Ask The Expert – Residential Trips
Jason Sandford serves up some advice for getting the most out of your next overnight activities trip…
Jason Sandford is the activities co-ordinator at the Manor House and Ashbury Hotels in Devon, responsible for putting together bespoke programmes for visiting school groups
As a Y8 cohort leader in a medium-sized academy, one of my responsibilities each year is to organise a residential trip during the summer term, by way of rounding off KS3 (our students spend three years on their GCSE courses).
These usually have a strong emphasis on physical, outdoor activities, such as canoeing, climbing, orienteering and so forth. However, I am increasingly having a small number of parents complain to me that visits like this are intimidating and stressful for their ‘non-sporty’ children and refuse to send them.
I am convinced that this kind of experience is invaluable for all our students – how can I ‘sell’ the trip more effectively to everyone?
As a sport and craft hotel we definitely agree that taking part in different sports and leading an active and healthy lifestyle is important for adults and children alike.
Taking part in group sports has a vast number of additional benefits, though; it isn’t just about being healthy. For example, it helps children learn to work together as a team – something which will be invaluable both during their time at school and throughout their lives. Group sports also encourage children to communicate more effectively with their peers. Their confidence can be boosted and, of course, the idea is to have fun, too!
It is true, however, that this kind of break can be intimidating for some children. The key to ensuring that everyone has an enjoyable and fulfilling time is to look for a residential trip provider that offers a wide range of sports and activities that are suitable for all ages and abilities.
It shouldn’t be overly competitive. Emphasise the importance of ‘having a go’, and encourage children to try something new that they may not have the chance to do at their school or in the local area. The advantage of having something completely novel on offer is that all the students will be complete beginners, and therefore starting out on the same level.
It’s important to get the message across to the parents that activity breaks aren’t about winning or losing, but simply about their children taking part, enjoying themselves and developing their confidence and self-esteem.
I am a NQT in my first teaching position (English, KS3 and 4, in a small CofE secondary school) – and have just discovered that one of my responsibilities this year will be accompanying our Y7s on a three-day residential trip to a UK activities centre. To say I am terrified would be an understatement!
Do you have any tips to help me a) survive and b) ensure my students get the most out of the experience?
Firstly, don’t panic! The best way to survive an activity break with a large group of children is to make sure you do adequate planning beforehand. I would always advise doing plenty of research on the place where you’ll be staying and making sure you know about everything that they can offer you.
Ideally, you should be able to visit the venue beforehand to have a look at all the facilities, chat with staff about what can be done to make your life easier and raise any concerns you may have.
The second thing we’d advise is to plan each of your days down to the finest detail. Your trip provider should be able to provide you with a bespoke programme of activities, including pre-planned meal times and recreational periods. If all students and teachers have a copy, then everyone should know where they need to be and when.
Being organised will help prevent numerous problems – and the students won’t have time to get bored or complain if they are constantly busy.
However, the main piece of advice I would offer is to enjoy yourself! This is a fantastic opportunity for you and your students to bond and have a great experience together. Activity breaks should be an unforgettable experience, and are the perfect time to build positive, lasting student-teacher relationships.
