Residentials
A world beyond the classroom…
Off-site activity is not only about what is learnt, but importantly about how and where learning takes place. Children make sense of the world around them, and make links between feelings and learning. They transfer learning experienced outside back to the classroom.
In Key Stage 2 children are taken on residential trips. These often prove to be the most memorable of learning experiences, staying with children in the long term, affecting behaviour and influencing values.
Developing skills
We aim to support children to develop a range of skills and attributes to give them the ability to integrate socially. These include:
- developing leadership skills
- self reliance
- a sense of responsibility
- initiative
- resourcefulness
- Increasing their self-confidence
- dignity
- feelings of self-worth
- learning to work purposefully in a team with unselfishness and good fellowship
- gain the necessary insight, skills and knowledge to pursue outdoor education in adult life helping them to meet challenges that are beyond their normal experiences
- develop mentally, spiritually and physically, appreciating all that community life within the town and countryside can offer
Team building and risk awareness
These trips provide opportunities for team building as well as outdoor and adventurous activities, and they are tremendously popular with the children. They can only go ahead with the goodwill of the teaching and support staff in organising and running the visits, and the support of the parents who go away with the children too.
It is also important for pupils to become involved in practical risk assessment and decision-making to help them become risk-aware, rather than risk-averse.
The current pattern for residential trips is:
Year 4 – one night away
Year 5 – one night away
Year 6 – two nights away
