Grassboarding and grasshoppers

With the Top Year going off surfing in Polzeath and the Shells going camping in the Peak District, it was time for the rest of the school to have some fun of their own.

The sun shone, the mercury rose, the summer had arrived in earnest.

Mrs Duckham and Miss Parkinson took the 100's to 'Out to Grass', a surfy hang out near Bromyard with miles and miles of great grassboarding tracks. After half an hour of instruction, they were off, matrons too.

"The instructors were great", says Ed Heynes, "they built up our confidence completing each run and then sent us off down a new one".

"I loved the big jumps" says Alex Escriva.

"It was cool watching the boys do the jumping...and I loved being able to roam around freely and go on any run we wanted."

"It was so funny, Georgie and Miss Parkinson collided," says Kitty. "The flapjacks from the cafe were also really good" ("and so was the cool music" added Hannah Rosslee).

After three hours of grassboarding, a great school picnic and some delicious ice creams, the 100's came back to school and Mr Leather and Miss P got the waterslide out. It was such fun that some of the old boys playing cricket came over and used it too!

Meanwhile the Form 1's and Removes had a trip to the Long Mynd, a fantastic upland wildlife reserve above Church Stretton. Our National Trust guide pointed out the wildlife, the geology, flora and iron age history of this extraordinary place. Adam Rosslee was a dragonfly-spotter extraordinaire; Charlie Johns showed his amazing knowledge of geology, and Toby Patrick asked some searching questions about chaffinches!

We too had a great picnic, then travelled south to Croft Castle to take part in battle re-enactments as Yorkists at the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross (Wars of the Roses). We roamed the Yorkists’ campsite, learning how to make longbows, how to juggle and how to dress up for battle. Wow that armour was heavy.

We came back to school for a good supper followed by outdoor games then…tired by happy…bed.

100’s / Removes / Form Ones