Last week Year 5 were fully immersed into an adventurous 3 days of the ultimate test of their Pennthorpe Values at High Ashurst.
After arriving and having a picnic lunch in glorious sunshine the children were faced with their first challenge the climbing wall where ‘Ambition’ was the order of the day. The children set themselves various height targets to reach and with ‘Kindness’ in plentiful supply, the children encouraged each other on to stretch themselves out of their comfort zones to reach and go beyond their intended target . Every pupil achieved success pushing themselves to go that little bit further. Mr Mac, Mr Barnett and Mrs Evans were very proud of them all.
The children were treated to excellent food throughout their 3 day stay and after an amazing dinner the children set off for a night walk to explore the High Ashurst grounds and old house cellars. ‘Respect’ and good ‘communication’ meant all the children were able to support each other to navigate the route in virtual darkness.
The next day, Orienteering and Archery were the morning activities with the children displaying excellent ‘Leadership’ and ‘Communication’ skills to find and solve codes and clues on the orienteering course and once again they displayed ‘Ambition’ as they tested out their inner ‘Robin Hood’ – attempting to go for a ‘golden shot’ or take a trip to Hawaii or make an ‘unburnt’ pizza. Your children will explain all!!
The afternoon was spent problem solving in teams on the High Ashurst Challenge course – with each group navigating their way across balance beams, step ladders, across ‘molten lava floors’ and swinging across the ‘high seas’ to ensure all team members moved successfully from point A to B. There was even a little ‘human battle ships’ thrown in to test once again ‘Communication and ‘Collaboration’ as pupils were directed across a floor co-ordinates grid.
A talent show and movie night followed with everyone participating as either act, audience or judge and after a whole day outdoors it was all quiet in the Pennthorpe lodge by 10.30pm!
The final day was a real test of ‘resilience’ as the children faced ‘The Gladiator Wall’, broke the crate stacking record and literally took ‘A Leap of Faith’, climbing over 25 feet in the air and jumping off a small platform to reach out and grab a trapeze bar set 2m away.
The children were amazing throughout and impressed the High Ashurst staff with their humour, support for each other, patience and fantastic manners.
Mr Mac, Mr Barnett and Mrs Evans all agreed it was a real pleasure and privilege to take Year 5 away on this trip.
