Our Year 3 residential trip to Minstead Study Centre, in the heart of the New Forest National Park, was a fantastic experience filled with adventure, teamwork and discovery. Over the three days, the children developed their independence, strengthened friendships and gained a deeper understanding of the natural world.
After arriving on Wednesday, the children settled into their accommodation and took on their very first challenge — learning how to make their beds! The dormitory building, made from local timber and designed with sustainability in mind, provided a unique setting for their stay. The children stayed in two large dormitories with bunk beds and showers, quickly adapting to life away from home.
During their introduction to Minstead, the children learned about the centre’s focus on sustainability and how water and electricity use would be carefully monitored throughout the trip. This encouraged everyone to think about how they could help put the Earth first, both during their stay and beyond.
Our first full day began with a 3km walk through the beautiful New Forest. The children showed fantastic enthusiasm and resilience as they explored the woodland trails, stopping halfway for a well-earned flapjack break at a scenic viewpoint. Later in the day, they enjoyed outdoor art activities, using clay to create sculptures inspired by nature, before taking part in pond-dipping and identifying a variety of mini-beasts.
One of the highlights of the trip was receiving their special “Minstead name” — an animal or plant name worn proudly on a necklace. Throughout the activities, the children earned beads representing themes such as water, biodiversity and teamwork, and they were delighted to watch their collections grow over the course of the residential.
The evenings were especially memorable. On the first night, everyone gathered around the campfire to sing songs and roast marshmallows together. The second evening brought a relaxing movie night, where the children enjoyed watching The Incredibles after another busy and exciting day.
Our final morning included an orienteering challenge around the site, where the children worked brilliantly in pairs to navigate their way around the course. We finished the trip with the energetic Goshawk game, with Mrs Baker and Mrs Jones becoming the goshawks trying to catch the robins — a lively and laughter-filled end to a wonderful few days before heading home on Friday.
Sustainability remained an important theme throughout the trip. The children learned about saving water and electricity and reducing food waste. After meals, they helped sort leftovers into compostable and non-compostable waste, putting their learning into practice in a meaningful way.
The residential gave the children a wonderful opportunity to challenge themselves, try new experiences and create lasting memories with their friends. We were incredibly proud of their enthusiasm, teamwork and positive attitude throughout the trip, and it was a joy to see their confidence grow over the three days.
Discover the Sherborne Enrichment Advantage
To discover more about the opportunities, experiences and adventures that make up the Sherborne enrichment advantage, visit our enrichment page: Sherborne Enrichment Advantage
