http://alisonslife-in-the-slow-lane.blogspot.com/ Life in the Slow Lane: Storytelling Sundays - School Trip

Sunday 5 February 2012

Storytelling Sundays - School Trip

On reading THIS post and the comments thereafter, I was reminded of my most memorable school trip. It wasn't memorable because of the distance we travelled, or because of the exciting sights we saw...it was memorable because it lasted for a MONTH.....as in a month without our parents and in the sole charge of our teachers!


We were in P6 or 7 at the time (about 11 years old) and our entire class went to a residential centre at a place called MEIGLE, in Perthshire (Scotland).  The Centre is set in a vast parkland, ideal for outdoor activities.There were six schools from our region, and each school was allotted  a wooden chalet hut, which was to become 'home' for four weeks. There were two dormitories (one for girls and one for boys), as well as rooms for staff - and a classroom  for indoor activities. We actually spent very little time indoors; we spent most days outdoors...orienteering, pond-dipping,climbing (little) mountains, learning about the Jacobite Rebellion and generally exploring the countryside. 
Belmont building in sunshine


I'm betting our poor teacher (Miss Randall) was relieved to find two assistants on our arrival...one male and one female overseas student. I can't quite remember where exactly they were from, but I think it must have been Romania, or one of the Eastern Bloc countries....I remember learning some kinds of dancing and songs from that part of the world.


The six schools ate together in one huge Dining Hall, and competed against each other in sports  events, quizzes ,Fancy Dress competitions etc....I can't remember who won the cup at the end of the month, but I don't think it was us.


The two middle Sundays were very exciting, as our families were allowed to come and visit (though only on one of them) bringing with them clean clothes and tuck boxes!!I remember the tuck boxes were more appreciated than the clean clothes!


The only negative part of the experience for me, was that I ended up having a bad asthma attack and had to spend a few days in the Sick Bay. The girl I was sharing bunk beds with was allowed to stay with me though, and all the other girls let us read their comics and came to visit!


As all this came back to me I 'googled'  the Belmont Centre and discovered it still going strong!
Although  the dorms still look as though they are using the same bunkbeds, 


Ardler Accommodation

the shower rooms  look somewhat improved!

Ardler Shower Room

I just can't imagine any teacher wanting to take responsibility for over 30 children, for that amount of time nowadays...or how many trees would have to die, to provide the number of forms required to be filled out for such a trip!

If you want to read some more stories today, why not pop over to FROM HIGH IN THE SKY where you are bound to find a goodly variety!

Thanks for dropping by!
Take care of you
Alison xx

32 comments:

  1. Oh Alison it must have been hard to leave your parents for 4 weeks. I have been on a 5 day residential with a group of 11 year olds and as an adult it was fun but very tiring so I cannot imagine taking them for 4 weeks.

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  2. Four weeks is a long time, we have schools here that have satellite campuses that have whole year levels at the beach or the snow for a term ... at least 10 weeks. It's a great experience and very good for building confidence and resilience I would say!

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  3. Wow, four weeks...I think I would of gone round the twist. I have been on a residential with our Yr6 for a week and that is exhausting enough. Great memories.

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  4. Four weeks?! I shall mention that to the lady who organises trips and visits at our school tomorrow and see what her face looks like! Filling in all the Health & Safety forms would take almost as long! sounds like it was a really memorable trip and how interesting that the place is still going strong.

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  5. a lovely memory to have Alison. Four weeks is a very long time though.

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  6. A whole month! That teacher deserves a medal. If that happened now it would probably take a whole month to fill out the forms!

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  7. I bet it was a great learning experience - but I think I would have missed home at that age - a week was all I did and I was glad to be back!

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  8. What an adventure this must have been - for a month! That's a huge length of time, and as you say, amazing teachers ever agreed. :) But how special - sounds so carefree (apart from the sick bay)...

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  9. There is no way that schools now would do that for four weeks but what fun it would have been. Isn't it strange the memories that reading other peoples stories bring to mind.

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  10. Your story brings to mind the Harry Potter series...Hogwarts, common dining room, pride in the school cup, etc. Truly memorable!

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  11. A whole month? Wow! But what an experience as an 11-year-old.

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  12. Having been present for half a week of a Y6 residential I cannot imagine what it would be like to be the teacher in charge for a month! Maybe you were better behaved than my daughter's class-mates! Sounds idyllic though. TFS

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  13. A whole 4 weeks without parents! It must have seemed like a whole summer, A great experience for you all and one that I can't imagine happening now. Too many forms for a start!

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  14. Wow, I can not imagine going to camp that long. I'm having a hard time deciding if I'll send my oldest to a week long camp. I bet it was a wonderful growing experience.

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  15. What an exciting adventure for you to remember for storytelling Sunday and the telling of it does take me back to my first time away from home, Staithes for one week when I was 10. How I bet you looked forward to a visit from family and the tuck box; four weeks is a long time.
    Thank you for sharing your story.

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  16. Wow! what an adventure! A whole month? That's amazing. I am absolutely delighted that my trip story sparked off a trip story for you too. In fact, i'm betting there might be one or two other moments from that month that could be turned into a story too!

    Thanks Alison. I love it

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  17. I went to "camp" for one week when I was about that age and I was so homesick! Can't imagine going for four weeks. And you're right about all the forms that would need to be completed now! Cool story!

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  18. wow! A whole month! How amazing! Looks like a fabulous place Alison, you all must have had such fun!

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  19. gosh none of our trips were a month long! That poor teacher!! Great experience to have had in a great part of the world

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  20. Four weeks sounds an incredibly long time for an 11 year old....but it sounds like you really enjoyed it...though I wonder if the teacher did!!

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  21. Wow, that was a long trip. I can't imagine it happening today either. I remember a three day trip to San Antonio when I was in Junior High, and the teachers were probably relieved to be home after that shor time!

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  22. Wow! I stayed there! We only went for a week, and I actually celebrated my 14th birthday there! Thanks for sharing this, brought back many memories for me of a wonderful week!

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  23. What a great memory to have, it made me think of the film The Parent Trap. Thanks for sharing your story x

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  24. Oh what a great memory, for a whole month, and as 11 year olds you must have had so much fun :)

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  25. sounds like you all had a good time apart from the asthma attack, my thoughts are with the poor teachers!

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  26. I don't think they'd allow any such thing these days, shame really as it sounds fun!

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  27. How fun to be able to google your old camp! DS will go on a graduation trip to Costa Rica next year but that's a relatively new thing here.
    rinda

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  28. My son went on a trip this last summer at the same age but only for a week and I missed him terribly. Your parents must have been so pleased when you got home :)

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  29. Phew I couldn't survive that! My little one is off for TWO nights and I am dreading being without her!!mes

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  30. What a fab adventure to have had at that age, it sounds like you had great fun! It must have been hard leaving your family for so long though, and them to leave you

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  31. Goodness a month is a very long time at that age I think. My Mum wasn't keen for me to be gone that long to India and I was 17! Your wonderful story prompted me to google the residential centre I went to aged 10 and that's still going too. What I thought was interesting, they have room for 38 children and 8 adults. A very high ratio of helpers!

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  32. Amazing to think of a month away like that. But they do it in the US for Summer.

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Thanks for leaving a comment....I love reading them all!