23rd July 2025
Last week, Year 4 pupils went on their residential to Boundless Outdoors in Malvern. For lots of children, it was their first taste of independence and an opportunity for them to learn some important life skills. The children took their suitcases to school on Wednesday morning along with their pillowcases and duvet cases. For some, fitting these would be the biggest challenge of the weekend. After gathering their bags, the children were soon on their way to the coach and waving goodbye to their adults.
When we got to the centre, the children were shown to their rooms and had a briefing about what to expect during their stay. Then, it was time to put the beds together. It was then time to order food and prepare themselves for the first activities. For many, it was either a climbing activity, archery, ziplining or bush craft. The pupils challenged themselves from the outset, pushing themselves past their limits and demonstrating their independence and resilience.
Bedtime on the first evening was very interesting. For some, it was the first time they had slept away from home. Let’s just say it was a very lively evening with some very tired children the next day!
In the morning, it was time for room inspections. Very quickly, the children learnt that they had to keep things organised, clean and work as a team to score maximum points. The children then took part in more activities which included a walk up the beacon, nightline, low ropes and some of the activities mentioned above. Each group had their own instructor who helped the children participate in the activities but also to reflect on the key values of teamwork, support, resilience and challenge. Many of the children realised they had used all of these during the tasks during these reflections.
Then, it was on to the last day. The children completed their final activities after a lovely breakfast of pancakes and pastries. Then it was time to reflect on the events of the past days. A winning room was announced after the final room inspection and all the children were congratulated on the way they had conducted themselves. For one room, their DNF during the room inspection process was another life lesson and something to work on in the future!
After our goodbyes, it was time to return to school. The coach was filled with many tired faces, looking forward to seeing their families again. Overall, it was an amazing experience for the children to have and many of them developed new skills over a short space of time. A lovely way to cap off their time at Hanbury.
Mr Mills
