Last Sunday, our Year 8 pupils set off for five nights in North Wales, their final outdoor learning adventure at the Prep School before beginning the next stage of their journey at Senior School.
The week was packed with challenge and variety. The children gorge scrambled, zip-lined, and climbed and scrambled up Tryfan before tackling a 50-metre abseil from coastal cliffs straight into coasteering below. They squeezed through sea caves, scrambled over sea cliffs, and ventured deep underground into a former mine, where they completed a clip-and-climb route through the caverns, abseiled, slid through tunnels, and navigated their way in complete darkness.
Every activity brought something new – excitement, uncertainty, determination and exhilaration in equal measure. The pupils rose to every challenge with remarkable maturity, encouraging one another, showing genuine empathy and reflecting together on each day’s experiences during the journey back to the centre each evening.
The Arête Centre provided exceptional instruction throughout the week. Their highly qualified and experienced team quickly built strong relationships with the children, creating an environment in which everyone felt supported enough to push their own boundaries.
Away from the activities, the children took their responsibilities seriously, recycling, cleaning the minibuses, caring for technical equipment, tidying shared spaces, preparing the dining room for meals, clearing away afterwards and making their own packed lunches each day. They also learned to appreciate the extraordinary landscapes around them, from the mountains of Snowdonia National Park to the coastline of Anglesey. These experiences reinforced the value of teamwork, community and looking after the world around us.
It has been a truly memorable week with an outstanding group of young people. As a teacher, I could not have been prouder to take them away as ambassadors for Bryanston Prep.
A huge thank you to the Arête Centre, and to Mr Ricketts, Mr Hay and Miss Fowler for being such a dedicated and supportive team throughout. The memories made this week will last a lifetime.
Jo Simpson
Head of Prep Outdoor Learning
