HILLTOP RESIDENTIAL DAY 3

The morning started altogether more gently to \mmday – in fact, some rooms actually needed to be woken up by the teachers at 7 o’clock when the day officially began. Once up though, the children were straight into the business of the day and the first item on the agenda was packing. It’s a complicated business working out what still needed to be kept out for the activities, what would be needed on the bus, where to put slippers and toothbrushes and what needed to be stowed away in suitcases. And of course, there was the difficulty of putting sleeping bags back into to their sacks – not an easy thing to do.

By breakfast time though, all the rooms were ready and some groups even had some extra final minutes in the games room. Breakfast – the second cooked breakfast of the week – was delicious, as all the food at Hilltop has been. The children seem to have really enjoyed the food and no-one has gone hungry.

Before our final activity, we had time to announce the winners of the tidiest room competition and Fressingfield aced it: Harry, James and Isaac won the boys competition – their room has been immaculately maintained all week – and the mixed room of Stradbroke and Fressingfield girls – Martha, Emily and Emily – won the girls’ competition. Their cause was helped by room rules pinned up to the wall by Emily, bed labels for each bunk, a rota for using the bathroom and neon sign that read ‘Slay’ brought to decorate the window sill. Well, their room did slay and they won the competition. Well done Fress!

Group 1’s final activity of the trip was the Crate Stacking and Caving and they seemed to really enjoy it. Mr Taylor specifically mentioned Arthur E who impressed by overcoming initial nerves to take part in both activities. Group 2, meanwhile, were on the Tree Top Trail, which is a bit like GoApe. The children were encouraged to be mindful of one another and to focus not only on their own course around the trail, but to think about helping others as they navigated the clipping on and off for each activity and their nerves as they faced each challenge. They did it all brilliantly.

And now we’re on the coach home, looking forward to home comforts, hot showers, mum’s (or dad’s) cooking and our own beds. It’s been full of fun, full of challenge and really busy and I can’t believe how quickly it has all gone. Well done Year 6.