Fifteen Year thirteen students and six Year twelve and thirteen students successfully completed their Gold and Silver Expeditions Assessed Expeditions in the Brecon Beacons on the last weekend of September.

We were reasonably lucky with the weather given the time of year. The rain only really set in as true Welsh Mountain weather on the last day for the Gold teams with a bit of overnight rain on the Saturday and the Silver team re-routed to a poor weather route on the second day due to high winds.

Some teams learnt the hard way the need for prior route planning and detailed timings. As it gets dark quite early at this time of year, it became clear that they would not make their campsite safely on the second night and they were obliged to “wild camp". With the complete lack of mobile phone transmission in much of this area, it can become quite interesting!

Our previous Gold assessor, Kerry Rees, was not available this time so I at least was a little nervous of the new and untried Assessor. In the event he proved to be extremely supportive and as accommodating as possible to help all our students to reach a successful conclusion.

Rob James provided the Assessor role for our Silver team and was suitably impressed by the quality of their navigation, their team work and good spirits.

It now just remains for all teams to make their Presentation on Thursday evening 24^th November. They will then be able to get this part of their award signed off.

Parents, staff and friends are all welcome to join us from 5.30pm in the Drama Studio and then for drinks and nibbles in the Sixth Form Common Room.