Year 4 Residential to Penshurst Place
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Last week, Year 4 embarked on an unforgettable one night residential trip to Penshurst Place, where they embraced the great outdoors and took part in a range of exciting bushcraft activities.
Upon arrival, the children enjoyed a scenic walk to their campsite, Martin’s Drive, where they were warmly welcomed by their camp leader, Jordan and their tribe leaders -Tom, Hazel, and George. The adventure began with shelter building, where pupils chose between constructing a lean-to or an A-line shelter. Once built, it was time to put them to the test - were they wind and rainproof? The children loved getting stuck in, working together and learning practical survival skills.
After lunch, things got a little wild as the children camouflaged themselves with face paint (some more thoroughly than others!) before heading into the woods for a concealment challenge. Even Mrs Harvey and Mrs Short joined in the fun, fully camouflaged and ready for action!
Next came one of the highlights of the trip: fire lighting. The children foraged for sticks of various sizes and learnt how to build and maintain a fire - an essential skill, especially since they were cooking their own burgers for dinner! They even remembered the golden rule: burgers must reach 75°C in the middle - 75 to stay alive!
As the sun set, the fun continued with evening games, including a new favourite - The Game of Wa - followed by a cosy campfire where everyone enjoyed s’mores and hot chocolate before heading to bed.
The next morning brought more adventure with trap building. Each tribe chose a member of staff to “trap” and Mr Avery was the lucky target! The children worked creatively to design traps, even using coffee as bait - clever thinking!
It was a fantastic experience for all involved. The children were enthusiastic, resilient and full of team spirit throughout. We are incredibly proud of them and grateful for the memories made.
