The Year 7 Outdoor Education programme, aka “Wild Fridays”, this year has provided a wide range of experiences designed to challenge and inspire students beyond the classroom.
From team-building and outdoor art to bushcraft and adventure days, students have developed practical skills and explored topics such as biodiversity, sustainability and safety, while building confidence and resilience through real-world experiences.
Throughout the programme, students have clearly demonstrated the confidence, teamwork and sense of achievement reflected in their writing above. From learning new skills to overcoming challenges, they have stepped outside their comfort zones and grown in resilience while engaging with the world beyond the classroom. We are incredibly grateful to the students for their enthusiasm, and to parents and staff for their continued support in making such a busy and rewarding programme possible.
Below are some student summaries, sharing their experiences of the main activities they have taken part in this year.
St. Brelade’s Adventure Day Ariyana, 7NI
One of the highlights of our year was our St. Brelade’s Adventure Day. We did many fun activities, such as yoga, kayaking and micro-plastic picking. We were split into our teaching groups, and we got to know our new classmates.
When we were doing yoga, we were in a calm, mindful surrounding, which helped us let go of any thoughts or distractions. Doing yoga helped us notice the many different examples of nature around us. It taught us to appreciate our surroundings, especially since we live on an island where there is so much to see.
During our kayaking session, we learnt simple ways to use a kayak and developed water survival skills. We did drills where we jumped into the water, and we learnt how to dismount and properly store a kayak once finished.
In our micro-plastic session, we walked up to a small hidden-away clearing and enjoyed the beautiful view. After our walk, we put on gloves and started picking up the little colourful pieces of micro-plastic. By doing this, we helped to protect our planet and the creatures that live in it. We also learnt some interesting facts and stories about plastic in the ocean.
On our St. Brelade’s trip, we had the best time ever. We would love to do it again if we had the chance, and we hope future year groups will love it as much as we did!
Dairy Farm Visit Maddie, 7CF
Going on the La Ferme Farm visit was one of my favourite Wild Friday activities. When we first arrived, the people showing us around were excellent hosts and willing to answer all our eager questions. At the start, they told us about some of the various places and facts around the farm, like the milking parlour (which we later visited!). They showed us the bats and house martins darting around the sturdy wooden beams that criss-cross inside a towering arch structure and we marvelled at the tiny birds zigzagging above our heads; they were very energetic!
We were also shown to an enormous barn that housed the highlight of the visit: the Jersey cows!!! Stroking their golden sides as they nudged us in greeting was the crowning moment for me, especially with the ADORABLE calves. We all got to see the milking parlour, and I nearly died from laughing when the gates lifted and a cow leaned over and LICKED my surprised teacher! The most fascinating part was watching the machine that cools the milk; it was extremely satisfying when it WHOOSHED through the tube into the container. At the end of the visit, I was sorry to go, but my time at La Ferme left me with a deep appreciation for this exceptional place!
Bushcraft Ayla, 7GA
This year in Year 7, I completed 2 Bushcraft sessions as a Wild Friday activity. We were accompanied by Kaz Padidar, who was very helpful. In the first session, we learned about all the different ways to handle fire and being cautious with it. I found this really fun and we even got to have marshmallows at the end. I learnt my own safety skills and cognitive abilities through this activity, and it was a lot of fun being with my friends because everyone got a try!
I preferred the second activity because we were building shelters, and I’m not going to lie, it was a really difficult challenge. We used tarps, wood and sticks as hammers to build a shelter. This is definitely an activity that requires teamwork and resilience because even though my group failed at times, we managed to get it up in the end. was all worth it because all groups were being judged on sustainability to see if it would stay and how it looked overall, and my group won!
The second activity was definitely harder, but I found it more fun because sometimes challenges are better. I recommend this and hope the school continues to run these sessions because they really teach you many skills that you thought you wouldn’t be able to do. After that, I have gained many skills that I am proud to have, and I can perform them confidently in front of other people. I really liked the Bushcraft sessions!
Hamptonne Annabella, Josephine, Emily 7NI
In Hamptonne, we learned how to identify plants and bugs. We went around the grounds looking for different plants. Then we caught some bugs and learnt how to identify them. We enjoyed seeing the animals, especially the ducklings! We learnt environmental awareness. We helped each other and built our teamwork skills during the bug hunt.
First Aid Session Evelyn, 7NI
In First Aid, we learned how to help someone if they are hurt. We practised putting someone in the recovery position, treating small injuries, and calling for help. At Hamptonne, we took part in fun outdoor activities and worked together as a team. We learned important skills like teamwork, confidence, and how to stay calm in an emergency. We also learned to help others and enjoyed spending time with our friends. These activities taught us useful skills that we can use in the future.
St. Ouen’s Adventure Day Gemma B, 7IN
Our Wild Friday trip to St. Ouen’s Adventure Day was really fun and exciting. We played crazy golf, which was funny because everyone was trying to get a hole-in-one. We also went on a wild walk where we explored nature and saw lots of interesting plants and wildlife. Another activity was picking weeds to help look after the environment and keep the area clean. We worked together as a team, had lots of laughs, and learned how important it is to care for nature. It was a great day that helped us build confidence, teamwork, and respect for the environment
RNLI Visit Trish, Millie and Lyra, 7CAWe went to the RNLI headquarters in St Helier. They showed us an educational video on how they trained to become coastguards and all of their first drafts for their newest boat. We also got to go onto the all-weather boat and they gave us a tour of the whole thing, including the different roles they all had and the designated seats. They told us how they would handle different situations in the water, like casualties, sea sickness and more.
During the experience, we really enjoyed the boat tour and also hearing stories about different situations they have been in and how they handled them. We enjoyed learning about how they have progressed with the boats, and what the old boats used to look like compared to the boats they have now. The skills we learnt in the session were useful and will impact us in our future years.
