GRANGE SCHOOL
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Bushcraft This year we embarked on a new ‘adventure’ by organising the Year 7 residential trip to the woods with Bushcraft. The woods are a great place to start your adventures with the Bushcraft Company. Living in the wild, sleeping under canvas and cooking over open fires, this residential school trip took our students on an unforgettable journey of self-discovery. The woods residential included a wide range of activities, designed to enhance social and personal development, whilst having fun and learning new skills. From bushcraft, shelter-building and wilderness cookery, to archery, orienteering and roped tree-climbing, no two days were ever the same. Progress Leader and Bushcraft Tribe Leader, Mr Talbot picks up the story.
The Year 7 Bushcraft trip was a resounding success - despite our emergency evacuation on the Monday evening as the remnants of Hurricane Gonzalo threatened to flatten our tents! Hasty arrangements were made to get our students back out to camp on the Wednesday, with parents, staff and the Bushcraft company rallying round to ensure Year 7 did not miss out.
And what an experience they all enjoyed! The students literally threw themselves into all activities (as their muddy clothes so clearly evidenced!), as their tribe leaders led them through bushcraft skills such as, archery, knife craft, shelter building, first aid, fire building and map reading, to games including ‘Chicken in a Hen House’, ‘Splat’ and the mighty ‘Predator’. Tents were surprisingly comfortable and cosy and the food was five star (not sure about the fish eyes though!). Best of all was the spirit and attitude of our Year 7s, who were truly a credit to their families and the year team is a much stronger unit for the experience. Progress Tutor, Miss Simms seemed a little cautious as she explains... As I stepped off the coach wearing gleaming (and presumably unused) wellies, Miss Rowe observed that we were not exactly the most ‘outdoorsy’ of people. And she was right. The experience of trying to sleep with only a tent to protect me from the elements is one that I had only encountered once before in sweltering August. So the idea of repeating this experience towards the end of cold October had me shivering before I’d even got there. However, when the students piled excitedly into their roomy tents and spread out their multi-coloured roll mats and sleeping bags, the place soon began to feel much more homely and cosy.. So much so that I almost wanted to clamber in with them all! Almost!
The Monthly Newsletter for Parents and Carers from the Head of School, Mr B. Carney.