Two Year 8 weekend Residentials at Pendarren Outdoor Activities Centre South Wales

Planning and Execution

Planning

Forward planning was essential not least because Pendarren House is hugely popular and needed to be booked 12 months in advance. It was at this early stage that the activities were agreed. Coaches were booked and staff availability checked. Please see attached permission letters, centre information, medical details proformae and what to bring list. Prizes were bought to award to students.

Execution

For each of the four students groups a member of Swanlea Staff was attached. Each group was led by a Pendarren instructor who was qualified in all areas of the activities programme. The necessary clothing and equipment for each student was collected from the kit store and returned at the end of the activity.

Canoeing

This entailed five Canadian Canoes (for two people). The canoes were transferred from their trailer onto the canal. Students were shown how to name the parts of and use a paddle. Once in the canoes students were then instructed upon how to manouvre and power the canoe. Various activities involving the canoe/and/or paddles were carried out dependanct upon the instructor. The sessions ended with a short race.

Mountain Walking

The mountain which all the students walked up is called Sugar Loaf Mountain which is a ten minute drive away via minibus. Students were shown its position on a map and the countours and features of the map were explained. Each small group was divided into two and, taking two different routes up the mountain they met at the top. Groups then took the other group’s route back down.

Rock Climbing

This took place on the artificial wall face built outside the Activities Centre and an indoor rock wall. Students were taught how to tie their rope onto a belay, how to give the necessary climbing commands and how to answer them, how to belay their partner safely up the face. On the indoor wall students were able to practise traverse climbs. The session ended with a ‘musical climbing’ competition (when the music stops you must be off the ground).

Orienteering

Students in their groups were given a map including a number of controls and a card punch required to mark each card. The winning team was the team who gathered the most controls within the specified time.

Line Walk

The whole group was split into two smaller groups, blindfolded and asked to follow a rope line through a wood. Students had to support each other through touch and voice to negotiate the line. This disorienting activity taught the students the need for clear, supportive and accurate communication, trust and patience.

Student Testimonies

Nazia Rob 8E
"Our weekend at Pendarren was great. We had loads of fun. We went canoeing and rock climbing, we even climbed a mountain called ‘Sugar Loaf’,but my favourite was canoeing and the ‘night line’ where we had to follow a rope blindfolded. It was a great trip,one of the best that I’m sure I’ll never forget."

Munim 8C
"It was fun when we went to Wales. The activities were fun. The view around the house was nice. The activities I likes the most were canoeing and rock climbing."

Mashud Ali 8C
"The trip to Pendarren was exciting and active. The weather was fine and the scenery was amazing. We did many activities such as canoeing and rock climbing. My favourite was the walk up Sugar Loaf mountain."

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