Top School Trips -Issue 6

www.teachwire.net/school-trips | 47 greenwoodacademies.org Making use of resources already available to schools can provide pupils with affordable opportunities for glorious residential experiences, says Martin Smith A s families across the country continue to grapple with the cost-of-living crisis, many have had to make the difficult decision to forego their family holiday, meaning children are missing out on important opportunities to build their socio-emotional skillsets. For this reason, school-led residentials are crucial, as they are increasingly becoming the only chance many children have to access overnight visits. In a survey by Learning Away, 82 per cent of KS2 pupils said that residentials enhanced their learning, while 78 per cent reported that their confidence in trying new things had increased after a residential trip, and 71 per cent felt they were connected better with their classmates. It’s clear that, where possible, prioritising residentials can help schools ensure pupils are equipped with enriching experiences and valuable life skills. A simple solution Families are experiencing economic pressures, but so too are schools, and it can be challenging to secure the funding and resources needed to organise residentials. Identifying the need to make overnight trips available to all pupils, leaders at Greenwood Academies Trust (GAT) came up with the plan to organise camping residentials on the grounds of two of our academies. In this way we were able to offer children the chance to stay overnight at a site already available to the trust at no additional cost. Our main campsite was close to the beach, while the other bordered a lovely woodland, providing two enriching opportunities for pupils to engage with nature, with no travel needed. Over the course of nine intakes, our campsites accommodated more than 350 pupils from six of our academies. We planned exciting educational activities for the children, including a bug-hunting mission in the forest and a sandcastle-build- ing competition on the beach. For many pupils, it was the first time they had ever seen the sea, an experience which they are sure to remember forever. Pupils also cooked over a campfire (with supervision) and slept in tents after a serene round of stargazing. They learned about the moon and tides, trees and wildlife, enjoyed s’mores, and built lasting bonds with their classmates. We also made sure the various activities brought classroom learning to life, prompting pupils to pretend that they were real-life scientists busy studying the outdoors. Behind the scenes We worked for several months ahead of the first trip to plan out how everything would operate. An early and crucial step was to create a list of all the equipment that would be needed, and to ensure orders for new kit were placed in plenty of time. We also bought a large container to store all the camping paraphernalia in on-site, for ease of access and to reduce transport requirements. It was vital to be strategic with our equipment. For example, we used ‘blackout’ tents to combat early sunrises, making a good night’s sleep more likely for pupils and staff. Our colleagues played a paramount role in the project. To make sure everything ran smoothly and all staff could feel confident in their roles and responsibilities, we held a training day where we covered the necessary procedures, activities and emergency protocols. This was also essential for safety, as safeguarding was our top priority. We assessed all areas of risk thoroughly for any potential issues and implemented clear procedures for each. This meant that all staff felt supported and reassured that they could carry out their roles safely, and enjoy the experience too. How it went While there are natural challenges to planning and organising a programme of this size, the best outcomes came from getting everyone fully on board with the vision. With all staff and pupils excited and believing in the positive impacts the experience would have, the benefits were realised. Our campsites were buzzing with happy pupils creating core memories and engaging with learning in new ways. Staff who helped build a meaningful and profound experience for some very well-deserving children came away inspired. Ultimately, we at GAT are incredibly proud and grateful to have provided our pupils with the opportunity to grow and learn in such an impactful way and look forward to expanding the experience in future years. Setting up CAMP Martin Smith is senior adviser for academic resilience at Greenwood Academies Trust in the East Midlands. F EATURE S S CHOO L T R I P S