Awarded – Most inspiring outdoor learning experience
Awarded – Most innovative team building company
Introduction
The Really Wild Academy™ is a division of the Really Wild Group of organisations that was founded in 2010. It serves the schools’ and wider education sector with a particular focus on the delivery of high impact school camps, activity days, expeditions and digital learning.
Really Wild Business supports leaders and their teams in organisations, and Really Wild Bushcraft serves families and individuals in the leisure sector.
Our results are frequently cited as life changing!
Our Vision
A society where all those we have influenced directly or otherwise enjoys a sense of increased security, personal success and tremendous wellbeing – positively impacting the world (nature and people) whilst sharing what they have learned with others.
Children who are stronger in character, capabilities, confidence, and wellbeing, supported by an improved sense of community and personal contribution.
Our approach applied to all manner of extra and co-curricular learning with close partnerships between teachers, pupils, and their families – whether we are involved or not.
Our Mission – Ignite, inspire, achieve!
To ignite a passion to succeed and positively contribute to the world.
To inspire action and the making of good choices.
To equip and enable success and the achievement of life changing results.
To continually evolve, share and make our approach more accessible to all.
To promote goals 3 and 4 of the United Nations sustainable goals – Good Health and Wellbeing and Quality Education, seen in our work with students at home and abroad.
To apply our thinking whenever we can to positively influence others.
To cultivate fun and respect in everything we do.
What We Are Famous For
Outdoor learning programmes that positively change peoples’ lives. Facilitated by:
The best in bushcraft, outdoor learning and wellbeing
World-class and dedicated team members – focused on pupil development and wellbeing
A proven methodology for success – featured now in five bestselling books
Our ability to inspire and support in-person and online – on school grounds, and our locations from the Arctic to the jungle.
Schools choose Really Wild school camps and activity days for a number of reasons. These include the following:
Launching or celebrating the end of school terms
Fun, adventure, personal challenge, rites of passage, celebration and year group bonding
Bushcraft experiences
Connecting with nature
Developing class topics outdoors
Supporting key transition years’ e.g. prep-lower-upper school transition, year 6/7 etc.
Developing practical skills such as nutritious cooking, organisation, and problem solving
Developing pupil behaviours such as good habits, teamwork, leadership and communication skills
Enrichment week
Links with the curriculum – STEM and the arts
Enhancing DofE and CCF programmes
SEN and G&T
Outdoor Learning with a Difference – For Primary and Secondary Years
Ignite, inspire, achieve!
There is nothing we like more than working with maverick headteacher or passionate member of staff who wants to do things differently.
We have served schools for over 10 years in classrooms, on school fields, within our own beautiful woodlands and in the Arctic, jungles and mountains of the world. Outcomes for pupils and teachers have frequently been life-changing, developing character, capabilities, confidence and wellbeing in an exciting and memorable way.
We achieve this through the Really Wild Academy which offers a progression of learning and personal development at every key stage and year of a pupil’s school life.
Outcomes for pupils can be extraordinary whether they attend a one off event such as a bushcraft camp, activity day, guest lecture, workshop, or expedition; or attend a Really Wild Academy developed especially for your school that offers progression throughout multiple terms or year groups.
Our approach is underpinned by our proven methodology for success and wellbeing called the Really Wild Method® which has now featured in 5 bestselling books. It successfully serves to “ignite” a student’s desire and passion to succeed, “inspire” the right actions, and equip and enable them to “achieve” through the development of various techniques, attitudes and behaviours. All the while of course, students enjoy the adventures and freedom of being outdoors whilst learning best-in-practice bushcraft and survival skills, and developing valuable life lessons and other skills too.
Whether your engagement with us is just for fun or to work on key behaviours, challenges or values, we have a solution to suit. If you have a particular class topic you would like to bring alive, we can do that as well!
Please scroll down to find out more or click on the image to download a copy of our main schools brochure.
