Year 6 - Aylmerton

Year 6 had a fantastic time on their residential trip to Aylmerton last weekend. After months of preparation and excitement, the day had finally arrived. The children arrived early at school on Friday and travelled to Norfolk which took around 3 hours. With a stop on the way, we finally arrived and the children chose their bunks and got ready for the first activity of the day.

Some children started with the ‘high ropes’ and ‘zip line’ activity which helped to conquer fears whilst others had team building activities where they had to support each other in assault courses. After a long, tiring day, it was time for dinner and then the ‘Twilight Safari’. Very few children had experienced the woods at night so they were extremely excited. The walk was around 3 hours with different stops to see woodland creatures like bats and unique birds, an old, gloomy church and an oak tree as old as King Henry VIII! The walked tiered the children out and it was time for their first sleep.

On day 2, the children completed the ‘Monster Trail’, which is an activity, based around teamwork, problem solving and map reading. Each group received basic instructions in map reading and followed a simple map to locate clues in the woods using a compass. The children had to keep a close eye out for ‘monsters’ who were also hiding in the woods. With all the clues, cryptograms, anagrams and rewards each group was successful and managed to complete the ‘Monster Trail’. It was clear the children greatly enjoyed this activity, especially the splashing of water guns throughout!

That evening the children went swimming in the local swimming pool which they enjoyed and were able to have free time with their friends.

On the third day of Aylmerton, the children experienced a unique opportunity. They spent the day with marsh experts and discovered the beauty of Blakeney Point. The children were able to examine different habitats whilst walking bare foot through the marshes. Many of the children said:

‘I liked the feeling of the mud between my toes.’

‘It was very therapeutic.’

‘It was interesting to learn about the millions of different species that live in the marshes.’

The mud walk was one of the most popular activities and it was followed by a fantastic boat trip to see the seals which the children very much enjoyed. The day ended with a storyteller, hot chocolate and an early night after an exhausting, fun packed day.

The following day the children headed to the beach to look at rock formations, glacial deposits, erratic fossils and the forest bed series. The children were also able to closely observe the rock pools for different life forms. Some children were able to find crabs and shellfish. All of the children were able to link their understanding of conservation when observing the creatures in their natural habitats.

After another day, it was finally time for the children to head back to school. Each child had a memorable experience at Aylmerton and one they said they would never forget.