WEDNESDAY  

Our well-rehearsed systems kicked into gear on Wednesday morning as enormous quantities of luggage was labelled and loaded into the van. Medication was organised most efficiently, and lunches were separated to ensure they were easily accessible for hungry people. After emotional farewells, we set off in a noisy, horn-tooting convoy down the A2, accompanied by a ferocious hailstorm – oh no! Some last-minute decisions, made about 5 minutes before the turn-off, saw us skip our customary stop at Shorne Country Park, in a bid to stay warm and dry in the first hour of school journey. We headed straight to PGL Grosvenor Hall where we disembarked and were met by Tom, our rep for the trip, who settled us into the ‘Chill Zone’ where we could have our lunch, followed by an impromptu disco. 

In next to no time, the clock neared two, and we headed to The Square, to meet our instructors for the first activities. We split into our two groups—Line 1 and Line 2—to get stuck into the Crate Challenge. This involved donning harnesses and scaling wobbly towers of crates, counting each additional row as they grew higher and higher. ‘More? Or finished?’ was cried as each new layer was added, and we were hugely impressed by everyone’s courage and daring. Inevitably, the whole tower came crashing down, leaving children and their adult dangling mid-air like giant spiders.  

Next, both groups headed to the Laser Tag arena. Guided by the first rule of the game—"Be sneaky"—the children lurked around corners and blended into the camouflage for some high-energy competition, some were fascinated by the blasters, some in hiding and ambushing, and others intent on recklessly scoring as many victories as possible. Having burned up lots of energy, we headed to our home-from-home: York Hall, to unload, find our rooms, and “bagsie” our beds. 

After a hearty dinner in the dining hall, we strolled over in the mild evening air for our Campfire. We bonded over silly songs and chants before giving in to the sticky, sweet temptation of s’mores, toasted to perfection. Weary but happy, we headed back for showers and bed, where most children settled quickly after such a busy first day. It was the most relaxed first night in years as everyone, first-timers and old-hands alike, settled in their new beds and (most!) went quickly to sleep.

THURSDAY  

Thursday dawned bright and we assembled for a breakfast of fry-ups, toast, and cereal to fortify us for the day ahead. Line 1 started their morning with the Outdoor Climb, using the auto-belay system to scale the heights. An incredible number of children (and adults) reached the top of the wall, and equally incredible children challenged themselves to leave the safety of the ground and make it upwards. Meanwhile, Line 2 took to the Archery range where we became experts at snapping in nocking points and aiming for the bullseye, with much cheering and encouragement for hitting the target, and missing it. Then we swapped with Line 1 taking to the archery range, while Line 2 enjoyed a session of PGL Games, involving lots of fun with balls, beanbags, hoops, and construction toys on the court. 

After a satisfying lunch, the afternoon brought new adventures. Line 1 headed into the woods for Survivor, practicing their shelter-building and critical thinking skills, learning knots and other techniques to build rudimentary tents. They practiced fire starting skills with a flint and steel, delighted as the sparks ignited the balls of paraffin-soaked cotton wool. They finished the afternoon with Fencing, learning to "parry" and "riposte" with their foils. Line 2 followed the reverse schedule, showing great swashbuckling spirit on the fencing piste, and impressive dramatic skills when their partner made a ‘touché’, before heading off to their own Survivor session. 

There was time allocated to go to The Shop to buy mementos and gifts to remember our special time at PGL. Everyone was happy with their purchases, and we all enjoyed seeing what each other had bought. Following another social dinner, we headed to the cinema for Movie Night. After a democratic vote, we settled in for The Lion King, with plenty of popcorn for a relaxing end to an action-packed day before traipsing back to our rooms for a well-earned sleep. 

FRIDAY  

Friday morning brought the usual flurry of activity as we packed cases and stripped beds before our final morning of fun. After another big breakfast, we headed out altogether for Orienteering, testing our navigation skills across the site and collecting letters from the control points. You can take the teacher out of school, but not the school out of the teacher, so this was an ideal opportunity for practicing phonics in a fun and practical context!  

Then it was time for the grand finale: the Zip Wire or it’s accessible alternative: the Trapeze. Everyone kitted up with helmets and harnesses, eager to show their daring. The zip wire crew ascended the big staircase for the "leap of faith" off the tower. Whether children whizzed down the wire once or begged for a second go while still in mid-air, we were incredibly proud of their bravery and trust. Meanwhile, the trapeze artists were hoisted up to the tree-tops to see the site from the air, before gently descending back to our proud cheers and congratulations. 

There was just time for a final lunch before loading the minibuses and waving goodbye to Grosvenor Hall. We returned to school worn out and slightly grubby but filled with a massive sense of achievement and happy memories.