These days were introduced to enable schools and colleges to welcome students into sixth forms or other courses in a productive and enjoyable way. This day is also used for undergraduates at Brighton University Business School for their Personal Development Module. Aims The day aims to achieve the introduction of students to one another in a friendly and enjoyable environment, and will also introduce them to elements of: Working in teams Developing working relationships Co- operation in and between teams Creative problem solving Interpersonal co-operation Organisational skills To get a much better idea of how the days work, please view the video below: Format The educational aims of the day are achieved by placing the students in an unfamiliar but non-threatening situation with a series of tasks to complete. Students are divided into teams to provide a competitive element, and over the course of the day undertake a series of specifically designed tasks according to the instructions they receive. The most familiar analogy would be ‘management training’ – style courses where the group is expected to cross a stream with limited materials or build an unusual device to certain specifications. The day is held in a large wooded area and students take part in tasks such as abseiling, orienteering and stream crossing, as well as non-physical tasks where communication and teamwork are essential for success. Students are not obliged to take part in an activity if they do not wish to; the course does not need to be physical for every participant and is therefore appropriate for those with disabilities or limited access. Location and Itinerary The days are held in Sussex, at Blackland Farm near East Grinstead . The start and finish times for the day depend on your requirements, but typically schools opt to begin at 10.00a.m. and finish anytime between 2.30pm and 4.00pm. As the day is based on a bank of tasks, there is no fixed timetable – so we can be completely flexible with times. Clients and References Many of the top schools by examination results in the south take part in these courses every year, and they regard them as a valuable part of their Sixth Form induction.We are happy to give you many references from Headteachers and Heads of Sixth Form and Year 7 – please call and we will put you in touch with a school in your area, or of a similar type. These courses were devised by Steve Ranger M.A., P.G.C.E., F.R.G.S. who has undertaken research into the effects of Outdoor Education, and Paul Morley B.Ed. who has researched the value of Outdoor Education in developing self-esteem. Further advice is available on the uses of Outdoor Education in schools for students and staff; please call us and we will be pleased to help. Cost 2018 – £35 plus VAT per student; or £37 in the first half of September (the VAT is usually recoverable by the school). This includes instruction, all specialist equipment, course materials and review sessions. Should you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to email info@trekco.com or call our office on 01273 487509 Availability of Courses These days are available throughout the year; however most schools want to run a course in September and October so these months are very busy. Most days are booked a year in advance, but there is usually a date we can agree, so please give us a call. Often we have provisional bookings for dates; these are only confirmed when deposits are received, so if you have a specific date we’ll confirm it with a deposit of £500 + vat. For bookings or enquiries, please email us or call the office on 01273 487509 (see Contacts page). Please bear in mind that teachers are often hard to get hold of on the telephone (yes, that’s you!) so if you’re teaching every period, leave us a mobile number or email address – we won’t pester you with follow up calls!