What People Say
“A life changing experience! I was challenged to step out of my comfort zone and into an experience that I believe will make an amazing mark on my life forever.” Amanda – Secondary School Student
Life Changing!
“An awesome team of talent, expertise and inspiration! These guys helped me survive, literally!
As one of the camera embeds on Bear Grylls’ Celebrity Island I needed skills. Really Wild delivered with extra! They are fantastic with adults, amazing with children and full of the most powerful wilderness skills and life lessons too. These guys are the real deal. Highly recommended!”Lily Murray, Producer Director – Bear Grylls’ Celebrity Island and Survival School
What Teachers Say
Builds pupil confidence
Greatly aids transition between years/key stages and schools
Enhances student motivation
Improves academic performance
Allows those less well adapted to the school environment to thrive e.g. SEN, EAL
Instills helpfulness and develops teamwork
Develops respect
Improves personal discipline
Develops leadership skills
A joy to work with
“Simply brilliant! Our students loved the practical, survival-based activities, and genuinely benefitted from the lessons on teamwork, resilience, determination and self-belief. Steve and his team were consummate professionals who inspired each and every one of our boarders and left them wanting more. ” Gerry Young, Deputy Head (Boarding) St. Leonards, Fife
“Really Wild have worked with Dulwich for a number of years and have provided school camps and activity days for multiple year groups for both The College and our Junior Schools. Events have always been professionally delivered with activities uniquely and effectively linked to personal development outcomes, the curriculum and class topics. Feedback from students and teachers has been excellent. Highly recommended.” Simon Croucher, Assistant Head Co-Curricular, Head of Outings and Expeditions – Dulwich College
“The Really Wild team certainly delivered! Our students grew as individuals and as a group. They learnt how to use primitive weapons, to make fires and natural shelters (which they used), how to responsibly work with knives, how to navigate and how to administer first aid in the field as well, all in the winter months too. Lessons were well planned and extremely engaging. The team’s professionalism and positive attitude throughout ensured a great experience for all. Highly recommended!”
Ollie Nicholls Outdoor Learning – Ravens Wood Secondary School
Children from all years at Springfield (Reception to Year 2) have been lucky enough to experience bush craft sessions with the Really Wild team. The children love the excitement of being outside searching for signs of animals and their tracks, clues to what they eat as well as identifying plants. The great thing about the sessions is the fact that staff and children work together and the thrill of making and cooking their own bread and tea is not only educational but gives all children the confidence and self esteem to achieve.
Becky Wycherley – Head Teacher, Springfield Infant School
“Having Really Wild work with us year after year is a highlight in our school’s calendar and gives both children and staff in our school a wonderful experience that is not forgotten. They bring our topics to life and cater for all types of learners. As a teacher, it’s great to see how the children interact and really shine – often those children that you wouldn’t necessarily expect to, which makes the whole experience even more special.”
Joe Harvey – Year Head at West Park School
I was fortunate enough to attend an excellent Arctic Survival school trip to Finland with Really Wild. It was brilliantly organised and one of the most memorable and enjoyable school trips I have been on. A very likeable and knowledgeable team. They encourage all students to take part in activities and are experts in their field. I cannot recommend them highly enough. From a very happy teacher.Ghazala Willoughby – International School of Cologne
“Thank you for such a brilliant and fantastic time!! All the children were full of such excitement, saying it was the best trip they’d ever been on. All the adults were very complimentary too…and wanted to stay even longer”
Alison
Teacher – Woodchester Primary School
What Students Say
Awesome
Life changing
Wild
Fun
“Informative, fun sessions with teachers you know live and breathe what they’re teaching 🙂 We spent a few days at a camp with Really Wild doing some awesome sessions – Foraging, fire craft, intermediate knife skills. The whole team were passionate, enthusiastic, knowledgeable and fantastically good with kids! We thoroughly enjoyed our time with Really Wild and look forward to more sessions in the future. These guys and gals know their stuff! And know how to make it accessible to young and old. Highly recommended!” Vanessa E.
