Photographs from the visit can be found via the link above. Please use the password provided to you. Images are provided only for personal use and may not be reposted elsewhere online.
We will send updates out via the School App. If we have any problems with these getting through, updates will be posted below.
Update 13: ETA
We've had some bad traffic by Walsall but seem to now be moving again. It is looking like it will be more like 3.25pm when we will be back with you. See you soon.
Update 12: Good bye Standon BowersWe have packed up the coach and said goodbye to Standon Bowers after a lovely weekend. It looks like there is some traffic on the M6 but the current ETA is around 3.15 - 3.20 pm. I will update when we are a bit closer to home.
Update 11: Final activities underway
The children are busy completing their final activity at Standon Bowers. We have had 4 children getting a bit damp with a trip into the moat during bridge building (they're all fine after a shower but have a bag of soggy clothes to bring back). The sun has started to break through and it's been another lovely spring morning. Not long to go now and we'll be heading for home.
Update 10: Good morning
This morning the children were not up as early as they were yesterday and the staff had to wake a few up (the children aways sleep better the second night). We've had the monumental job of getting everything packed back into suitcases before breakfast. We think it went well and the dorms are now clear after plenty of teamwork to get everyone organised. It's not just the outward bounds activities here that develop independence. The children are about to have some free time in the games room then it will be time to get ready for the last two activities of the visit. It's a bit cooler out today but we will be keeping busy climbing, caving, bouldering and bridge building. There are around 1500 photgraphs from yesterday in the secure folder. I will not be doing any further photograph updates now as there is not enough time in the visit to sort and upload. I had better get myself ready for bouldering...
Update 9: Camp fire
The children have been singing along to a number of camp fire favourites this evening. It's been a lovely evening for it, with clear skies and no wind. We apologise in advance if they come home singing about Mr Worm. After a busy day, the children are settling down ready to sleep. In terms of photos, I think everything thing from the morning has uploaded except some photos from Group 2 as we don't have the right lead with us for one of the cameras. I will start the job of sorting the afternoon media next...
Update 8: Time is flying by...
During this sunny afternoon, each group has completed two more activities. Children have been developing their archery skills and improving their problem solving by designing bridges. A few still need to make sure they are listening to what everyone in the team is saying to find the best solution. The groups have also managed to keep mostly dry, without any bridges falling. We have some climbing stars, with lots of the group completing challenges on the low ropes and while bouldering. After dinner the children have headed down to the field for some free time. The photos from this morning are slowly uploading to the secure site. I will need to give up for a bit to go to the camp fire but will keep uploading whenever I get a break! So tonight, as mentioned, it will be the camp fire with staff from Greswold and Standon Bowers leading songs. We hope the children will be in good voice.
Update 7: Lunchtime
It's been a busy morning, with all of the groups now having completed two activities. So far everyone who has tried caving has made it into the caving system and we only had one slightly damp leg from bridge building. The children have polished off their lunches and are now getting ready for the next session. We have got some very helful children who are currently helping to clean up the dining room and are enjoying using the vacuum cleaners. We seem to have generated several hundred photographs from this morning so it's taking a while to go through them all to get rid of ones that are out of focus and ensure we don't get too many repeats. I think it will be more likely to be dinner time before we get the morning ones uploaded. Activities are soon going to start again so here we go again!
Update 6:
It's been a busy morning so far with one activity completed. So far the children have completed either low ropes, archery, bouldering, caving or the blindfold trail. It's great to see so many children trying something new, approaching challenges positively and supporting each other. The next photo update will probably be lunchtime.
Update 5: Good morning
Good morning from Year 4. After getting up and dressed, the children have enjoyed some free time in the games room. Table tennis, table football and pool were all popular, while other children played some of the games we brought with us or just chatted. They are just finishing their breakfasts ready for a busy morning of activities ahead. Some photos from this morning are now in the Saturday folder of the media store.
Update 4: Good night
Pretty much all of the children are alseep now. It always takes a while to settle the first night with the excitement of being away.
Parents can now access pictures from today in the secure folder. Go to: https://www.greswold.solihull.sch.uk/standon-bowers-2026/ and click on the link that says 'Standon Bowers Media (Password required)'. You will need to use the password that was emailed to you. It took a while for them to upload but hopefully they will give parents and carers a flavour of the visit. There are a few whole-group photographs with everyone in.
Good night from Standon Bowers
Update 3: A lovely spring evening
After completing the fire drill, we have spent the evening down on the field. The children had a choice of activities to enjoy including football and cricket. Some children explored the small wooded area (in sight of staff at all times) while others enjoyed rolling down the hill or just chilling with their friends. We will try to get some photos uploaded once all of the children have settled down for the night. Meanwhile it's hot chocolate (or squash or water) time before bed.
Update 2: Dinner time
Making beds took quite a while but it's been completed (not quite to 5 star hotel standards). The children are now enjoying their dinner of burger (beef or veggie), nuggets or jacket potato. All seems to be going down well. It looks like it is going to be a lovely evening here.
Update 1: Good afternoon,
We have arrived safely at Standon Bowers. The traffic was rather heavy on the M6 so we had several points of crawling along. The children are all in good spirits and are now getting ready to take their bags up to their dormitories and settle in. We have the joys of making beds now to look forward to.