Moulsecoomb Primary School (Wales Camp)

I arrived in Northern Wales last night after a long drive from Keswick in Northern England. I am staying in a small village called Beddgelert and will be spending this week with 30 Year 6 students and 5 staff from Moulsecoomb Primary School in Brighton who are on a school camp in this area.

The main aim for me attending this camp is to see the advantages and disadvantages of a school run camp as opposed to a more structured independently run camp where external providers are utilised to deliver activities.

This school camp differs from activities Withers do on school camps in that there are many more outdoor adventure activities that are all run by the school.  Today was the students first day on camp after they undertook an 8hr bus trip from Brighton.  We walked ½ way up Mt Snowdon which is the highest mountain in England and Wales, and students were encouraged to have a swim in one of the mountain streams.  We then walked to a lake for lunch followed by free time.  We finished our walk at Beddgelert where the students were treated to some local Welsh stories.  On their return to school they will be using this for much of the basis of their own story writing.  They all had to purchase a postcard and write to their parents which I thought was a great idea.

The long trek over approx 8 miles (16kms) took all day and was a real challenge for students and gave them a sense of achievement at the end of the day.  The group seemed more close knit following this strenuous walk.  The night was finished off with an English draw in the World Cup against USA. Go the Aussies tomorrow against Germany.