Watersports in the first week of July. You can guarantee one thing… you are going to get wet!

However, the week starting Monday 1 July 2024 was not the wet that we had hoped for, overshadowed by the vagaries of the ‘British Summer’ with unseasonally cool, cloudy and windy weather, with rain. We did not see the sun until Thursday! However, this did not break the spirit of our intrepid ‘watersporters’, who took everything in their stride and adapted to what was thrown at them. Ice-creams were replaced by hot chocolates; cool drinks replaced by flasks of tea and soup; shorts and t-shirts replaced by hoodies, wetsuits, dry-suits and multiple layers of clothing!

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday were based at ROX, The Real Outdoor Experience, at Lake 12 (formerly called South Cerney Outdoor Education Centre) – here the group took part in kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, sailing, raft building, canoeing and high ropes activities. Wednesday and Friday were based at Cotswold Country Park & Beach, with a walk, swimming, mini-golf, AquaVenture inflatable assault course and some team games.

The week was fabulous, with staff and pupils battling the elements as well as learning new skills, working together and demonstrating our key school values of staying safe, being happy and with lots of success. There were numerous examples of great personal determination, kindness shown to each other and some amazing personal achievements. There were certainly lots of smiles, lots of laughs and some very tired bodies at the end of each day. Everybody did themselves and the school proud with their attitude and behaviour.

Thanks also to Mr David, Mrs Gleed, Mrs Russell and Mrs Elwell who were all superstars on this trip, fully prepared to embrace the challenges of each day!

Mr Ellen, Trip Leader