The Lower Fourth spent three brilliant days partaking in outdoor pursuits in the picturesque Shropshire countryside, before returning to school for a fabulous FHS Mini Apprentice Competition, run by Ms Rusu. Two of our intrepid adventurers have described their enjoyment of Shropshire below:

“Our exciting Discovery Week was initiated by a long drive to South Cerney Centre, where we were to spend the next three days learning many life skills. These included raft building, kayaking, stand-up paddling, climbing, and caving. Little did we know the pleasure they would bring.

On Monday, we were divided into small groups to participate in each activity.

That day, my group did stand-up paddling, which we all agreed was immensely enjoyable. Before standing up on the paddleboard, we sat on our knees and rowed. When we were ready to attempt standing, we slowly got up. Rowing while standing was not as easy as it appeared; rather, it was incredibly challenging and required great perseverance. For some of us, this meant falling off the board into the lake and having to try again. While it gradually drained our energy (which we did regain after dinner), it certainly did not diminish our tenacity. In fact, it only fueled our determination with each passing minute. We never found ourselves frustrated. The fun experience was nothing short of beneficial, and that night we went to bed eager for more when the sun would rise again.

On Tuesday, we had two exciting activities: kayaking and raft building.

Kayaking was one of the more peaceful activities, which was great, and furthermore, the weather was perfectly still, with a calming mist filling the sky. After spending a good amount of time rowing on the lake, the instructor taught us a kayaking game to add some action. It was an “OUT” game! Our rowing became rapid as we tried to stay in the game. It brought some laughs, but it also put us to work. After the game, we noticed that our skills had improved, and we could row even faster than before.

Next on the list for the day was raft building, an activity that really sharpened our collaborative skills. We built a raft using long sticks, short sticks, rope, and barrels. Our group got on one by one. Before we could all get on, the raft tipped and we found ourselves in the water. We laughed and tried not to let it discourage us. We attempted to get back on for a second time but were unsuccessful. On the third try, we all got on, and for a few glorious seconds, we floated on the water together. However, the raft not only tipped but also collapsed, plunging all of us headfirst into the water with the crayfish. This served as an important reminder for our team that success does not always come on the first try. Plus, the fall made the experience more memorable for the eight of us! However, we would like to congratulate the other groups who were successful.

The following afternoon and on Wednesday, we participated in some exciting land-based activities, including crate stacking, caving, and Jacob’s ladder. Crate stacking was great for improving our teamwork. Jacob’s ladder was challenging and extraordinarily testing, not to mention caving, which we found incredibly difficult! As a group, we had a profound fear of slugs, wasps, spiders, and their cobwebs. With our intense fear, we didn’t exactly accomplish our mission yet. Perhaps in the future, when an opportunity arises, we will dive back into this mission and complete it.

This trip has really been incredible. As a year group, we can only sincerely thank all the staff who organised this trip and accompanied us on this trip.

Haleema D, Lower Fourth

“We arrived at South Cerney Outdoor Centre amidst horizontal rain, high winds, and grey skies, but with high spirits. We trudged to and from our coach and “tipis” with our bags in the pouring rain. Fortunately, it soon stopped, allowing us to begin our first activity: paddle boarding. It was a lot of fun, even though we fell into the water a few times.

Later, we had dinner while being entertained by Mr Gough and Ms Beauchamp, who performed a duet of “Simply the Best.” Afterward, we strolled around the lake before heading back to our tents. Unfortunately, the most anyone managed to sleep was five hours.

The next morning, we were awakened by the sound of rain pattering on our tent roof. Undeterred, we got up bright and early, had breakfast, and spent the entire morning kayaking. Despite being drenched, we carried on with our activities and embarked on raft building after lunch. Only one raft sank, while the rest successfully made it around the island. Following that, we had a blast with the High Ropes course, which quickly became a favorite among the group.

As we enjoyed dinner that evening, the sounds of “YMCA,” “Love Story,” “Dancing Queen,” “Call Me Maybe,” and “Love is an Open Door” filled the air. We then had a fun-filled Quiz Night, organized by Ms Pins and Ms Lewis, which provided a warm and dry setting.

The next day we did some bush craft skills in the pretty Gloucestershire countryside before the sun came out and shone ready for us to depart the site!”

Sarah, Lower Fourth

On Thursday, the girls returned to school for our FHS Mini Apprentice. They split into teams of five and were tasked with designing and pitching their own sustainable chocolate bar brand to judges including Headmistress Mrs Woodcock.

We were immensely impressed by the ingenuity and sophistication of the girls’ ideas and the maturity and eloquence of their pitches. Many congratulations to our winning team, “Sneakies” (who each won their very own FHS branded chocolate bar designed and produced by Ms Rusu!) and thank you so much to all our staff involved in the competition.