Leadership Development Expedition

Last week on Wednesday the Year 7&8 Leadership Development Expedition began. The expedition began at lunch when they got changed and ready for their training and preparations. The expedition was to help us learn a set of skills for leadership and to work as a team under pressure. 

Wednesday

On Wednesday after lunch the children went to Mr Whites lab and were given their timetable for the afternoon. Each Element would learn knife skills, map reading and food budgeting. Each student had 50p to spend, however they were allowed to combine money. Each dinner was provided (but we had to cook them!)

Air bought:

• A watermelon
• Two cans of spaghettios
• Four pizzas

Land bought:

• Two packs of sausage rolls 
• A cucumber 
• Cookies
• Pancakes
• 2 liters of water

Water bought:

• Two loaves of brown bread
• Greek yogurt 
• Strawberry jam
• Two packs of carrots
• Hummus
• Mozzarella cheese 

In knife skills the children learnt how to make a tent peg out of a piece of wood and learn to start a fire with flint and steel. Mr Linford is a bushcraft instructor and taught each element these skills as well as went on the expedition with year 7&8.  Mrs Denny supported each student on their map reading skills after Year 8 taught the year 7show to find grid references. In the evening we were taken out to the dens and told to put up shelters using tarpaulins before we all got comfy and Mr Cook made his Pasta.  

Thursday

In the morning the children took down their shelters and made their way out of the school in Elements and one member of staff after having breakfast.

The children were given a grid reference to find in their Elements before hiking down to the wood. Year 7&8 stayed at Chest Wood with Mr White, Mr Cook, Mrs Denny and Mr Linford.

Whilst in the woods we had to put into play the skills we had been learning the previous day. The students got into groups of three or four and put up shelters together. After playing around in the woods each Element was given food to cook on their fires that they made. We were given marshmallows to roast and make s’mores!

Friday

On Friday everyone woke up and had lots of fun discussing how they slept. The hard part was over so all the tents came down and everything was packed up before making cinnamon sugar apples just before we left. The hike back was fun and fast as all Elements worked together.

The expedition helped all of us in Year 7&8 build leadership skills and learn how to work together a bit more! 

Written by Olivia B. Year 7