This year’s trip was, as always, memorable for many reasons. For those who went Monday – Wednesday in particular the epic downpours of rain will stick in the mind but we did not let that dampen our spirits one bit.
Accommodation came in the form of ‘The Stables’. This was different from previous years ; the rooms opened directly on to a central outside area with a field beyond. This gave a sense that it was very much ‘our space’ as, in previous years, we have shared indoor blocks with other schools. I think it’s fair to say that the children (and staff) loved it!
Any child with an older brother or sister probably knew roughly what to expect and the activities did not disappoint. PGL is all about challenging oneself and activities such as the zipwire, leap of faith (also known as trapeze) and giant swing tested our resolve. For some children, heights are not an issue but we were particularly impressed with those who faced their fear and overcame it. Other activities such as survival (woodscraft skills) were less adrenalin fuelled but challenged the children in other ways. In these, teamwork and negotiation was required to complete the tasks successfully. Great life lessons!
Simply being away from home is another kind of challenge for some children. Whilst some of our pupils would probably be happy to live at PGL for the entire term, others showed bravery of a different kind by being away from familiar surroundings for a couple of nights. Again, great life lessons learned in a safe, supportive environment.
Food is always high on the list of priorities for any school residential trip. Speaking personally, I always enjoy the catering at PGL. It has to cater for a wide variety of tastes and it is a tribute to the staff at PGL that there always seems to be something for everyone. The salad bar, in particular, was very popular.
As we headed home, I think it’s fair to say that we had a memorable, action packed (if rather damp!) trip. I hope all the children enjoyed it as much as I did.
Mr Breeze – Year 6.
