Year 5 Residential Camp at Kilve Court, Weds 23-Fri 25th April 2025

Wednesday 23rd April - Day 1

Year 5 made a super start to their time at Kilve, throwing themselves in fully to their first activities. After devouring their packed lunches, finding their dorms and making their beds, they either tried their hand at some risky manoeuvres on the mountain bike trail or they could be seen zipping up and down the climbing wall! Fears were most definitely conquered and new skills learnt. The smiles on their faces after just one activity told us they were already enjoying themselves.

There was no time to rest, however, as activity number two was under way with a quick turnaround for different shoes or the grabbing of a water bottle. Late afternoon saw the children rifle shooting or shooting down the grass slope on grass sledges! Mouths agog, screams filled the air and Mr Eades just about managed to get the photos taken quick enough! Meanwhile in the rifle shooting shed, the children were aiming to get their target number of 10 and challenged each other to get closer and closer each time. The rivalry was light hearted and good humoured: many of the children couldn’t believe they’d handled “an actual gun”!

Once the activities were finished, the children were refuelled with some delicious chocolate cake (it didn’t last long) and then had time in their dorms to unpack and be ready for their dorm inspections prior to dinnertime. The standard of tidiness and organisation was high…Mrs Rowe and Mrs Brown found it very difficult to decide on today’s winner but it’s all about stamina….those dorms need to be inspected again tomorrow and Friday before a final winning dorm can be named.

After a hearty evening meal of chilli, rice and nachos (declared by the children as “best food ever”), the evening activity of Cluedo began. The teachers somehow disappeared at this point of proceedings and seemed to be taken over by some characters known as Mad Chef Karen, Princess Mary, The Instructor, Farmer Fred, Gardener Brian and Army Jake. As the children ran around asking the characters for clues, they had to fulfil challenges in order to be given clues. Some of the challenges were physical, in the form of press-ups; some were knowledge-based, such as naming food groups, and others were just a bit of fun! (Act like a chicken for 10 seconds) An hour of clue-finding led them all to discover that Mad Chef Karen was the murderer (and they all thought it was Mrs Brown…..), in the maze, with rabbit droppings. Mrs Brown was nowhere to be seen so it MUST have been Mad Chef Karen!

Hot chocolate was poured and enjoyed before bed and then it was lights out at 9:30pm. The giggling and whispers continued for a while but all went quiet eventually.

The children’s manners have been seriously impressive and they are doing Christ Church proud. Well done Year 5! Two more days of fun ahead!

Thursday 24th April - Day 2

Day 2 at Kilve is well under way. In fact, it started before the dawn chorus at 4:50 this morning!! If there’s something we’ve learnt about Year 5 this week, it is that they like to shower, early. Whilst we decided 7am might be slightly more acceptable for morning ablutions, the children eventually settled back down to play quiet games in their dorms whilst waiting – with grumbling tummies – for the breakfast call at 8:30am. There were definitely some very tired children (and teachers) in the dining hall but the sausages, hash browns and beans perked us all up nicely and got us ready for our first activity. 

Just as the sun decided to peep through the clouds, we headed off as one big group, down to Kilve Beach. We had a beautiful walk through the lane, spotting wild garlic as we walked. One of the resident peacocks also decided to get it's feathers out on display for us, which the children absolutely loved! Soldiering on through the lane and down to the beach, stopping for the odd car as it came, the children chatted happily to one another. Eventually we reached the beach and the children had an hour or so to find fossils, look for crabs, spot sea life in the rockpools, clamber over the rocks – they were thoroughly entertained for the entire time. We did come back with one or two soggy socks but alas the Kilve staff let us use the centre welly stash so most children remained dry! En route home, we stopped off for delicious ice cream and then came back to Kilve for yet more food – lunch this time!

This afternoon the children have turned their hands (and feet) to climbing, mountain biking, rifle shooting and grass sledging again. Yet more screams and sounds of joy as they whizz down the slope on their sledges or huge smiles as bikes are ridden for the first time. It really is wonderful to see the children learning so much and enjoying themselves.

They are going to be totally worn out this evening by running around the maze as it gets dark so we are expecting some very quick bedtime routines at 9pm and no doubt everyone will be asleep by 10pm. Or will they? We’ll keep you posted! Rest assured, we will be bringing home some very tired but very happy children tomorrow ?

Friday 25th April - Day 3

There was a somewhat subdued feel in the camp this morning as bleary eyed campers packed for home before breakfast.  However, the cereal, toast and crumpets helped spring the children into life as they spent the entire morning problem-solving.  They blew our socks off with their teamwork, resilience and thinking skills as all challenges were solved logically and therefore speedily.

Lunch has now been devoured and the coach has been loaded for our return journey home. The children were sad to wave goodbye but they have some wonderful stories to tell....perhaps once they've caught up on their sleep!!

Well done and thank you Year 5 - you have done us proud and have been a pleasure to take to Kilve.