Shaping Learning For Life

Stockbridge - Primary and Pre-school

Residentials – it’s what we’re all about

Here at Stockbridge Primary School, we truly believe and try to live every day, our motto of creating ‘learners for life’. This challenges us to take learning outside of the classroom and we have produced a programme of residentials which help build children’s confidence at staying away from home and being independent.

Many schools have only 1 or 2 residentials in the last few years of a child’s time at school. This is almost always for 3 or 4 nights away from home which can be as traumatic for parents as it is for the children! We see residentials as having true educational value and they are one of the ways of us investing in our children’s futures. Our residentials begin in year 3 and build on this experience each year until year 6, preparing children for the longer European trips they experience at Secondary school.

Any teacher you know who has been on a residential will tell you that they get to know each child so much more in the 2, 3 or 4 days they spend with them on a residential than they ever could in the same amount of time in a classroom. Watching and supporting children making choices of their own, rising to different challenges, making mistakes, overcoming fears and learning that, with perseverance you really can succeed, as well as the fact that the best form of satisfaction comes from doing something you didn’t think possible is not only rewarding but great to take back into the classroom and apply when the going gets tough with academic learning.

Our residentials happen towards the beginning of the academic year so that we can use the knowledge we gather about children in each year group to the best of our advantage during the year. As activities in Years 5 and 6 are more adventurous based and require children to be proficient swimmers, we have moved our swimming tuition into the summer term of Year 4 to enable us to ensure all children can swim a minimum of 25m.

The programme of residentials has been carefully thought through with some of the best in the business (our ex Chair of Governors – now associate member of the FGB – led Outdoor Education for many years in Hampshire and advises schools, colleges, outdoor centers and other providers in achieving the very best outdoor education for all young people). It has been agreed with Governors and we have purchased our own supply of camping equipment to minimise cost thanks for fundraising from FOSS.

What do our children think about our residentials?

Year group No. of nights Where? What will they do? Food When Cost
3 1 School field Most importantly for their first night away, this is low key and just lovely.  Return to school on a Friday evening for supper, campfire, songs and burnt marshmallows.  Key skills are around putting up tents, caring for kit and staying dry! Mr Jefferies’ now famous bolognese for supper, burnt marshmallows, hot chocolate and bacon buns in the morning cooked on the fire (as long as the teachers have kept it going all night!) 30 June – 1 July 2023 £7
4 1 Tile Barn, New Forest Orienteering in a real life context, den building, survival skills, low ropes & team building. Make your own pizzas starting with the dough – follows on in a practical aspect from a topic in school. 30-31 March 2023 £48
5 2 Calshot Building on the adventurous activities in Year 4 with more sport focused ones such as sailing, kayaking, archery, skiing and more

Medical form

Kit list

Letter to parents

Catered for on site – this is important as we don’t have time to stop as they try so many activities! 7-9 Sept 2022 £228
6 4 Brecon Beacons Exploring nature, historical and scientific investigations. Art, caving, gorge walking, hiking a mountain and more.

Information for parents

Initial letter to parents

Kit list

Medical form

Powerpoint for parents

Cooked by the children to their own recipes tried first in school. In previous years we’ve enjoyed risotto, chilli, mexican to name but a few! 26-30 Sept 23 £296