Residential Visits Year 5 and 6
Tollesbury Fellowship afloat 2019
Monday 17th June
We arrived at 11:30am ready for the first day of our residential week. Paul our coach driver delivered us safely and in fine spirits to our pick up point. We were greeted by 5 staff members from the Fellowship Afloat who helped us transport our luggage to the lightship. We settled in by having a drink, met the staff and had a tour of our new home for the week. The fun part was of course settling into our rooms with our friends. We then all stopped for a delicious lunch of sandwiches, fruit and cake.In the afternoon we split up into 3 groups and completed different challenges, which focused on improving our teamwork skills. As the day draws into evening we have been on an evening walk before settling down to a good nights sleep......
Mrs Shobbrook and Miss Brettle
Tuesday 18th June 2019
Today has begun well with a 3 course breakfast - porridge/cereal, egg and bacon and toast. All children slept well and we are getting ready for a morning of archery. We began the day in the upper saloon playing some games together.
Oak Class have had a brilliant second day in Tollesbury. This morning we played archery and discovered that Miss Brettle is an excellent arrow shooter. The Fellowship team were equally impressed by our children's aim and coordination skills. After a lunch of sandwiches, fruit and cake, we headed off for our first trip sailing into the estuary. The class were divided up into six different boats and with an experienced instructor learned how to sail a boat. The weather held out for us for most of the afternoon and our spirits were magically lifted when a speed boat appeared carrying cake during a downpour of rain. We couldn't ask for more helpful and compassionate teachers here at the Fellowship Afloat and are incredibly grateful for all that they have done for our pupil's.
Mrs Shobbrook and Miss Brettle
Wednesday 19th June
Well, it has been a super busy day here in Tollesbury from start through to finish. After a delicious breakfast of cereal, sausage and hash browns and toast, Oak Class headed off for their first activity of the day. We all walked to the local salt lake and enjoyaed learning how to kayak led by our three instructors. After a hearty lunch, we headed back out once again for an afternoon climbing highropes. We all had a fantastic afternoon overcoming our own personal goals in climbing. Some of the class were able to do the 'leap of faith. Finally, we headed back for dinner and a quiz organized by the wonderful staff here on the Fellowship Afloat. Our children have looked after by the team of very caring, committed and talented staff here and we can't thank them enough for their hard work.
Mrs Shobbrook and Miss Brettle
Thursday 20th June
Our final full day at Tollesbury has begun. Oak class were still fast asleep at 7am, which is a first! We will shortly get showered and dressed ready for breakfast time. Breakfast is a memorable event here and many of the class have said how much they have enjoyed being able to eat breakfast together. We are always given a choice of porridge or ceral, then a cooked breakfast and finally toast. Our pupils have risen to the challenge of helping out with chores after each and every meal time.
Today we are planning to go on a full day's sailing expedition in the local area. We are feeling sad that this is our last full day together, the week has really flown and some wondeful memories have been made.
We arrived back at the Fellowship Afloat at 4pm in time for another round of much needed cake and squash. Our team of instructors all commented on how well our pupils did following instructions and learning how to sail today. We spent the day sailing in the Blackwater Estuary, before having lunch on a beach. The residential week has very much been about building our resilience and developing ways of overcoming any fears we may have. We have all learned how to approach challenges this week and how this can make us stronger as individuals. This evening we will be putting on a talent show on board the Fellowship Afloat as well as finally visiting the elusive gift shop.
This evening's entertainment has been a real treat! We have been wowed by guitar performances, sketches and songs about 'Earthworm Sally'. It was a fantastic way to end the week. We have had a wonderful week with Oak Class. The Fellowship Float staff have been incredibly supportive and we can't thank them enough for their hardwork and caring ethos.
Mrs Shobbrook and Miss Brettle
Hindleap warren 2018
We started the day with a lot of rain and mud but also a lot of very excited children. We didn't let a little bit of a rain stop us having a great time doing team building activities. Then after a lunch of hot dogs and chips we got kitted up for a very busy afternoon! Some of the children conquered their fear of heights on the rock climbing wall and their fear of dark, small spaces on the very muddy obstacles course! Everyone had a go and had a lot of fun. We finished the day with a night walk where we were far too noisy to see any animals but having far too much fun to mind too much. Surprisingly, that hadn't quite tired the children out so we had a few late night giggles but managed to get enough sleep to wake up bright and breezy today! Miss Prevett.
Today we have been really busy! The sun has been shining, which was welcomed and has meant we have been playing football and other games outside during break times. We started the day off with a hearty breakfast before heading off to the zip wire and archery.
After a lunch of jacket potatoes, we headed off to the pentagon, which was (for many) the favourite of the week so far, and some more challenging team building activities. Another great day of conquering fears for many and a lot of laughter along the way. Tonightwe will be holding a talent/comedy show and then hot chocolate before a good night sleep, I hope! Miss Prevett
My goodness the children will sleep well tonight! We are all absolutely exhausted. Today started with another delicious breakfast of sausages, beans and cereal before we headed off to play some games in canoes in the pool or went on a creative adventure to the witches tree where the children heard old myths, created descriptions and even licked the tree. When we swapped over activities the other group did an Earth walk where they made brilliant, creative landscapes out of the leaves, twigs and other debris on the forest floor.
The pool canoes proved a huge success and everyone got fully involved. Surprisingly the best was yet to come! After lunch, the children all grouped together for a forest adventure. We played Hindleap and seek, made our way through the drop-bear territory with antlers on our heads and then trudged and climbed our way through a beautiful, muddy (rather deep in places) stream and waterfalls. Exclamations like: "I'm having the time of my life!" And "this is amazing!" made the rather wet walk back so worth it.
We are having dinner of battered pork or ragu tonight and then a calm, wind-down film before bed tonight. Some great memories were definitely made today. Miss Prevett
Today, we started the day with a continental breakfast of croissants and pain au chocolat. After, we made our way to bush craft in a slight drizzle. Luckily the first activity was making a shelter and each group made a fully-functional and unique shelter to keep them warm and dry.
After a break of fresh badger wee (hot orange squash) and some freshly popped popcorn, we then set to work on creating our fires from scratch. Each group got a brilliant fire going despite the wet weather and we all roasted (and burnt) marshmallows in them. We then came back to baguettes for lunch and a quick game of football in the playground before orienteering. It was wonderful to see so many of the children so interested and everyone actively involved in the map reading activities. They even got the chance to go exploring on their own in a fun competition to find as many tags as possible using their maps. Afterwards, we had bbq chicken for dinner and then went for an evening swim. Everyone seemed to have a great time in the pool, playing on the floats, throwing the balls and splashing Miss Prevett until she was completely soaked.
This evening it's safe to say the children are feeling a little tired. We have been to the tuck shop and had our hot chocolate and the children are winding down for bedtime now. The week has gone so quickly and some of us can't quite believe it's sadly our last night here at Hindleap. Miss Prevett