YEAR 6 pupils at All Saints Marsh Church of England Academy and Dunsford Community Academy, (both part of the Learning Academy Partnership) enjoyed an exciting residential at Dartmoor Training Centre.

The children found themselves in the heart of Dartmoor National Park for a three-day trip – providing a well-earned opportunity for them to have fun following their SATs.

Staying at the Dartmoor Training Centre, the Year 6 pupils made new friends from across the trust.

Various adventurous activities included archery, a night walk on the moors and watching a spectacular sunset at Laughter Tor, climbing and weaseling at Hound Tor. One of the biggest hits was cooling off by having a splash in the River Dart.

The weather was glorious, allowing the children to make the most of the opportunities at Dartmoor Training Centre.

For some of the children it was their first time staying away from home, but they supported one another to embrace the experience.

The cross-collaboration between All Saints Marsh Church of England Academy and Dunsford Community Academy exemplifies the Trust’s value of being ‘better together’.

The children loved getting the chance to build friendships across the two academies and have already organised to remain pen pals. One of the pupils said: ‘I’ve loved making new friends and have lots of activities planned to meet up again!’

A highlight of the trip was the teambuilding exercise.

The pupils found their communication skills put to the test as they worked alongside their newfound friends to complete challenges.

Despite several setbacks, they responded positively to the feedback and bounced back, displaying perseverance and resilience.

One pupil said: ‘I didn’t think I’d enjoy the climbing, but I was awesome at it!’

While another reported: ‘I have never done weaseling before, but it was so much fun climbing and scrambling through rocks!’.

The pupils gave rave reviews of the trip, describing Dartmoor Training Centre as ‘the best place EVER!’

Residential trips are a core element of the Learning Academy Partnership’s Trust Charter, and the teams at All Saints Marsh Church of England Academy and Dunsford Community Academy truly went the extra mile to enable more pupils to attend by seeking community funding.

Family support lead, Becky Webber, successfully applied for additional funding from the local Community and Locality Fund from Teignbridge District Council and Devon County Council to reduce the cost of the trip for families.

Evie Semmens, headteacher at All Saints Marsh Church of England Academy, said: ‘Across the Learning Academy Partnership, opportunities such as these are an essential part of ensuring that our pupils are confident and independent young people with strong teamworking skills.

‘At All Saints Marsh Church of England Academy, we are so passionate about giving our pupils the chance to take part in a wide range of fun activities both inside and outside of the classroom that foster their love of learning.

‘Being so close to Dartmoor, we take very seriously the responsibility of ensuring our pupils appreciate the natural beauty on our doorstep.

‘It’s wonderful to see the children from across the Trust coming together, supporting each other and forging new long-lasting friendships.’