“North Yorkshire? In May? Take a Warm Coat” was the advice we received when planning this year’s Senior Camp. For those whose children went however, our visit to “God’s Own Country” could not have had better weather.
The camp started at 06:40hrs on Monday 22nd May, when Chris Evans kindly enrolled Heritage School into the ‘Good Morning Chris’ club on Radio 2. Thereafter it was all go, with days starting at around 06:00hrs and finishing around 23:00hrs for the adults every day.
This year we camped at the Kettleness centre owned by Cleveland Scouts. It is a truly beautiful setting on the North Yorkshire coast overlooking Runswick Bay, a beach on which we spent a lot of time.
This was the biggest ever Heritage Summer camp, with over 60 children and 10 adults to supervise them. Activities included 5 Duke of Edinburgh practice expeditions, white-water rafting, pony trekking, indoor climbing, fish and chips by the beach, a visit to the Yorvik viking centre in York and endless games of ‘throw the whistling torpedo thingy at Mr Appleyard’ – a game remains a mystery to those of us who have never played it.
As we all sat by the campfire on the final evening, the warm Yorkshire sun (yes, really) setting to the west and adding a wonderful pink glow to the undersides of the early evening clouds over the bay I reflected on the following:
Each year we create new anecdotes and memories. Some of which you will have already heard and some of which will come out in the weeks and months to come.
Each year we see a discernible, positive impact on individuals and groups. This manifests itself in many ways – an increase in self-confidence, strengthening of friendship groups or just people helping each other to find a lost sock. This creates more rounded individuals who are more resilient and self-sufficient, skills which modern society and the workplace require.
Finally, each year we seek to improve upon the last camp. So make sure your children are there next year because it may be the time that we absolutely nail it!
The School Summer camp programme started 7 years ago with a simple vision to provide an affordable outward bound experience. This vision can only be delivered with the co-operation of the wonderful staff and increasing numbers of Parent Volunteers for whom we can all be very grateful indeed. We could easily use commercial providers for the camp, probably tripling the cost. The question in my mind is would the camp be three times as good?
Thanks to (in alphabetical order): Mr Appleyard, Mr Bell, Mr Duckworth, Mr Fletcher, Mr Hulett, Dr Martin, Mrs Oakley, Mrs Puckett, Mrs Robson, Mrs Scarlatta and Mrs Zaldua

During the Easter holidays a group of 19 pupils from Year 7 and 8 stayed for a week in the Château de la Baudonnière, a centre situated south of Cherbourg. This centre has been running for around twenty years and offers children a French language immersion experience.  This was our third visit to the Centre. Mme Haddow led the group with the help of Señora Fleck.

Each group had a French native-speaking member of staff (an animateur) who ensured that all activities (including meals) were undertaken using spoken French, and pupils were encouraged to use the language to express themselves as much as possible. In fact, the animateurs never spoke English to them! The pupils spent some of their time at the Château learning archery, fencing, climbing, and bread-making. They also experienced an assault course through the countryside which involved a lot of mud, but which was probably the most popular activity! Cultural visits included Mont St Michel and the Bayeux Tapestry, a local market and a goat farm, where they were encouraged to feed, milk and handle the goats.

The weather was good and for pupils and staff alike it was a most enjoyable and worthwhile experience.