Extra Photographs

The children were excellent at looking after the centre and local environment. Here is the evidence that the children can tidy up after themselves!

Teamwork was essential when successfully completing activities and the staff were all thankful of the children's encouragement through the difficult and often wet challenges!

We are certain that the children will continue with their caring and considerate attitudes shown throughout the week when they return to school on Monday. It was a pleasure to watch new friendships form and the whole group working together to achieve.

Safe arrival

We arrived safely back at school at 1pm.

The teachers would like to thank all parents/carers for their continued support throughout the week. We hope that the children enjoy the extra day tomorrow to recover at home after their exhausting but exciting experiences. Miss. Convey is going to upload some photos onto the blog that she didn't get time to share whilst away. We hope that you have enjoyed following your children's experiences on here.

The Last Evening

The children asked if a group photo could be taken to help them to remember their fantastic experience.

All of the staff would like to thank the children for being outstanding whilst here at Dol-Y-Moch. They have behaved in a responsible and caring manner for each other as well as for the site at all times. It has been a pleasure and everybody (staff and children) are sad to say goodbye tomorrow!

We are aiming to leave Dol-Y-Moch at 9am. Mrs. Nicholson will phone the school when we are an hour away from arriving back at school and then when we are only half an hour away. We look forward to seeing everybody tomorrow.

Wednesday: Rock Scrambling and Gorge Walk

Miss. Convey's group has changed their name from simply the 'A' Team to 'Team Ninja' after today's performance! Martin was so impressed with their resilience to every challenge that he set, that he decided to increase the task difficulties and offered a graduation from his ninja school at the end of the day. Did everybody graduate?

After a short walk down to the beach Martin explained that we first had to learn the skills of rock scrambling before we could put them to use. We learnt 'edging' first where we placed our feet carefully in line with the cracks in the rock.

The team were adamant that Miss. Convey also had to participate in all ninja training!

After 'edging' we learnt how to choose which rocks were safe to stand on and how to jump from one rock to another.

We were then challenged to the 'Matrix Slab' which Mrs. O'Shea's group had scrambled across during the morning. Martin challenged us to use our ninja training skills which he had taught us. One team member said "I loved running up the slab and trying not to slide down before everybody had made it to the top!"

Martin was astonished that one team member successfully completed the jumping challenge that he set on the slab... Excellent ninja skills showing your determination!

All morning missions complete, we returned to the centre for lunch. After lunch Martin explained that to graduate ninja school we had to complete the gorge walk - a wet, freezing task which would challenge us all. We kitted ourselves out in wet suits, waterproofs and buoyancy aids. The team was astonished when they saw the gorge! The fast flowing water caused many screams as the group began to walk up the stream in the freezing, knee deep water.

When the water level rose to our waist height we stopped at some rapids so that the group could ride the rapids 'ninja style!' Everybody succeeded!

The final challenge was a gorge jump! This was the greatest test faced by the group all week. We encouraged each other and cheered as each team member took their turn jumping from the high ledge into the water. It was worse than freezing but our pride was evident as we rose back to the surface!

Miss. Convey was extremely proud of the team's support and would like to thank them as if it wasn't for the support of the group she may not have jumped herself! It was extremely challenging but the team's kind words and encouragement meant that she did it in the end. Thank you team!

At the end of the day Martin expressed how it was the team's best day yet... they had showed teamwork, agility and the ability to move with grace (at times!) We all graduated from ninja school cold, wet and tired but with massive smiles on our faces!

Wednesday: Mining

Mrs. Cox's group also went exploring in a mine today but a different one to Mrs. Nicholson.

They enjoyed navigating their way through the passages using their helmet torches to be able to select the safe passages to enter.

Mrs. Cox was proud of their team work and encouragement for each other whilst trying to climb the waterfall to reach the exit. The girls were a lot swifter than the boys and won this challenge! Well done team on supporting each other to ensure that everybody escaped from the mine.

Wednesday: Mining

Mrs. Nicholson's group climbed up the steep mountain which resulted in three members of the group crawling their way up the final part due to achy legs! However, they made it to the top! This is where they found out the difference between good slate and bad slate. The group each chose a piece of slate from the pile and Ed judged the slate by firstly looking at it and then breaking it open using a chisel and a hammer. The concluded that good slate splits perfectly in half whereas bad slate cracks and is lumpy. 

The children said - "Three floors up in the mine we attached a rope to our waist with a carabiner. This was a safety rope. We climbed up using another rope to pull ourselves up. We kept slipping because the rocks were so wet due to a mini waterfall in the mine."

"We ate lunch by candlelight and the group decided to name the spot 'Restaurant La Rock.' 

Inside the mine it was pitch black so we got two pieces of quartz and struck them together to make sparks in the darkness.

At the very bottom of the mountain there were two tunnels which we decided to use to wash our waterproofs. We slid on our bellies up the left tunnel and crawled out of the right. It certainly worked!

We loved walking through the mine and exploring the different passageways."