Arthog 2021 

Final plans for our ‘Arthog at Pontesbury’ week are being sorted and I will post the finalised timetable as soon as possible. 

In the meantime, I would like to explain a little how the week will be organised and what we hope to achieve during the week.  

We are striving to make the week as close to the residential Arthog experience as possible with the structure of each day the same as that which the children would experience at the Arthog Centre in Wales. 

Each day will start with a full breakfast to ensure everyone has enough energy for the day’s activities. As at Arthog, the children will be responsible for setting up and clearing the hall before and after meals in duty teams. There will then be a suite of activities each day led by Arthog staff, including a pack lunch provided by the school kitchen, followed by a hearty evening meal back at school. Activities will take place each evening and will include, as they do at Arthog, photosearches, orienteering and the dreaded nightline! Children will then be collected at 8.00pm each evening apart from Thursday which is camp night. Just to say we need all children collected from the school playground: no children will be allowed to walk home alone. 

I know some have questioned the price of this week considering that many of the activities will be based local to school at sites which I am sure that many of you have already visited. I also very much appreciate that £230 is not a trivial amount of money and that it is a very serious proportion of household income. 

Arthog is not simply about the activities. Anyone can book a climbing experience at the Shrewsbury Sports Village or a canoeing trip on the River Severn or even join the Snailbeach Mines Trust and have a trip into the mines. The difference with Arthog is its staff. They are simply the best outdoor instructors in the business and will provide an experience for your children which simply cannot be replicated by any other outdoor education provider or on a family day out. 

Whether rockclimbing at Grinshill Quarry or simply walking through the woods on Pontesford Hill, each activity becomes a unique, never to be repeated experience. Not only are the instructors expert in every aspect of outdoor learning, their ability to really get to know the children in their group ensures that every activity is honed and crafted to ensure the children will have an unforgettable memory. 

I have recently had a conversation with the parent of an ex-pupil who left 4 years ago. She told me, even after so many years, it is the instructor about which her son still talks! 

The instructors will get to know your children inside out and exactly what they are capable of. They will then tailor activities to ensure all are challenged yet have it within themselves to succeed. That is their great skill. The children will find some activities challenging or maybe even a little scary, but when they do succeed, they will experience the unbridled pride at having done so, whether it is reaching the top of the climb or simply making it to the top of the hill. They will also experience the joy at seeing their peers sharing and applauding their success. For all of our children, the power of this is inestimable and the main reason that I, and so many of my staff and the Arthog staff, are striving so hard to provide this opportunity for our children and especially considering the terrible eighteen Covid ridden months we’ve all suffered and the massive impact this has had on our wonderful year six’s last year in primary school. 

Kit List 

Arthog will provide everything needed each day for each activity including waterproofs, walking boots etc. and all camping gear, including sleeping bags! 

There is therefore no need to worry about having to purchase any expensive kit. 

For each day, the children are only required to bring: 

• Old clothes, good for active use, we often get dirty/ wet, if not both. 
• Warm clothes, two thinner jumpers are better than coats. 
• Good socks (trainer socks or thin socks are not suitable). 
• Well-fitting trainers, including an old pair, or a pair of wellies, for wet activities. 
• Complete change of clothes, if there is a chance of carrying out a water activity. 
• A refillable water bottle. 
• Sun cream. 
• Warm hats / gloves, if the weather turns colder. 

Please do not bring mobile phones, money or jewellery. 

That’s it for now. Any questions please don’t hesitate to email me. 

Mr Langford