Foundation Magazine 2021-2022 | Mount Kelly

ACADEMICS
LEARNING OUTSIDE
THE CLASSROOM
YEAR 5
Pupils in Year 5 spent a wonderful
few days camping at Polly Joke
in September - the first time for
some under canvas! The children visited
Newquay Zoo where they learnt about
penguin habitats and listened to a most
engaging talk from one of the zoo keepers
about the animals of the savannah. On
Wednesday, they sketched and drew in
the serenely tranquil Japanese Gardens
where statues, beautifully shaped
shrubs, ornate bridges and ponds of koi
carp captured the children’s imagination.
Their final day was spent body-boarding
and learning to surf on sunny Fistral
Beach, followed by a talk from the RNLI
coast guard about safety in the sea,
flag knowledge and how to look after
our coastline. Tired but happy children
returned to school having had a lovely
time making new friends and cementing
old friendships, with lots of fun, laughter
and sand!
YEAR 6
Our Learning Outside the
Classroom (LOTC) programme
is now a well-established part
of life at Mount Kelly and brings real
enrichment to our pupils’ intellectual
journey by combining what they learn
in the classroom with their instinctive
passion for the outdoors and the natural
world.
This year’s Learning Outside the
Classroom (LOTC) programme for all
pupils in Year 6 ran from Tuesday 7 to
Thursday 9 September 2021. The pupils
were based at Nun’s Cross Farm for the
duration of the camp.
After packing the Land Rover with far
too many bags we were ready to hit the
road toward Dewerstone Rock where
the children took part in abseiling and
scrambling for half of the day and then
switched to do a science investigation
about habitats.
After this nail biting start to the
programme, the Year 6 arrived at Nun’s
Cross Farm. We quickly checked in and
enjoyed a well earnt hot chocolate. After
playing some wide games it was soon
time for bed – not necessarily sleep – but
bed.
Next morning, we headed out for a very
wet and windy walk across the moor
to visit a number of sights where the
Dartmoor myths and legends were played
out. The walk was challenging and the
weather made it even more so. Returning
to school for a fixture the children enjoyed
a BBQ tea and on return to Nun’s Cross
produced their very own performances of
the legends they had visited.
A little more sleep was had on our final
night ready for the now infamous bog run
at Minions. With much anticipation the
children headed out across the moor to
the bogs. Jumping and wading through
the thick mud they were rewarded by
jumping into the disused quarry from
heights up to 20 feet.
ACADEMICS
70 | THE FOUNDATION 21-22 THE FOUNDATION 21-22 | 71