Campcraft, skiing, climbing and rhino-spotting
Senior School Field Day, February 2012
Field Day on 2 February saw the Senior School pupils and staff spread far and wide on a range of visits and activities.
- Year 7 undertook a most informative History walk in Exeter, visiting the Underground Passages, the Cathedral, the Guildhall and Tuckers Hall.
- Year 8 made a Geography and Biology visit to Paignton Zoo, joining informative sessions on rainforest habitats in the Education Centre, where they learnt about plant and animal adaptation, reasons for deforestation and ways in which we can help.
Year 9 went either dry ski-ing in Plymouth, climbing and kayaking using both the school’s facilities and the Exeter Quay Climbing Centre, or museum visiting and sightseeing in London.
- The Duke of Edinburgh groups were either in school undertaking First Aid training, practising outdoor skills on Woodbury Common, navigating and walking in the Hay Tor area of Dartmoor, or camping in preparation for the Gold expedition to the Brecon Beacons in the summer.
- The large CCF Army Section ran various activities. One group camped overnight in challenging conditions in Cornwall. Meanwhile, 38 Year 10 cadets and four Year 13s went to Okehampton Camp for a 24-hour training exercise including a blank firing exercise in cold and dry conditions, a Fire and Manoeuvre exercise with paint balls, conducted by the Army Recruiting Team, and a basic First Aid session. Another group visited the Royal Artillery at Larkhill in Wiltshire, where cadets undertook the assault course under the supervision of Army PTIs.
The RAF cadets completed an orienteering course in the morning at Killerton under perfect blue skies, and competed against each other in the afternoon in a karting sprint challenge. Up in the same blue skies a selection of cadets experienced aerobatics and later reportedly managed some rhino-spotting over Longleat.
- Royal Navy Section groups visited HMS Bulwark, where they went on board a nuclear submarine, or enjoyed mountain biking in Haldon Forest, while one group practised micro-navigation and outdoor cooking skills on Dartmoor.
- The Community Service group was split between a group on a maintenance project at St David’s Church, others which helped out in charity shops, nursing homes and a primary school, and individuals who visited retired people. The Year 10 group continued their work for the Shelterbox charity and will soon be ready to make presentations in other schools.
- A group of senior musicians gave a workshop concert at a local primary school.
