Let the Games begin

It's been such a pleasure this year to have three ridiculously keen Outdoor Education Games groups every Wednesday afternoon. The groups rotate so that each week one group is outside while the others learn the ropes at GCC and to boulder at TCA. After experiencing the dank depths of the Devil's Pulpit on their first session (yup, a three week repetition for me: luckily I love water), full immersion for everyone, each following week pupils have vied for a place in the outdoor session.

This week we went to a local quarry where pupils learnt the rudiments of climbing ropework.

The site of the first three weeks of Games sessions

 Climbing warm up

 Ben at dizzy heights on his first outdoor climbing session

 Theo and Alex learning to place gear

Owen nearing the top of the challenging crack climb up the prow. Even harder when it's soggy apparently - who'd've thought!

Auchinstary looking much more balmy than it felt yesterday with a distinct autumnal cut to the air

 Jack working on his balance

 Climbing warm down

'Training' (= selection) weekend

We have another major expedition scheduled for summer 2016 and in order to get the team started we hold a weekend of training (actually more of a selection really). So as to recreate some of the intensity of being away together for a month in a remote area in just one weekend, it's a ll a bit of a surprise for them. But what we've discovered so far is that they seem to thrive on it, rising to the challenge, looking after each other and even enjoying the whole thing! And by selection we mean that each pupil will have a good idea by the end of the weekend, whether they'd like to undertake such an adventure together.

 The devil's breakfast

 A well-earned reakfast for the team

 The depths of the gorge

How generous: the team even had a tent and woodland beds

 Leading one another

 Emerging from the depths

 A long wander north

 

Paddling off in to the sunset

In contrast to the previous Gold Award expedition the week before, this group were lucky enough to experience wall to wall sunshine, with intermittent midges, throughout. Their greatest challenge was protecting themselves from the sun and midges.

The gang learn how to raft up - a more stable approach in windy conditions

 Another raft configuration

 All important rescue practice

 And again

 Rebecca slaying stuff

 Yet another meal stop

Everyone in the groups paddled a canoe solo at least once. Some even mastered and enjoyed it.

 Ooo, more food

Tristan love, love, loving some quality midge time

And we're back....

The start of the academic term 2015/16 saw one brave group setting off on The Academy's first Gold Award expedition by bike. The team did so well in what can only fairly be called adverse conditions! Nikki led them through thick and thin and they are now most certainly trained in all things cycling DofE. Despite their experience the team were remarkably keen to get on their bikes for the four-day assessment expedition that will take place in June. Well done, lads!