At ESMS, we recognise and celebrate the value of Outdoor Education. In an age where children are spending an increasing amount of time online, perhaps the importance of Outdoor Education has never been greater.
Our Outdoor Education starts in Nursery with initiatives such as Forest Kindergarten and continues to be an integral part of school life right the way through to Sixth Form, with a focus on ensuring children gain positive experiences and confidence through exploration of the outdoors.
This ethos is perhaps best represented during the summer term at ESMS, when year groups are involved in a number of great outdoor pursuits. Primary 4-7 classes took part in residential camps throughout April and May, enjoying a wide range of outdoor activities like climbing, canoeing, archery or sailing whilst gaining independence and making new friends. Each year, children are excited for Camp and the new challenges they bring!
Our S1 and S2 twinned classes then enjoyed their Projects Week at the end of May, the focus of which is to encourage all children to try a new activity, with a wide range on offer over the week-long period such as surfing, scuba diving, or skiing.
For S3 boys and girls, May also brings their eight-day Carbisdale experience, which is often cited as the highlight of many school careers. This residential trip based in the heart of the Scottish Highlands challenges pupils physically through a variety of activities and helps them to develop skills that will be fundamental to success in their adult lives. For a brief snapshot of the annual Carbisdale Trip, take a look at our video from this year's experience!
As the largest provider of DofE in Scotland, a number of pupils will go on to gain Bronze, Silver or Gold awards on trips to Ben Nevis, Glencoe or Drumochter Pass, to name a few. Dedicated Outdoor Education classes make use of the Scottish countryside we are lucky to have close by, with regular expeditions to the Pentland Hills Regional Park.
ESMS continues to encourage children to explore beyond their comfort zones and to take every opportunity available to them to find new interests, making use of the great, rugged, Scottish outdoors whilst developing skills, interests and friendships.
We’ve rounded up some of our favourite photos from this term’s Outdoor Education, which you can view on our Flickr page here.
