Character Challenge Activities

At the start of Year 7, the entire year group undertake a Character camp, where students camp overnight. For some, it may be their first time camping. During their time away they will start to understand the school’s 6C’s and healthy relationships agendas, as well as develop their interpersonal relationships with their peers in their new form groups, with their form tutor and members of the senior leadership team and other members of the Cottesloe staff.
Students walk into their camp, make camp, take part in a range of activities, such as Bushcraft, Archery, climbing and learning to cook on an open fire.
Outspark provides students with the incredible opportunity to develop a range of personal skills as well, for example, but not limited to, leadership, teamwork, self-efficacy and reliance and empathy. 
Students return from the trip excited and enthused to be a member of The Cottesloe School and can apply all their new skills to their learning in their lessons, with all their new friends. 

Click here to view a video of our Year 7s  adventure in September 2019: https://www.outspark.co.uk

Every Year 7, 8 and 9 student has the chance to participate in the Challenge Opportunities programme. They receive a Challenge Opportunity booklet at the beginning of Year 7, designed as a set of challenges that are set by each department to help students of the school extend their learning and engagement in the wider world, whilst following their interests. It is not a homework task but a concept to help them to build independence and learning outside the classroom and facilitate the students becoming lifelong learners. Students really enjoy completing the activities, receiving their award badges and, for some the most important part, the inter-form competition; updates are shared in Challenge Assemblies every term. 

At present, the current Year 7, 8 and 9 students have completed over 10,000 challenges and this number continues to grow. Families are encouraged to join in to support; many activities make a great day out.

All students can be very proud of what they have achieved and can enjoy the plethora of creative and exploratory activities they are challenged to complete.
Challenge Booklet

In the summer term of Year 10, a group of twenty-four students have the opportunity to attend an Outward Bounds course at Ullswater, in the Lake District. The course is a week-long and aims to develop students’ self-confidence, self-reliance, teamwork, and determination as well as promote the school’s Healthy Relationships ethos and develop the students' use of the 6Cs in a novel and challenging environment. 

Students will participate in activities such as rock climbing, hiking, camping, canoeing, gorge scrambles and many others. 

They will learn to consider others and support those who may not be as strong as them in some activities and will at times show strong leadership qualities. It is a fantastic trip and students often return reinvigorated and determined to reach their goals, both in their Year 11 exams and beyond.

https://www.outwardbound.org.uk/ullswater 

The Cottesloe School offers students the opportunity to fundraise and attend a 3 or 4 week trip to a stunning and challenging environment, for example, Nepal and Kenya. Students are offered this opportunity at the end of Year 9 or Year 10 to depart on their expedition at the end of Year 11 or Year 12. If the trip is a World Challenge Expedition, students are expected to raise their own travel funds, and whilst on their trip, book accommodation, manage a budget, ensure transport is organised, work alongside and lead others and complete an expedition, as well as a community project.
If it's a Camps International Expedition, students stay in permanent camps and have their meals prepared. There is a more social focus, where they spend the majority of their time working to help improve the lives of those that live local to the camps, building classrooms, houses and other important structures to allow the local people to have a better quality of life. There is also an expedition element and some rest and relaxation time for the students. 
During the trip they will have many new experiences; eat a number of new foods; be enveloped in new cultures and have the opportunity to see some striking views and gain a new perspective on the places they are visiting and have an opportunity to self-reflect. Many students that take this opportunity will remember it for life and develop new friendships and recognise the lifestyle that we are accustomed to as a very fortuitous way of living, as well as taking away the sheer joy of many of the people they meet. 
Due to the range of experiences students have, participating will support in the transition to being a young adult, managing money, relationships and self reliance as they move further through their journey at the school.

https://weareworldchallenge.com/uk/  
https://campsinternational.com/school-expeditions/  

Many of you will have heard of National Citizen Service (NCS) in assemblies or on social media, some of you may have even signed up! Due to COVID-19, last year was a little different, but this year NCS are hoping to offer the same awesome programme they have always offered! This is your chance to get back out into the world with your friends, get some new skills, make even more friends AND make a difference by getting your communities back on their feet. NCS are following all Government guidelines with regards to COVID 19 to ensure that the programme is safe for all.

This year’s NCS Summer will either be a 2 or 3 week programme, giving you the chance to gain your independence, get out the house and stay away from home (on three-week programme only). 

What are the benefits?

• Make brand new friends and increase your independence.
• Learn new skills that can be used for work and education.
• Enhance your CV and UCAS applications.
• Get out into the world.
• Build confidence.
• Get involved in your local community.
• Have fun!

It is an exciting opportunity and not one to be missed. You can only do it whilst you are 16 or 17, so if you are looking for a new challenge or a chance to get out the house and make a difference, visit wearencs.com and register today, places are limited.