Welcome to Wardle Scout Group!
Our Beaver Scouts section is a fun, engaging, and in-demand part of our Scouting community. To maintain a high-quality experience for every young person, we operate a waiting list when places are limited.
This policy explains how we manage that list fairly and how decisions are made about who can join and when.
🧒 Who Can Join?
We welcome new Beavers from age 6. We don’t take young people into beavers until they are 6 as experience shows they are less likely to remain with the group long-term. Starting at 6 gives each child the best opportunity to enjoy their full Beaver journey and work toward their Chief Scout’s Bronze Award before moving on to Cubs.
⚖️ How We Prioritise Places
To create a balanced and sustainable Beaver colony, we consider the following:
✅ Age Balance
We aim for a 50/50 split of 6- and 7-year-olds. This supports even progression into Cubs and Scouts.
➡️ We do not accept more than 50% of new joiners from one age group at any time.
✅ Progression and Awards
We want all 6-year-olds to have a realistic chance to complete their Chief Scout’s Bronze Award before they move up. A balanced age range and adequate time in the section are key to this.
✅ Capacity
We limit each Beaver colony to 16 members.
This protects the experience for all young people and ensures the Cubs section (capped at 20) remains balanced as Beavers move up.
✅ Leader Availability
The number and experience of adult volunteers impacts how many Beavers we can welcome. We also consider any additional support needs of existing members when making intake decisions.
🎯 Waiting List Priorities
If space becomes available, we offer places in this order:
- Young people progressing to beavers from Wardle squirrel drey
- Children of active adult volunteers in the group
- Siblings of young people already in Beavers, Cubs, or Scouts
- Children living locally (closest to the meeting location)
- Date of joining the waiting list (when all other factors are equal)
📬 How to Join the Waiting List
To register your child’s interest:
➡️ https://www.wardlescouts.org.uk/contact/joining-enquiry/
You will receive confirmation that they’ve been added.
Please note: being on the waiting list does not guarantee a place.
🔄 Ongoing Review
We review our waiting list regularly. If your child has not been offered a place within 12 months, we’ll contact you to check whether you’d like to remain on the list.
