To start the day, we were sorted into groups and then had to prepare a brief presentation on what qualities we look for in a good leader and what we could contribute to a team. We then spent the rest of the day participating in outdoor activities centred around teamwork and communication skills. These included setting up a tent, creating a ‘raft’, and more. After each of these sessions, we would reflect on what we accomplished and how we could have improved.

As we were put into set groups, with a mix of all the forms, we were able to get more comfortable with each other. This helped to get us ready for when we switch forms in Year 10, which would not have been possible if we had chosen our own groups. We also were able to work on our leadership, as for each activity, we tried to swap who was leading it, so everyone could have the chance. As well as this, we practiced problem solving and resilience, as we needed to work out how we could overcome the challenges Shackleton had faced, and teamwork.

Overall, we found that the wide range of themed activities that we did during this day helped us to build a range of skills, most importantly teamwork and leadership, as well as helping us to talk to new people in different form groups.

Sophia, Emma and Isabelle 9PB