School name: Simon Balle School
School motto/mision: Creating tomorrow's citizens today
School's website: www.simonballe.herts.sch.uk
Favourite activities: Shelter building, nightline, archery, high ropes, cresta run toboggans
I simply can’t think of anywhere better for our community.
When Simon Balle All-through School booked an early-September Rootd residential, getting Year 5 off to a positive start, setting the expectations for the year ahead and building a strong sense of community among the year group were their main objectives.
Their teaching staff wanted to encourage greater independence and responsibility among the pupils, and they saw this as an age and stage-appropriate time to introduce these themes.
Based in Hertfordshire, Simon Balle also wanted to keep travel times to a minimum, so pupils could make the most of their time away from the classroom.
Building connections
As team building was a priority for Simon Balle, Rootd made sure that group challenges were a focus of their outdoor activity programme.
Through shelter building in their survivor bushcraft sessions, team scavenger hunts and the nightline challenge, pupils worked together to achieve a shared goal – inspiring greater collaboration and showing children what they could achieve as a team.
In archery, high ropes and the Cresta taboggan run, children cheered each other on, creating a real sense of belonging for every child.
And in between activities, children were encouraged explore the surrounding woodland together, building their independence and allowing them to fully enjoy the freedom of nature.
Home comforts
The school stayed in Rootd’s pod village, which provided the perfect amount of comfort for a September trip.
Simon Balle’s teaching staff commented that the pupil pods were ‘sensational’, with everything they needed for a comfortable, outdoor experience. Assistant Headteacher, Grace Mizon, told Rootd: “The pods were warm, welcoming, safe and secure, with easy storage for wet clothing and shoes.”
The home comforts of the teacher pods were also appreciated by the teaching staff, with Grace Mizon saying: “Having our own toilets and showers makes a world of difference, as do the refreshment facilities and individual rooms for each staff member. You’re better rested to continue to care for the students and support them when needed.”
Unwinding together
The layout of the pod village successfully brought children together in the quieter moments, encouraging them to enjoy downtime together and mix with the whole year group.
Whether chatting in the chill out areas with friends, playing games or singing together around the campfire in the evening, every child was included and made to feel a valuable part of the group.
Maximising activity time
Simon Balle really felt the benefits of choosing a camp so close to the school in Hertfordshire. Only a 40-minute drive away, the camp’s proximity meant lower coach costs and more time for the children to take part in activities.
Teachers also appreciated the ease of access for other staff members in case of emergencies, and they found that it was better for nervous children as they didn’t feel so far away from home.
Rebooked already!
The feedback from Simon Balle was outstanding. They’ve already reserved their place for next year and they’ve expressed a wish to attend in the same week every year for the foreseeable future!
Grace Mizon told Rootd she found the whole experience exceptional and that she ‘simply cannot fault it.’
The best parts of the trip for them included the breadth of activities on offer, the support from Rootd staff, the pod experience and seeing their pupils learning in such an inspiring outdoor environment.
We look forward to welcoming Simon Balle back next September!