It has been a tremendous week with children taking part in the first week of activities, hikes on Dartmoor and a teddy bears’ picnic. I have been pleased to see how well and settled the new families are and I am hugely grateful to the staff team, the parents and, of course, the community.
Our residentials are such an important part of life at St Peter’s. They give children the chance to develop independence, resilience and confidence, while making memories and strengthening friendships away from the familiar routines of school. Last week our Year 8s spent a few action-packed days on Dartmoor, including a night walk, camping, abseiling, gorge climbing, cooking in teams and a series of search-and-rescue challenges. Meanwhile, this week our Year 7s headed to Cornwall, visiting the Eden Project and Geevor Tin Mine, and taking a boat trip where they spotted dolphins and seals.
These experiences are about so much more than the activities themselves. They encourage children to try new things, work together, solve problems and discover what they are capable of. This is what we mean by Learning Beyond the Classroom – giving children the opportunity to grow in confidence, independence and resilience while having a great deal of fun along the way.
All of these residentials have been shared with parents through FAMLY, our new school community app, which we launched this term for all pupils from Pre-prep through to Year 8 having piloted it successfully in Pre-prep for a number of years. FAMLY gives us a more private way of sharing the wonderful things happening at school, including photographs and updates from trips, lessons, activities and events, without relying so heavily on public social media channels.
It is also proving very useful from my perspective as Head. I can open FAMLY and see, in just a few minutes, the incredible range of things happening across the school each day. If you haven’t logged in yet, do take a look. There is a lot going on and it is lovely to be able to share more of it with you.
Have a lovely weekend.
Charlotte (Head)
