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Cirencester Deer Park School

Cirencester Deer Park School

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Aim for the Stars

During Enrichment Week the whole of Year 7 took part in ‘Aim for the Stars’ activities. The activities are chosen to help develop team building and communication skills and to give individuals a challenge. Tutor groups worked under the supervision of their tutors, other Deer Park staff members and qualified specialist instructors. They certainly achieved more than they first thought was possible!

Each day pupils participated in something different. One day was spent at Waterland, Cotswold Water Park, where pupils had the opportunity to take part in three exciting activities choosing from windsurfing, raft-building, sailing, bridge-building, kayaking, canoeing, bushcraft, archery, problem-solving, stand-up paddle boarding and rowing. Pupils showed particular resilience doing these activities and were able to work well as small teams.

Teambuilding and instilling trust in each other were evident at Head4Heights at Keynes Country Park where pupils learnt how to use ropes safely and developed their communication skills with one another in order to climb the extremely high poles. Reciprocity and resilience were required, along with encouragement, to succeed in reaching the platform at the top! Some pupils climbed higher than others but everyone’s confidence had been boosted by the end. There was also an opportunity for relaxation at the beach and time for a swim in the lake.

Aim for the Stars - Enrichment Week 2016

Aim for the Stars - Enrichment Week 2016

Aim for the Stars - Enrichment Week 2016

Aim for the Stars - Enrichment Week 2016

The challenges at the water park were complemented by two further days of discovery and wonder. Mr Perkins and Mr Grant offered some excellent woodcraft skills in the woods near the school site. Pupils discovered that it is possible to spend a day having fun without technology and learnt some survival skills, such as making a camp fire and cooking their own lunch on it. A further day was spent in Bristol at the @Bristol museum, where pupils had the chance to take part in ‘hands on’ Science activities, with a 3D planetarium experience being a particular highlight.

The final day of the week was spent at school. In the morning tutor groups gathered their photos together and some gave short presentations about the week. All tutor groups worked efficiently as a team to create a tutor group scrapbook, showcasing their photos and the things they had learnt throughout the week. After lunch all pupils participated in an inter tutor group rounders competition, which was very competitive – well done to 7Ni who won overall!
 

 I just wanted to let you know what an amazing week my son had last week for Enrichment Week. He got so much out of it and had a total blast!! Thank you, worth every penny!! He made new friends that he wouldn't have normally had chance to make and experienced new challenges that he thought he would never do and pushed his own boundaries to do this. He learnt a lot about himself too!

Year 7 Parent

 

By the end of the week, all pupils were exhausted but had had a lot of fun. Pupils had risen admirably to the challenges they faced and learnt a lot about themselves. They were inspired to try new things and achieved many things that they had never dreamed could be possible!

Miss Moss
Assistant Head of Key Stage 3