School Residential Trip Testimonials

At Pro-Active Adventure we constantly seek to develop our practice, and we achieve this through the school residential trip testimonials that we receive.

School Residential Trips: A Smile Says It All

Secondary school teacher

The Proactive team provided an exceptional experience for our year 11 students. The instructors were well-humoured, knowledgeable and confident, which put our students at ease and meant more were prepared to push themselves in the activities. I fully recommend using their services.

Mike Baker
Bryn Hafren Comprehensive School

Secondary school teacher

Hi Clive, we had a really super time with you. The children really enjoyed themselves and the staff said how well organised it was. I was very disappointed that I couldn’t be there, but looking forward to next time.

Thanks very much for a brilliant time and please pass on our best wishes to all the team.”

Primary school student

Thanks for giving us such a good time. You really made me see what I was capable of. It turns out I’m better on the outside than I am on the X-Box 360 and Wii. I really enjoyed the gorge walking.”

School Residential Trips: Feedback

Secondary school teacher

Once again, many thanks for this weekend. As ever we were delighted with the way it went. The kids have come back tired but beaming about what they had done.”

School Residential Trips: Hampshire Collegiate

Primary school student

Thank you so much for having us at the centre the activities were fun this was the best holiday ever.

On the high ropes I really thought that it wasn’t safe, I went on because you helped me by convincing me I could do it, jumping was the best.

Thank you for pushing me to my limits and I can say with the upmost confidence that I’m not afraid of heights anymore. Plus you have helped me conquer other fears with not much difficulty.

I was really excited when I heard we were going abseiling. I really felt confident with all your help especially the instructors.”

Primary school students

Thank you for helping us do the activities, I enjoyed canoeing splashing people and the games and the water slides. Thanks for making us confident you really helped.

I really enjoyed climbing and canoeing my favourite thing was abseiling I want to do it again.”

Primary school students

Thank you for our visit to Llangollen. I really enjoyed it. It was so scary but so much fun. I love the high ropes course.

Thank you for letting us do the activities and for helping us if we get stuck.

In abseiling it looked really scary and high up but I wanted to give it a go so I did and wanted to do it again. I was so scared on the high ropes but when I got to the top I loved it.

When I first saw the ropes course I thought oh I am never going to be able to jump and hit the ball but when I got to the top of the pole and they counted down from three and I jumped I felt really good inside.”

D.E.C

Secondary school student

That’s the best day I’ve had so far!”

Secondary school student:

Thanks for being an amazing instructor/leader, keep being ace!

Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School.

Feedback:

Don’t just take our word for it please feel free to contact any of the schools mentioned, or why not just come and try it for yourself. Here are some of the activities we provide and a description of each activity.

All activity sessions last half a day although some can be all day if requested, each activity below will specify. Activities normally start at 9:00 stop for lunch about 12:00 and start again about 12:30 and finish in the evening about 15:30. There is an optional extra of an evening activity which runs from 18:00 to 19:30.

Abseiling

This involves you lowering yourself off a cliff face backwards very exciting and a classic outdoor centre activity. You are on a safety line so will be kept safe by an instructor. Open to all levels of ability and abseils can be very small or up to 50 meters high or more, depending on the clients ability and confidence. Half day activity, can be an evening activity for groups of 20 or less.

Archery

Traditional activity using a bow and arrows to hit targets about 50 meters away. To suit all levels of ability. Half day session or evening activity.

Body Boarding

This activity is open to all levels of ability. Sessions usually operate from the beach just across the car park to the hostel. This activity is a great starter towards learning to surf a full board. Pupils are given full instruction and will start off in moderate surf to gain their initial skills. A very popular session with pupils of all ages.

Bush Craft

Open to all levels of ability. Bush Craft is learning how to look after yourself in a wilderness situation using some basic bush craft tools and equipment. As part of a residential stay schools only usually take one session so it is a basic introduction. The introduction session involves, identifying and selecting appropriate fire making materials, making a small camp fire and preparing a hot drink or simple meal. Half day session, the fire or shelter making elements can be delivered separately to take up an evening activity.

