The children enjoyed a fantastic 2 day adventure, learning and applying the skills of bushcraft. The children began revisiting what is needed to make fires using their knowledge of the fire triangle, then using the fires they had built they bar-b-qued their lunch. "This is the most delicious burger I have had!" The children then designed tribe names and created flags to use to hang over the dens they had built. Both tribes ( The Camouflage Campers vs Nine Flying Squirrels) managed to build well camouflaged dens that withstood the sudden downpour of Storm Emma.
We then went on to camouflage and conceal ourselves and tried to apply stealth and silence to remain undetected in the forest. The evening was spent playing games, singing songs around the fire and toasting marshmallows. Today we learned the different parts of a bushcraft knife and used this knowledge to create a charcoal pencil then learned how paracord and whittled sticks can be used to create 4 different animal traps.
A very busy exciting adventure for us all.
Educational Visits
At Greystoke School we endeavor to ensure that all children are given the opportunity to take part in offsite educational visits both residential and non-residential.
Learning outcomes for the individual are vast including:
-improved self-confidence and self-esteem
-SMSC development
-ability to empathise and understand new perspectives
-increased aspirations and motivation
-broader understanding of society
School trips should be viewed as a powerful and positive teaching tool that help enhance the social, personal and emotional development of all learners. Extra stimulation in new environments can be beneficial to all pupils and can help teach life skills and improve independence.
School trips provide unique opportunities for kinaesthetic learning i.e. ‘learning by doing’ and encourage students to engage with buildings in new ways. This is particularly beneficial for students who find visual and sensory experiences helpful to their learning and understanding.
Hands-on learning activities outside the classroom lead to better achievement, standards, motivation, personal development and behaviour.( OFSTED: Learning outside the classroom How far should you go?). Children and young people are able to enjoy and achieve in new engaging ways.
Learning outside the classroom is rewarding for both teachers and pupils alike. Discovering new places such as churches, museums, galleries and law courts undoubtedly adds extra depth to pupils’ and students’ learning and experiences.