Our Year 5 and Year 6 pupils have returned from a residential trip to Skern Lodge, the first in two years due to the pandemic, and what an amazing trip it was! The adventures lived up to the very high expectations of the girls and they returned full of stories and memories to share with us and their parents. Skern Lodge Activity Centre is a stunningly beautiful destination located in North Devon where our Year 5 and 6 pupils immerse themselves in outdoor living, challenges and fun. Our girls, along with their teachers, undertook a great number of activities; coastal walking, kayaking, zip line, high ropes, fishing, crabbing and archery. They also learned how to light a fire and set up a tent.
Here at Redmaids' High Junior School, we know that residential trips are much more than a fun break from the classroom. They provide a unique opportunity for children to learn more about themselves, to learn in a different environment and gain independence. These experiences move pupils out of their comfort zones and boost self-confidence. Mr Hayward, teacher and the trip leader said, “I believe that schools need to acknowledge the importance of outdoor education and include it in their curriculum more than ever before. When outdoors, the girls have the opportunity to see a different side of themselves and develop their problem-solving skills" .
He added, "For most of our Year 5s it was the first time staying away from home whilst at the same time, it was a unique opportunity for our Year 6s to build further bonds before moving up to Year 7."
We know that school trips add significantly to the overall development of a child and bring out qualities like leadership, resourcefulness, responsibility, trust, and empathy. They learn first hand from nature, heritage, and science. School trips that involve adventure activities and sports can spark an interest in a new hobby that our children have not tried before. These fun activities are chosen with specific goals in mind- whether to build confidence in children who are more hesitant inside the classroom or to encourage pupils to work together on something they all enjoy doing. Amber (Year 6) said, "I was nervous at first, but I started enjoying myself after a while. My favourite activity was the zip line.” At the same time, her friend Charlotte (Year 6) commented, "I was very excited for this trip, and it was really fun the whole time. I loved the kayaking!"
Mencia (Year 5) said, "What I liked the most was being with my friends and having this experience. I enjoyed fishing and crabbing!" and Lauren (Year 5) added, "I felt nervous at the beginning, of what it was going to be. When I got there, the staff were so nice and friendly that I felt immediately well. My favourite activities were archery, and crabbing!".
Perhaps the most important thing to say is that when our pupils arrived back on the Friday, they were buzzing with many stories to share and an infectious excitement that made those who had remained home, want to go next year. The memories will be cherished and the experience will enrich their onward journey.
We can't wait until next year!