“The team’s dedication and attitude towards life is highly infectious. One can’t help but feel empowered with a greater understanding of life!”Overseas Student – Career and Personal Development Course (Internship in Brighton)
“Excellent workshops! I felt challenged and discovered so many outstanding qualities about myself. Keep up the good work! Thank you!”Amanda Olsen – International Student
Amazing guides and teachers who gave me three of the most amazing weeks of my life, teaching me resilience and independence and helping me overcome many of my fears. Anyone considering one of their trips, I seriously recommend going. Oliver Kirkland – Secondary School Student
Experience the following…
Get outdoors to enjoy and learn about nature
Try out and learn superb bushcraft and survival skills
Develop really useful life skills
Bond and work as a team
Experience the curriculum brought alive outdoors – class topics and key curriculum subjects across all key stages
Improve physical and mental wellbeing
Build resilience
Better manage change and uncertainty
Learn to create and make the most of new opportunities
Develop new friendships and communication skills
Develop as a leader
Improve personal discipline and organisation
Flourish as an SEN or G&T student
Enhance and build upon DofE and CCF programmes
Address or establish key behaviours and values for the school or cohort
Really Wild offers half day and full day courses ideally suited to the needs of each cohort. These can be delivered on school grounds, in nearby parks or in our wonderful woodlands. These are always fun, educational and a great way to learn bushcraft skills and to celebrate the great outdoors. Grounded in bushcraft and adventure, and through use of the Really Wild Method®, they can also be tailored to support specific cohort requirements in terms of personal development and bringing class topics alive through key stages 2 & 3, 4 and 5
Example Activities
Bushcraft and survival skills – e.g. fire, shelter, wild foods, navigation, spear throwing, cordage making, knots and tarps, cooking etc.
Trust and communication exercises
Team activities and challenges – leadership, teamwork and problem solving
Alignment with class topics e.g. pyramid design, Arctic survival, ecology of forests etc.
Personal development discussions or talks around the fire
Example Class Topics
Nature and conservation
The Egyptians
Stone-age/Pre-history
Polar/Great explorers
Aztecs
Rainforest
Diwali and festivals
Changing school
Example Learning Outcomes
Bushcraft and other skills learned and practiced
Greater confidence e.g. to thrive in key transition years
Leadership, teamwork, communication, problem solving skills practiced
Class topics understood and enjoyed
Enhanced resilience and wellbeing
Knowledge and appreciation of the natural world developed
Bushcraft Camps
BondingCertificates of achievementCooking & serving othersCamp fire camaraderieCooking in teamsWild adventuresJoint projectsTeam challengesExcitementPersonal Development WorkshopsFreedomCelebration
Duration: One to four nights
Hosted near you, on school grounds or on our beautiful and well-equipped site at Wowo, Really Wild school camps are a fantastic opportunity for students to be inspired, to develop valuable age-appropriate life and academic skills and to experience how to really survive and thrive in the Wild – one of the most exciting and inspirational environments possible!
School camps can stand alone or be part of a larger programme of progressive learning that builds year on year as each pupil progresses through the school. They are equally applicable to primary, secondary and further education years.
If you can learn how to survive and thrive in the wild, then you can certainly learn to do so at school, at home and at work! The use of nature inspires learning in the most powerful of ways and serves to underpin almost any value, behaviour or lesson a school might wish to teach, academic or otherwise.
Steven Shove – Founder
Each camp is tailored to the specific requirements of any group and is delivered in a manner that best supports the particular values and ethos of your school. Activities tie into the curriculum and can be used to develop any class theme or topic you may wish to explore. Each activity is also designed to raise important life lessons and to aid each pupil’s personal development and growth as well. They can be delivered on your school grounds or at one of our own amazing locations.
School camps and day events are ideal for:
Year group events – especially valuable for key transition years
Enrichment days
Subject-related field trips or on-site learning (e.g. pre-history, geography, maths, science, PSHRE and history)
Enhancing the DofE award scheme
Welcoming events and induction of new cohorts to the school
SEN development
A support to school open days and other promotional events
In partnership with the school’s own teaching staff, we seek to inspire and equip each student to be the very best they can be. The result is better motivated and more engaged pupils back at school and at home.
