Adventure, fun and a starry, starry night for Northbourne Park School pupils

In May and June this year, over 80 Senior and Intermediate pupils from Northbourne Park School enjoyed two exciting overnight leadership camps in the school woodland.

Throughout the year, the pupils work together in small teams designing and building their own survival shelters from the woodland around them. This gives the children a wonderful opportunity to have fun, learn new skills and test their shelters by sleeping out in the summer term.

Pupils also had the opportunity to demonstrate what they learn in their Saturday Leadership lessons by lighting their campfires, along with preparing and cooking dinner and a hearty breakfast.

Each year we are helped significantly by our fantastic senior ‘Leaders’, who help run activities and have the opportunity to lead a team. It is lovely to see our ‘Leaders’ put our Leadership programme into practice and have the opportunity to lead our younger pupils.

Head of Outdoor Education Priscilla Smith said: “Northbourne Park’s 100 acres of parkland and woods provides the perfect environment in which to bring learning to life. Here we ensure that every child is able to learn, explore and experience the great outdoors. Regular visits to the Leadership Village instil a lifelong affinity with nature. The confidence and independence of our boys and girls is testimony to our educational philosophy.

"If you could distil the essence of childhood into a single activity, it would probably be den building. One of the most popular activities at Northbourne Park School and for the children probably one of the most exciting nights of their childhood and gives them great memories to remember forever.”

Both camps concluded on the Sunday morning with the school Chaplain holding a Sylvan Service of communion for all the children and their families.