[Gee_dude]

What do u guys think about me trying to get a bouldering wall @ my school, i haven't put it to my teachers yet but i just wanted to know if u thought it was a good idea or not?!

[Bubba]

It'll depend on:

- how much demand would there be
- how much would it cost to build
- does the school have space
- liability issues
- etc

But it can't hurt to ask them.....

[Gee_dude]

We were thinking that we could sort of form a club, with the supervision of a teacher that is really into climbing.

still we will give it a try, i was just wondering if there was anywhere that this has been done before?

[Mr K]

I am a teacher and I would love to do this at my school - however there are a number of health and safety documents that need to be considered. You just can't do this sort of thing anymore without filling in forms, having legal advise, architectural surveys, etc, etc... :shock:

I'm hoping to set up a club next year and there are future plans to build a wall but in partnership with the local council run sports centre so they can absorb some of the cost and responsibility - responsibility is the catch you see, there maybe a keen climbing teacher but are they willing to take respoinsibility for something they could possibly lose their job over and they don't get paid for the extra risk!!

Don't want to sound all doom and gloom but this is why outdoor education is slipping in most schools. One restiction I find hard to cope with is a bouldering hieght limit 1.5m for the feet - how many boulders do you know that are any good under 1.5m? :?: If you ignore the rules you pay with your life :twisted:

[AndyR]

I am a teacher and I would love to do this at my school - however there are a number of health and safety documents that need to be considered. You just can't do this sort of thing anymore without filling in forms, having legal advise, architectural surveys, etc, etc... :shock:

My brother has just managed to get an outside boulder built at his sons school nr Ashbourne - it's surrounded by a wood chipping landing, has two top roping points if needed and is prob about 15 ft high at the highest point - cost approx £20K to get it built.

[Gee_dude]

Shit i didn't think that it would cost that much, but can u tell me a bit more about how he got it etc.

Its all sort of a dream really, in a perfect world we would get a bouldering wall in our gym and our climbing mad teacher would help us start up a bouldering club! *wakes up*  :x

[dave]

£20k??? :shock:  what was it built from, mahogany with platinum bolt-ons?

[Bubba]

I think the Heeley Boulder was even more than that. Not cheap.

But...you don't need a full on wall to start with, if at all. If there's an empty room somewhere in the school, you could build an awesome woodie for a fraction of the cost.

[AndyR]

£20k??? :shock:  what was it built from, mahogany with platinum bolt-ons?

I actually thought that was pretty reasonable - design boulder, prepare ground, build frame, chicken-mesh the whole thing, spray concrete, shape holds, do respray etc etc - there's quite a lot of work involved.

Woodies and ply-wood based structures are a lot cheaper, but they're not much good for school kids.......

[samJ]

Friend of mine just informed me his school has set up a climbing wall on three walls of an old squash court (at least I think he said squash court :? ) I gather they have some form of outdoor activity vibe going there though.

School: Laurence Jackson, Guisborough, Cleveland

[a dense loner]

good point that man. some of these rising stars have bigger knuckles than a gorilla n won't be enjoying climbing for too long.