As part of the orientation process when joining the Senior School in Year 7, the whole year group engage in Team Building sessions designed for them to get to know one another, in different settings to Form Time or the normal timetable.

Team Building is fun and allows children to understand that together they can solve a challenge by organising, interacting and planning.

This development is very important during this time of great change and builds on the work already done during induction and Form Tutor time for our Year 7 pupils.

This year the sessions were held over two consecutive days in mid October.

The first day included a Dragons Den scenario, where the teams pitched respectively on the following concepts:

• A ‘wellbeing’ phone and accessories for young people
• A range of sports balls that return automatically on command
• A pen that writes what you say, for those unable to write themselves
• An in-car gadget that finds parking spaces by linking to CCTV cameras

All the presentations were well thought through, clearly presented by the pupils to teaching staff (including Head Teacher Mr Jenkinson) and peers. All evidenced strong teamwork.

Each group secured investment!

That afternoon the pupils attended a study skills session led by external provider ‘Study Skills Zone‘. This problem-solving session saw the pupils working together in teams, with sweet treats as incentive and added bonus in working efficiently together.

The following morning, Year 7 travelled to the Conway Centre in Anglesey, North Wales, for the day.

The outdoor activities included a woodland rope course as well as raft building, using reclaimed and recycled materials to create sea-worthy vessels that the pupils could paddle out into the surrounding waters.

Here are some of the great comments pupils made about the Team Building sessions:

‘My dream is to start a business one day and Team Building gave me a taste of what it is like. I met many new people, so that helped me settle in and made me feel comfortable.

I enjoyed making the raft as it required teamwork in order to make it float. Beside that – it was really fun!’

‘I enjoyed everybody working together, and when something wasn’t quite right, we changed it so it would work properly.

I gained better communication skills which helped me achieve things with other people.

The Team Building has helped me get to know people better. Thank you for the experience.’

 

‘Some of the activities were very challenging. We started with activities in the woods with a rope swing. We then built a raft from barrels, rope and wooden poles. Amazingly it didn’t sink when we set sail!

This will be a day I remember.’