Outdoors
The spectacular setting of Monkton Prep and the extensive outdoor space, with playing fields all on-site is a huge highlight of every pupil’s experience.
Beyond the usual break and lunchtime outdoor play, we intentionally use this space to create opportunities for our pupils at all levels.
The Farm, which you see on arrival, gives all our pupils the chance to interact with animals, get to know them and learn more about how to care for our environment. Part of our leadership opportunities for our oldest pupils includes overseeing the care of the alpaca, sheep and goats, feeding them each day, and it is a responsibility they take very seriously - on a snowy day, they kept popping back to check they weren’t too cold!
Adventure EdUCATION
All our Year 9s enjoy Adventure Education as part of the enrichment carousel, getting stuck into survival skills, water-based fun, problem solving and team building activities.
Duke of Edinburgh's award
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award is a national programme designed to help young people ‘build lifelong belief in themselves, supporting them to take on their own challenges, follow their passions, and discover talents they never knew they had.’
All Year 9 pupils at Monkton have the opportunity to take on the Bronze award with usually most of the year group eagerly participating, supported by staff to complete the award’s four sections. The challenge of the expedition, run by our dedicated team and superb Duke of Edinburgh instructors, is always a highlight of the year.
Those who wish to can then go on to the Gold award as soon as they turn 16, and we have a huge number of pupils completing this exceptional award. This involves a 4 day expedition to the Brecon Beacons, followed by an expedition to Dartmoor and then finally the assessed expedition at the end of Year 12, either in Snowdonia or for the truly intrepid, exploring the Alps.
As well as taking part in expeditions to develop self reliance and perseverance in the outdoors, the award scheme encourages young people to learn new skills, take part in a physical activity and volunteer in the local community. At Monkton, pupils have taught Sunday School, helped with first aid at school events, served in our own cafe, helped run clubs for our prep school, worked in a riding stables, learned to cook or crochet, to name just a few of the skills pursued through the award.
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award stretches, challenges and builds character in a myriad of ways and we see our pupils developing new skills, learning personally the joy of service, and growing in confidence through this award.
Monkton Mountain Challenge
Our Mountain Challenge is a specially designed and unique-to-Monkton expedition series for our Year 10 pupils. Aimed at growing a love for the outdoors, the Challenge develops skills and provides challenges in mountainous areas less often visited by DofE groups.
The Monkton Mountain Challenge involves two training trips to the Brecon Beacons in March and Dartmoor in April to work on organisation, stamina, navigation and skills and confidence required on steep ground. The third trip in May has seen us visit the Lake District and Snowdonia with less of an emphasis on expedition skills and more of a focus on challenging day walks on steep ground, involving a degree of scrambling and exposure. Teams learn to work together to communicate and assist each other on some fairly challenging routes. The trip is a highlight of the year for those involved and we hope will give pupils skills, confidence and a life-long love of outdoor pursuits.
Combined Cadet Force (CCF)
Monkton is one of the few schools to operate a full Combined Cadet Force. From Year 10 onwards our pupils are able to join the Army, Navy or RAF sections and can choose to join our REME section in Year 11.
Our CCF aims to develop responsibility, resilience, discipline, courage, adventure, teamwork, independence and leadership through a mixture of military and non-military activities. Each section will participate in two field days during the year: we aim to get off-site, often to military bases or training areas, to put training into practice in the field. There are annual training camps for all three sections which also offer outdoor activities such as shooting, orienteering, rock climbing, abseiling, canoeing, gliding, flying, hiking, night exercises and RYA sailing courses at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth.
CCF also offers many opportunities to gain external qualifications in these areas through camps and courses that are run by the RN or through Cadet Adventure at Capel Curig throughout the year.
From Year 12 students can apply to become a Non-Commissioned Officer, leading the Year 10s with tailored support from our CCF staff. For some of our students, this forms part of their pathway into a career in one of the branches of the military, and we offer dedicated support on that journey.
Field Days
In Michaelmas and Lent terms, the whole school heads outside for Field Day.
Year 9s explore the Duke of Edinburgh Award and take on a series of outdoor challenges.
Year 10s follow their chosen branch of CCF, participating in sailing, flying or adventures on Salisbury plain.
Year 11s choose from a huge range of activities from track cycling, dry ski slope to climbing walls and more.
For Year 12s Field Day further enhances the enrichment programme, providing a field trip to develop and deepen the skills students are learning throughout the year.
Year 13s head out to conquer a mountain (just a small one!).
The memories created at Field Day stay forever.
