A suggestion as to how Key Stage 2 to 4 pupils can spend a day at Quex Activity Centre in Kent.
Itinerary: Activity Day
Provider: Quex Activity Centre, Birchington, Kent
Subjects: PE & History
Key Stage: 2 to 4
Quex Activity Centre is part of the Quex Park complex situated in a 250-acre estate in east Kent. The area is an oasis of parkland and trees that provides an ideal setting for the Quex Activity Centre, which offers varying games and multiple scenarios that can be tailored to suit different Key Stages and requirements.
They include archery, crawling through trenches in the D Day landings arena, storming the castle in the forest or capturing the flag in the speed ball arena. New for 2016 was adventure golf and a scaled down version of the centre’s adult paintballing experience, which is suitable for pupils aged eight and over.
A visit to the multi-activity centre can be combined with one or more of the other on-site attractions which include the Powell-Cotton Museum which was established in 1896 by Major Percy Powell-Cotton to house natural history museum specimens and cultural objects collected on expeditions to Asia and Africa.
Pictured: Playing Golf at Quex.
10am: On arrival school groups are met by the friendly instructors and provided with a safety briefing and overview of the day and practical matters such as the location of toilets and the placing of lunch orders, which include a selection of hot and cold food.
The pupils are divided into teams, with numbers depending on the size of the group. The day consists of the chosen activities and teams will be scored on teamwork, the number of skill points achieved and communication skills. At the end of the day the winning team will be announced.
10:30am: Groups move off to take part in the first activity and these are rotated throughout the day. A typical example is outlined below.
11am: The first group will walk to the new adventure golf course for a 90-minute mini golf game and fellow pupils head off for other activities. The exciting 18-hole course is set in an interesting landscaped area made up of ponds, streams, bridges and waterfalls, with miniature replicas of the iconic features of Quex Park including the gun tower, Waterloo tower and Victorian steps.
The instructor splits the team into smaller groups of four, explains the course rules, hands out golf clubs and balls and pupils tee off. The session is an enjoyable way for pupils to interact with each other and the game encourages team work and inter-social skills between pupils.
Pictured: Gearing up for laser tag.
12:30pm: All groups meet for lunch and a break of 30 to 45 minutes.
1:15pm: Groups rotate and the first group will try their hand at archery. The range has targets set at varying distances for different ages and abilities, as well as engaging games. The 60-minute session is ideal for increasing focus, flexibility and attention skills.
Combining both mental and physical attributes, it teaches pupils to be safe and responsible towards each other and how to handle equipment correctly.
2:30pm: The first group moves on to take part in Minefield, a fun communication skills game where pupils are blindfolded and have to cross a ‘minefield’ whilst listening to directional instructions from other pupils.
They need to listen carefully as one wrong step could land them on one of the many mines which litter the area, and once stepped on the mines emit a spray of water or chalk cloud. Full safety equipment and overalls are supplied for this session.
3:15pm: All pupils return to the welcome space for a full debrief and the highly anticipated announcement of the winning team. Whatever the outcome, all pupils will have experienced an exciting, challenging and confidence boosting day that will have taught them new skills and provided a valuable team building exercise.
01843-866023
www.quexpark.co.uk
