information before the visit on group numbers, wheelchair users and we ask for any other information to help us prepare for visits.
We also ask for a media form to be filled out with permissions.
Both of these forms will be sent digitally and can be shared with colleagues.
Finally, after the trip, under our Terms for Grant Funded school visits, it is a requirement that we receive feedback from a teacher.
Getting to the River and Rowing Museum Car/Coach park
The Carpark is based in Henley-on-Thames, RG9 1BF.
Free parking is is available in the River and Rowing Museum car park suitable for mini buses and cars.
Getting to Bisham Abbey
Bisham Abbey is based at the National Sports Centre – SL7 1RR (just off the Bisham roundabout on the A404.
Free parking is is available in grounds suitable for mini buses and cars.
Please pass the Joining Instructions below to any drivers.
Make an Enquiry For Your Students Today!
Arrange to speak to one of experienced team members to discuss how we can arrange your visit