Example Activities
Identification of UK fauna and flora including foods medicines and poisons!
Fire craft – safety, ignition, uses, fire lays
Backwoods cooking and wild medicines
Use and evaluation of primitive technologies
Animal signs and behaviours, stalking and tracking
Use of woodland tools
Search and rescue exercises
Foraging for and the preparation of wild foods, nutrition and diet
Rope craft, use of man-made shelters and tarpology
Shelter building, camp craft and water purification
Effective communication, leadership, teamwork
Successful society and human development
Team building and leadership challenges
Night games, wide games, sports and Really Wild Olympics
Journalling
Learning Outcomes
Outdoor skills, understanding and appreciation of the natural environment.
Personal development: attitude, confidence, resilience, self-reliance, self-discipline, empathy, teamwork, leadership, community, cognitive development and problem solving- using our methodology for success.
Principles taught help young people in their preparation for school life and/or their transition between schools, to college, university or work.
All learning outcomes and personal development objectives are agreed with teaching staff beforehand and written into our team’s lesson plans to ensure everything we deliver is appropriate, completely relevant and has the most positive impact on the students we teach.
Survival School
Fire craftWild NavigationNight skillsWinter shelterYear roundWild shelter
Duration: 2 Days – 1 Night
The Really Wild Survival School is the pinnacle of outdoor learning. Students learn the skills needed to survive and thrive outdoors in spring summer, autumn and winter, with winter being our most popular season for learning.
As the student’s progress through our 4 different courses; introductory, intermediate, advanced and graduate levels, students have the opportunity to demonstrate a progression of learning and personal development that is second to none. The courses are also a tremendous addition to a DofE programme making young people better and safer outdoors in every respect.
Survival School plugs perfectly into our expeditions programme where the students can test their skills and build on them anywhere in the world! This foundation of exceptional learning is the backbone to what we do and will support any person into becoming a responsible and effective practitioner in whatever field they choose to enter.
Example course outline
Students develop their bush craft and survival skills to an extremely high standard. On completion of these courses, students will be equipped with the knowledge, attitude and skills necessary to survive and thrive in even the most challenging of situations and environments. This applies equally to the outdoors as it does to other aspects of the students’ lives. Students can also certify in being able to independently use a knife, saw and an axe, further adding to their personal development and skill.
Each successive course builds on existing skills and develops new ones too.
Example activities
Survival priorities and attitude
Fire craft – safety, ignition, uses and a range of different fire lays
Knife craft, safety, the law, carving and the use of other woodland tools
Stalking and tracking, primitive technologies and tool design, use and evaluation of primitive weapons and tools
Search and rescue, first aid, managing emergencies and trail blazing
Foraging for and the preparation of wild foods and wild medicines
Nutrition and diet, meal planning and backwoods cooking
Wild navigation, compass and map use
Rope craft, knots and tarpology
Morse code and night navigation
Shelter – natural and man made using multiple techniques
Camp craft – safety, organisation and wood craft skills
Sourcing water, filtration, purification and management
Expedition planning, preparation and safety
Effective communication, leadership, teamwork and lessons on successful society and human development.
Learning Outcomes
KS3 and 4 and 5 Science
KS3 and 4 and 5 Geography
KS3 and 4 and 5 PE
KS3 and 4 and 5 Design Technology
KS3 and 4 Maths
KS3 PSHRE
Environmental studies and woodland management
British Natural history and Evolution
KS2 Pre-History
Expeditions
Arctic Winter
Really Wild teaches bushcraft and survival skills around the UK and abroad, each led by our experienced and highly qualified team of professionals. Our trips and expeditions program represents either a stand-alone option for adventure and personal development, or a continuation of learning to follow on from our regular bushcraft and survival skills courses here in the UK. Some include valuable elements of service and fund raising activities and the opportunity to work alongside local peoples from different cultures.
