A week away with the kids

Ha ha - that sounds like I have my own kids... But I am a class teacher and 2 weeks ago I went with 3 other teachers and 41 children for a week's residential trip out in the countryside of Essex. I work in an inner city school, with children who have very few opportunities and have certainly not been out into the countryside for any extended time. It was such an amazing experience for them and, while I was dreading it before going, we had a fantastic time. We stayed in a big country house, we did activities such as archery, bike riding, campfire cooking, scavenger hunts and we went on some great long walks, took the children to a visit to Stansted Mountfitchett Castle (It's a motte-and-bailey reproduction) and had them feeding animals from their hands. It was a fantastic week, and bar the sleepless nights, we had a great time. Thought I'd share a few photos with you.