All points North

Ferndown Upper School’s Level 2 Blue Skies students had a useful day learning how to map read yesterday. The skill was put to great use by orienteering around the forest at Moors Valley Country Park in Dorset. Jen Sutton, our instructor showed everyone how to use the map and then we had to practice in a field by locating numbers that we were given directions to find.  Once we had demonstrated we knew what we were doing, we went to the edge of the forest to seek some reference points. Everyone found them easily.

Sadie, 14, she she’d learnt “that it makes everything a whole lot easier for everyone when we pay attention and listen to everything and what everyone has to say.”

The hardest part came in the afternoon when everyone got a chance to lead their team and follow the map around the forest to find 19 check points. The teams had given themselves names and it was Team MKL that won the day.

Lottie, 14 said that “motivating her team was challenging but by encouraging them and being positive, overcame the problem.”

Mrs Hicks, the accompanying teacher said “I saw some brilliant leadership skills developing as the groups are learning to communicate and trust each other.”

Thanks go to Cobham for very kindly sponsoring the day.