Upcoming Expeditions For 2024/25:
Arctic Winter Skills
Activities are led by the directors of Really Wild and our senior team, sometimes in partnership with our approved and accredited AALA licensed partners.
Check out our brochures link at the bottom of this page to find out more.
Sailing Yacht Experience
Enjoy a few hours aboard the Really Wild sailing yacht, Magler at Brighton Marina. Whilst onboard students will be able to enjoy the following:
Chilling and chatting onboard whilst moored at a private slip within the marina
Exciting stories about sailing and adventure to inspire confidence and determination
Having a go at yacht maintenance – rigging, sails, engine, deck and interior
Learning about emergencies at sea and how to deal with them
Learning knots and/or basic navigation skills
Cooking or enjoying a simple meal onboard
Tour of the marina and marina wall
Learning and personal development outcomes will be tailored to each student group. This experience is ideal for SEMH pupils who may prefer an individual or small group environment with their teachers or carers.
Online skills and personal development resource for pupils, teachers and parents – for use as a stand alone service or an accompaniment to our school camps, activity days and trips:
Really Wild Kids: Primary Years/Lower School
A wonderful adventure-story and activity-based learning resource that links to class topics and offers a host of engaging challenges and skills-development resources each designed to enhance the character, capabilities, confidence and wellbeing of each pupil. A superb way to foster partnerships between families, pupils and teachers, developing life skills, resilience and a thirst for life.
Really Wild Success: Secondary Years/Upper School
A unique and inspiring set of resources using videos of survival situations, expeditions and interviews with great explorers to equip and enable each student in their quest to thrive in life.
School Brochures
Click on the image below to access our main school brochure and pamphlets for each of our camps and expeditions.
More Reviews
Having Really Wild work with us year after year is a highlight in our school's calendar and gives both children and staff in our school a wonderful experience that is not forgotten. They bring our topics to life and cater for all types of learners. As a teacher, it's great to see how the children interact and really shine - often those children that you wouldn't necessarily expect to, which makes the whole experience even more special.
read moreread less
Joe Harvey
Head of Year, West Park School
3/20/2019
I was fortunate enough to attend an excellent Arctic Survival school trip to Finland with Really Wild. It was brilliantly organised and one of the most memorable and enjoyable school trips I have been on. Matt and Steve are a very likeable and knowledgeable team. They encourage all students to take part in activities and are experts in their field. I cannot recommend them highly enough. From a very happy teacher.
read moreread less
Ghazala Willoughby
International School of Cologne
10/19/2018
Thank you for such a brilliant and fantastic time!! All the children were full of such excitement, saying it was the best trip they'd ever been on. All the adults were very complimentary too...and wanted to stay even longer
read moreread less
Alison
Teacher, Woodchester School
6/21/2017
An awesome team of talent, expertise and inspiration! These guys helped me survive, literally. As one of the camera embeds on Bear Grylls' Celebrity Island I needed skills. Really Wild delivered with extra! They are fantastic with adults, amazing with children and full of the most powerful wilderness skills and life lessons too. These guys are the real deal. Highly recommended!
read moreread less
Lily Murray
Producer Director, Bear Grylls Celebrity The island an Survival School
1/06/2019
Matt and Steve were both amazing guides and teachers who gave me three of the most amazing weeks of my life, teaching me resilience and independance and helping me overcome many of my fears. anyone considering one of their trips i seriously recommend going.
read moreread less
Oliver Kirkland
12/10/2018
Children from all years at Springfield (Reception to Year 2) have been lucky enough to experience bush craft sessions with the Really Wild team. The children love the excitement of being outside searching for signs of animals and their tracks, clues to what they eat as well as identifying plants. The great thing about the sessions is the fact that staff and children work together and the thrill of making and cooking their own bread and tea is not only educational but gives all children the confidence and self esteem to achieve.
