Great effort by Year 6 on survival island

Mark has just dropped the Year 6s off at Oldshoremore Beach with Jon, Charlotte and Emma, to enjoy their final day here after a tremendous effort on the island last night. Survival Island is difficult for even the strongest Year 6 teams. It is an opportunity to put all the skills they have learned together. A chance to work free from the oversight of adults telling them what to do. A moment for calm heads, good communication and sound decision-making. Responsibility in an environment that is not without risk, but an environment that they have spent the last four days operating in with the tutelage of their instructors.

We love watching them land from the boats, study their map and head off into the undergrowth that often flanks the shore, looking for their kit drop, standing tall knowing that the outcome of their night on the island is in their own hands.

It’s been a hot week here, and with early afternoon thunderstorms forecast yesterday, we stayed close to the adventure school during the day. We started with runs and swims before breakfast before moving on to raft racing, shelter-building lessons and some initiative tests to polish teamwork.

The thunder came and went as forecast leaving clearer air for island departures at 4:30 pm.

All four teams should be rightly proud of how they handled the responsibility. Shelters were built, camps made, and fires lit on the shore to cook and eat meagre supplies. Another super team from St Leonards. They have been a pleasure to work with.