24/3/25

On Day 1, we arrived at Dearne Valley at approximately 1:30pm, full of excitement.

We were greeted by our instructors and were given a site tour.

Then, our dorms were assigned and we faced the first challenge of transporting our luggage up the pathway towards our building and making our beds; luckily, Mr Moss, Miss Lee and Mr James were on hand to help. Some of us learned a new skill by turning the bedding inside out! 

Shortly after, we participated in our first activity, archery. The standard was set high by Arlo, who got a bullseye in his first shot! Working carefully on our aim, we were all able to eventually hit the target board. Amber-May aided Freya with mastering holding the bow.

Our bellies were rumbling after an afternoon of travelling, unpacking and shooting arrows. For dinner, we were given the choice of vegetable chow mein, fish fingers and wedges, or chicken and tomato pasta.

In the evening, we collaborated to agree on and sign a group contract, with our rules, expectations and aspirations for the week.

Finally, the Y5s and Y6s battled it out in the Mini Olympics. Our favourite event was the 'sassy' race, which Takunda won in true diva style. Harper-May and Alice gave him good competition, but were out-sassed. Several races later, the Y6s were declared champions and won the privilege of lining up first for breakfast the following morning.

We headed back to our dorms and were in need of a good night's sleep, ready for a long day ahead in the morning. The Y5 boys played some dominoes to relax. Lights were out for 10pm.

25/3/25

On Day 2, we were up bright and early, eager to reach some of our aspirations that were set the night before. First and foremost, the teachers set us a competition to have the tidiest room, which provided some much needed motivation. Henry, Lucas and Athen were decided as the early frontrunners in the boys corridor.

We headed to the dining hall at 7:30am for a Full English Breakfast to give us the energy to tackle our first activity, Jacob's Ladder. 

As we took to the giant, wooden beams in pairs, teamwork and communication were essential from the rest of us when belaying. Lydia, Freddy and Mr James succeeded in making it to the top! The rest of us were resilient in making it as high as we could and providing moral support to our team. 

Secondly, we had to put our heads together to map read and locate the hidden cones in orienteering. Ollie lead his team to victory; we were very impressed by his leadership skills.

Lunch time! Some of us tried chilli con carne for the fist time and it was delicious!

Thirdly, we ventured in to the bushes for bushcraft, where we collaborated in our year group teams to build a Y frame shelter. The Y6s channelled their inner Bob the Builder and were able to successfully construct a canopy. They camouflaged their creation with leaves, which also helped to protect them from the rain. Meanwhile, Ava, Ebonie, Eile and Elissia were hard at work transporting the building materials for their Y5 teammates.  

To earn our dinner, we had to climb up the Vertical Play Pen in pairs for our fourth activity. Eagerly, we raced each other up the beams, ladder, net and tyres, until we reached the top. Lottie was the first to complete the course in record time! Miss Lee was very impressed with how high she managed to climb, thanks to her self-assurance. Lola confronted her fear of heights, inspiring us all for the rest of the trip.

Chicken katsu curry and macaroni cheese were on the menu for dinner. The Japanese dish proved to be a popular choice.

Lastly, we were split into small teams for Scrapheap Challenge, the final activity. Our mission was to protect a water balloon from bursting after being dropped from a set height, using recycled materials. To gain additional items, we had to tell our worst jokes. Why did the cow cross the road? To go to the MOOOOOVIES.

The day concluded with birthday celebrations for Athen and Isla. Thank you for the cake, guys!

26/3/25

On Day 3, we had another early start. Luckily, we were well rested and ready for the long day ahead. After breakfast, we began the day with a sword fight in the combat sport, fencing. Did you know, it was one of the first sports to be featured in the Olympic Games?

Afterwards, we headed to the climbing wall for our second activity. This provided the ideal opportunity to develop co-ordination, stamina and determination. The resilience the children demonstrated to make it to the top was incredible.

Our Spiderman impersonators were ready for some Italian dining. The spaghetti bolognese went down an absolute treat!

Next, we had to work together and use our initiative for Problem Solving. Communication was vital to solve the puzzles. It became apparent that cooperation, not confrontation, was the key to success. Sofia and Liam took leadership roles and were triumphant in directing their teammates.

3…2…1… Leap of Faith! Harvey was the first to take the leap and demonstrated the bravery that was needed to climb to the top and jump mid-air to reach the trapeze. Initially doubting his confidence, Quinn felt pride in his accomplishment. We were each other’s biggest cheerleaders as we watched admiringly from below; morale was high.

Our main meal of the day was an absolute classic - chicken curry. 

For the final activity of the day, our detective skills were put to the test as we faced a murder mystery. Four of the girls became the main suspects and were interrogated in order to find out who committed the crime. Watch this space, we definitely have some Oscar winning actresses in the making!

27/3/25

On day 4, the tiredness was really starting to kick in. Nevertheless, we powered through. After breakfast, the day began with aeroball. We were split into chambers and competed in pairs against each other to score baskets, with a twist... whilst jumping on a trampoline!

For our second activity, Nightline, we navigated our way through a series of obstacles and mazes as a group whilst blindfolded, relying heavily on the trust and the support of our teammates. 

Some of us were missing the home comforts at this point. Thankfully, we were served burger and chips for lunch, which reminded us what McDonald’s tasted like.

Following this, we were back in the harnesses again for High Ropes. This consisted of a giant obstacle course, suspended high above the ground. Eva and Rogan’s self-belief took them to the highest point: the seesaw!

We were pumped full of adrenaline for our next activity, Zipwire. In groups of four, we climbed up the wooden platform and gathered our confidence to step off the edge, zipping down the wire. It was an exhilarating ride for us all!

For dinner, we confronted one of the biggest challenges of the residential - the choice of lasagne or cottage pie, two British favourites.

To finish the day, we wrapped up warm and headed down to the campfire to reflect on our favourite moments and accomplishments from the residential. The happiness was contagious as we drank hot chocolate, played games and sang songs.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, we sing this song to pump us up. Wham, bam, choo choo train, come on (name) do your thing! I can't... Why not? I just can't!!! My back's too tight and the sun's too bright, but I can shake my hips to the left, to the right... to the left, to the right... to the left, right, left right!

28/3/25

Day 5 had arrived and we were feeling bittersweet; one last early start, two more activities to go and a journey home to see our loved ones. 

The penultimate challenge was abseiling. Nervously, we made our way to the top of the building in threes. When we were ready, we built up the courage to step back and abseil down the wall, working as a team to guide each other successfully to the bottom. Isla and Oliver were aspirational and tackled height activity 6/6.

To finish, our final test was Low Ropes. We completed the course in small groups, navigating a series of ropes, bridges and poles, whilst our teammates 'spotted' us to ensure our safety. 

Home time! After a tiring week, we made the journey back to Stonebroom. Vincent treated himself to a well-deserved nap for pushing himself beyond his comfort zone to complete every activity. 

We have had another wonderful day filled with challenges smashed and fun activities. All the children have been amazing, their team work and support of each other has been fabulous.