Lower 6th Team Building

In order to welcome the Lower 6th Form back into school and to help them bond with new pupils, we had a morning session of team building challenges where the tutor groups rotated around the seven activities. It is amazing how hard it is for 13 pupils to lower a tent pole to the ground!

Clearly as the summer holidays are over and the school term has begun, it decided to be hot and sunny all day.

New Staff join the Department

WELCOME TO NEW STAFF

It is all change here in the Outdoor Education Department. Following the departure of Mr Brice and Mr Jackson, the following staff have joined the department. By appointing some part time staff, this now gives us a vast array of experience, qualifications and flexibility meaning we can offer even more to our students.

Mr G. Kelly

Mr G Kelly, a previous student of Plymouth College, is local and runs his own Outdoor Education company. He is working with us in a part time capacity. As a holder of the Mountaineering Instructor Award he will be a great asset to the climbing and mountaineering activities we do. He is also a qualified Sea Kayak Coach so will be out on the water aswell.

Miss C. Lindsey

Miss C Lyndsey comes to us straight from a BA (Hons) in Outdoor Adventure at Marjon University. She is already a qualified Paddlesport Coach and Indoor Climbing instructor and is working towards a clutch of other instructor qualifications. She will be working with both Boarding and Outdoor Education so will have a fulltime post at the school.

Mr M. Agnew

Mr M Agnew also has his own company and is working part time with us. He is both a White Water and Sea Kayak Coach as well as being a Climbing and Mountain Bike instructor. He will be working across a broad range of activities and also running some Kayak Coach courses for us.

Gold D of E Austria

Well done to the students who have just returned from Austria on their Gold D of E Expedition. A few steep hills were climbed and the weather gave us a mix of rain, sub zero temperatures and also plenty of heat during the day. The students carried their own equipment and were self sufficient for 4 days. After the expedition, they were treated to a cable car ride up to the Dachstein Galcier with lunch at the top station.

Silver D of E Expedition - Cycling

Over the last three days Alex, Elliot, Charles and David have taken part in a successful Silver D of E expedition. The group chose to use Bicycles as their mode of transport and Exmoor as their venue.
Their Expedition started in the West Somerset seaside town of Minehead.

Day 1 took them via Wootten Courtney, Dunkery Beacon and Stoke Pero before reaching their campsite in the the hamlet of Horner just outside Porlock. The day was quite an awakening for the boys as they climbed from sea level to 350m back down to almost sea level before clmbing back up to Somerset's highest point Dunkery Beacon which is just shy of 600m above sea level.

Day 2 and and early start took the boys back up over Dunkery Beacon to study some water features before descending into the pretty Exmoor village of Exford for more study and finishing at Westermill Farm campsite.

Day 3 took the boys up to Alderman's barrow and across the open moorland to county gate before following the dramatic coastline to Porlock Weir. After a short stop for some food the boys made their way to their finish at Bossington.

Overall a very successful expedition, Nick Owen their assessor was very pleased with their progress, teamwork and expeditioning skills.

Mr D Brice