After school on Friday 16 November 2018, 32 Year 7s set off on a residential retreat for the weekend. Two days of fun, activities and challenges in and around Slimbridge were organised to help develop our pupils' global understanding and really stretch them to achieve more than they first thought possible.  

“This was a fantastic opportunity for some of our more able pupils to practise the higher order thinking skills that are so vital for accelerating learning and accessing truly powerful learning. It was a delight to run sessions with colleagues and watch the Year 7s rise to the challenges.” James Johnson, Head of School

On arrival, pupils were allocated their bedrooms and were immediately challenged to start to write their 'Slimbridge Stories', a diary for their residential that they would update throughout the weekend to encourage them to write using wider vocabulary and to encourage different writing techniques to improve their written communication.

Following a delicious self-catered meal of pasta and sausages on the first evening, our pupils threw themselves into the 'mission launch' activities where they had to work with one another to try and resolve different points of view around a specific problem: the amount of plastic polluting the ocean. 

There followed a calming pre-bedtime story time which set up the challenge that the pupils were to undertake the next day and evolved into a very amusing joke and riddle session!

Following a good night's sleep, the pupils ate a massive breakfast and walked down to the WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre. The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) is a conservation charity that saves wetlands. Pupils and teachers were immediately captivated by the swans and the geese. Sue, our Learning Officer, delivered a fascinating session that helped pupils understand the water cycle and the impact pollution can have on environments such as wetlands. Carrying out their own research and observations helped them appreciate the real world impact of polluting activities. A highlight for some of the pupils (and some of the staff!) was the opportunity to handle a rare salamander in the WWT's Amphibian Centre.

Having eaten their homemade packed lunches overlooking the pink flamingos, we returned to the lodge for hot chocolate and to tackle our main challenge of the weekend. All pupils impressed with their commitment and engagement in some difficult issues as they embarked on taking on the roles of different countries as part of the inaugural Year 7 Model United Nations on the environment. Pupils remained focused and committed to researching, presenting and ultimately debating well into Saturday evening and tried to come up with a solution to the plastic crisis facing the world’s oceans.