Residential Visits

Residential Visits are now a key part of primary school.  Although not all children choose to attend, those who do benefit from developing their life skills. Primarily, this is understanding that they can work semi-independently from their parents and that they can challenge themselves, succeeding in unfamiliar settings and situations.

We usually offer two residential experiences, once in Year Three or Four and once in Year Five or Six.  These visits are normally separated by a two year gap.

In 2021/22, post-Covid, there have been two residential experiences.

Year Three and Four visited Robinwood, Barhaugh Hall, Alston from November 29th to December 1st 2021.

Year Five and Six visited YMCA Lakeside, Newby Bridge from March 21st to 23rd 2022.

Both of these visits have outdoor and adventurous learning as the core activity.  This is a requirement of the National Curriculum for PE. Cumbria is the premier adventure learning location in England.  As a school we feel that it is important for children to learn skills and activities that they may wish to experience as they get older.  

Risks/Health and Safety.

We are sometimes reminded through events reported in the news that there are risks involved in such visits. Determined not to lose this precious aspect of education at Rockcliffe, the school has to be very careful to avoid significant risks and manage any remaining smaller ones while we are in loco parentis.

To do this we follow strictly the County’s guidelines which involve risk assessment and expert review as necessary in the approval cycle for visits.  The school used the Evolve system to record and assess residential visits.

All our visits are carried out at centres which are either AALA or LOTC registered. 

Even when there are expert trainers or instructors on a visit, we retain the responsibility to overview activities and stop them, just like a good parent would, if we felt that the bounds of acceptable safety parameters were being reached.

We provide financial support to all parents with children who receive Pupil or Service Premium funding.  Any other request for finacial support, thus enabling a child to attend, can be discussed with the Head Teacher in total confidence.  Financial hardship should never stop a child from being able to attend an activitiy. 

There are no planned residentials for the 2022-2023 academic year.

Both Mr. Hodgkiss and Mrs. Birch are trained as Educational Visit Co-ordinators (EVC).