School bookings at Indirock

Did you know that Indirock offers instructor-led bouldering sessions for primary and secondary school pupils? Better still, if your school is based in the Southend City Council area, we may have funding to subsidise this for you!

Indirock is an indoor bouldering facility for all ages 6 and up, with a healthy cafe on site. This can be helpful if there are ever pupils who need to sit out for any reason, or if a teacher needs a safe and welcoming space to talk with a pupil.

We can host up to 30 pupils at a time, with a supervisor ratio of 1:6 (one adult to six pupils). Indirock provides one instructor per 15 pupils, which goes towards this ratio. Either teachers or parents/guardians can be included as supervisors.

Benefits of bouldering

Social benefits – Climbing is a non-competitive sport and climbing in a group brings a level of co-operation and mutual achievement not found in many other sports. This kind of co-operative activity has been found to improve and develop children’s communication, empathy, trust, and conflict resolution.[1]
Physiological benefits – Few can doubt the importance of physical activity for children, both for the health benefits it provides and for the development of motor skills (or physical literacy). The beauty of climbing is that it’s one of the few activities that can be considered a true full-body workout – from cardiovascular fitness, flexibility and dexterity to muscle strength and endurance.[2]
Cognitive benefits – Climbing is a physical activity but it’s a great mental workout too! At its core, rock-climbing is an exercise in problem solving.[3] Problem-solving skills help to improve a child’s confidence, creativity, independence, and critical thinking.[4] Beyond that, climbing has been found to bring a whole host of other cognitive benefits. These include improved brain function and memory, a reduction in stress, and even decreased symptoms of ADHD.[5]
Taking healthy risks & boosting independence – ‘Risk-taking play’ is an important part of childhood development.[6] As children develop their skills on the climbing wall, they also develop their ability to evaluate risks. For those already engaging in unhealthy risks in their lives, bouldering can be an excellent diversionary activity where they can take risks in a controlled and supportive environment.
Re-engaging with school – In a study of Indirock’s bouldering courses with local charity for neurodivergent young people, SEND the Right Message, 98% of children reported an improvement in positive engagement with their school after completing the course.[7]
Sport by stealth – The above benefits of bouldering for kids are what makes it so attractive to parents and teachers alike, but they’re not why kids keep coming back for more. Bouldering is fun and very sociable! And best of all it doesn’t feel like a sport, which is why it is such a helpful activity for children (and adults) who might have an allergic reaction to physical activity!

Financial support for your school

Indirock receives intermittent funding from Southend City Council to help subsidise the cost of schools attending. In 2022-23 this was focussed on primary schools, whereas in 2023-24 the focus is on secondary schools. This funding is finite, so it is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

How to book

If you’d like to book a one-off session or course with us, please email [email protected] or use the form below.

[1] What Is Cooperative Play? Definition, Examples, and Benefits (healthline.com)
[2] Why Rock Climbing and Bouldering May Be the Best Full-Body Workouts | Time
[3] Solving problems. Every rock climber is un-knowingly an… | by Marc Rollin | Medium
[4] Importance of Problem Solving Skills in your Child | (theearlychildhooduniversity.com)
[5] How Rock Climbing Does Your Mind — And Body — Good | HuffPost Australia Wellness (huffingtonpost.com.au)

[6] Raising resilient kids | Center for Children and Youth

[7] Benefits of bouldering for neurodivergent children | SEND the Right Message