Marta Tildesley from Pakeman Primary School shares an unforgettable residential experience in the Lake District with the Outward Bound Trust.
Booking a trip at the beginning of the school year means you have to hit the ground running however it also means early bonding and insights so that the maximum benefit is gained when children return into class with their teachers afterwards. It builds children’s confidence and allows them to shine in ways we wouldn’t see in the confines of the classroom or playground.
The five-day residential at the Outward Bound Centre in Ullswater last September involved hiking, gorge walking, canoeing, speed boarding, cliff jumping and orienteering as well as fire-making, cooking and creative activities. It’s a cross-curricular residential combining a variety of subjects with teamwork, resilience, self-esteem and confidence.
School: Pakeman Primary School, London
Subjects: English, geography, history, science, PE and PSHE
KS: 2
Number of pupils: 35
It provides the opportunity for children who might otherwise not get a chance to leave the city, to travel on a train and experience a long and beautiful journey into an environment so alien to their usual surroundings – this has the biggest impact of all with the children sitting at the train windows spotting “real-life” sheep and cows in the fields much to their delight!
The children surprised themselves – and us
Once at the centre the children were further challenged both physically and mentally when trying new activities - that was our main learning objective - to try something new and surprise themselves and us!
Inclusivity and affordability are central to our planning and organisation of the whole trip. First of all we make sure that everyone is included who might otherwise be excluded because of barriers which in our demographic are particularly cultural, learning and cost.
Our headteacher and fundraiser work hard to secure discounts and grants from charities for the trip which are then passed onto the families. Further fundraising takes place in school - cake sales/non-uniform days. Families are helped to budget early on so that monthly payments are spread out over ten months. It really is a whole school effort over the school year to get the school trip on the road – from the school office to the class teachers!
“The mountains are so high and it’s really peaceful. When I did the cliff jumping, I felt so proud of myself. I’ve done things I could never do before.”
Abdirahmen
Culturally many of our families are reluctant to let their children stay overnight away from the family home however through our relationships, we are able to persuade parents and carers of the benefits of a residential journey and the opportunities it holds for their children. This only happens through a series of meetings and conversations up to a year before the big event.
Measuring learning objectives
Outcomes were measured through feedback from both pupils and teachers including formal feedback forms, informal feedback, case studies and observations. Longer term, pupils are tracked on their academic attainment and attendance throughout their time at school.
“In Holloway we don’t have mountains and lakes like that so it was quite different. I feel like I can do more things alone but I also feel like I can do more things in teamwork.”
Solomon
In our experience of taking children away, the true outcomes run deeper and last longer than any measurable outcomes. Children often return to school as young adults and tell us their best memory was of going away on a residential trip with their peers and teachers and trying something they had never done before – usually something they were terrified of initially but then overcame the fear!
Back in the classroom
Learning was embedded through a series of follow-up activities across various subjects. In English, for example, students wrote personal recounts, diary entries, or persuasive pieces about outdoor learning. In geography and art, they studied maps of the Lake District, comparing them to their navigation experiences.
Science lessons reinforced learning about ecosystems while in PE, we built on teamwork and resilience by introducing new physical challenges that mirrored the trip’s activities. In PSHE, they discussed personal growth, teamwork, and overcoming fears, linking their experiences to broader life skills.