Caving (South Wales Only)

Open to all levels of ability. Learn about another world just below our feet. Involves wearing caving suit, helmet and light and walking or crawling through underground passages. Some caves can be quiet challenging small places and others are fairly open and you can stand up in most places, you can choose the level of difficulty. We have several caves in North Wales suitable for school group visits. We also have many more venues in South Wales that offer some more challenging trips. Half day activity.

Climbing

Open to all levels of ability, a traditional outdoor centre activity. Involves climbing on an attached rope up single pitch climbs. The climb can be chosen to suit the level of ability of the client. Half day activity.

Coasteering

Open to all levels of ability. Coasteering came about through climbers scrambling around sea cliffs to discover new climbs. Then they decided that it was quiet good fun just to do the scrambling along the rocks at sea level bit. Add to that a wet suit, helmet and buoyancy aid and jumping of cliffs into the sea and forging through surf, then there you have it coasteering. Great fun for all, we offer half day trips in Anglesey, the Gower and Pembrokeshire.

Coastal Trek

These are half day treks along the beautiful Pembrokeshire coastline. You will visit remote bays and coves and learn about the unique wildlife and fauna and flora. There is usually time to stop for a quick paddle and rock hop along the shore line.

Gorge Walking

Open to all levels of ability. Gorge walking is everything your mother told you not to do in rivers. Jumping off waterfalls, abseiling down cliffs into plunge pools sliding down rocks and most of all getting wet. We have a wide range of locations, so if the client wants to spend a more sedate trip taking in some history, geology and breath taking scenery, or a full on adrenaline hit we have the location for them. Half day activity.

Sit On Top Kayaking

Open to all levels of ability. Traditionally kayaking is the single seat closed cockpit style often associated with the Eskimo culture. However to remove some of the fears young people have about being enclosed in a cockpit and rolling over we now exclusively use sit on top kayaks. They are more stable, easy to use and much more fun. If clients simply just want to give it a go or if they have previous experience and want to develop their skills our experienced and enthusiastic instructors will provide a tailor made course. Our kayak sessions are an ideal opportunity to learn new skills and there’s also a chance to take BCU canoe “Star Awards”. Half day session, in some areas full day or multi day river trips can be organised.

Mine Exploration (North Wales Only)

Open to all levels of ability, only available in North Wales centres. Using helmets, lamps and waterproofs we explore underground mine shafts opened up by mines a hundred years or so ago. Old mining equipment and other artefacts can be seen left by the miners. None of our mines involve crawling down passages all our North Wales mines you can walk down, some adults may have to stoop in places. Half day activity.

Mountain Biking

Open to all levels of ability. As a registered centre for mountain bike leader training clients are in the right hands to really develop their skills and learn new ones. They will get involved in drop offs, technical climbing, single track, bunny hops and learn how to ride technical trails if they wish to challenge themselves that much. For those who really excel there’s a chance to take their “Gears Award” and get a certificate for their technical riding skills. Half day activity but can be a full day if required, also available as an evening activity is our “Skills Clinic”

Mountaineering

Open to all levels of ability. A classic outdoor centre activity. We can off gentle half day mountain walks to look at areas of outstanding natural beauty or scientific interest. Alternatively we can offer a full on day or multi day mountain expedition. There are the Brecon Beacons and Preseli’s in South Wales and the Snowdonia National park in North Wales. Also available as a special interest of history lesson for schools is searching for fallen Second World War aircraft. Both North and South Wales offer opportunities for this.

Orienteering

Open to all levels of ability. You are given a simple map and compass and you have to complete a course round the centre or nearby location to find markers with letters or numbers on for you to collect. Quickest one to locate all posts wins. Usually an evening activity but can be developed to make a half day activity if necessary.

Raft Building

Open to all levels of ability. You are given some large plastic barrels, wooden poles, ropes and paddles. In teams you then have to design and build your own raft out of the pieces you are given. You will then have an obstacle course to race your raft round against the other teams. Half day session.

Team Initiative Exercises

Open to all levels of ability. A whole range of team exercises that will challenge and develop team working. Exercises include: Blocked, Blindfold square, Tyre dash, Key pad, Spiders web, Magic sticks, Pipeline, Wobble board, product assembly and many, many more. Usually an evening activity but can easily be a half day activity.