Form I camp
Form I Housemaster Ms Annabel Furley recounts an activity-packed three-day event that successfully nurtured camaraderie among the cohort.
Pictured: Team building through bush initiatives
Despite a disappointing weather forecast for the final week of Term I, nothing could dampen the spirits of Form I and their Peer Support Leaders as they headed off for the much-anticipated three-day camp at Toukley on the Central Coast.
Accompanying them were Form I Tutors and masters in what proved to be a fantastic end to a very busy first term at College Street.
After arriving early on Monday morning, the boys were given a debrief by camp staff, before they were allocated their cabins and prepped for the first outdoor activity. Their activity groups were made up of boys from different primary schools and home rooms, in the hope that they would all have an opportunity to expand their friendship groups and form new relationships with their peers. From the shrieks of laughter, shouts of encouragement, and enthusiastic storytelling, it certainly seemed this was the case!
The camp had a wide range of outdoor pursuits on offer, and the boys had an opportunity to try their hand at bush cooking, surfing, jumping off an 18m-high ledge on a giant swing, caking themselves in mud whilst raft building, and channelling their inner Robin Hood at archery. A number of these activities were new experiences for our boys, and many were able to overcome their reservations, and in some cases genuine fear, and feel proud of their achievements.
Pictured: Surfs up at Soldiers Beach
With packed days, copious amounts of fresh air, and engaging evening activities, by the morning of day three the boys were suitably exhausted. It is fair to say, the buses home were far quieter than those that had left College Street only a few days earlier.
The Form I Camp is an important part of the Form I programme because it fosters new friendships, promotes independence, builds confidence and creates a feeling of being part of a shared experience. It is always great to hear boys comment that it is one of the highlights of their first year at Grammar.
Sydney Grammar School
College Street, Darlinghurst
NSW 2010 Australia
Phone: (02) 9332 5800
Edgecliff Preparatory School
Alma Street, Paddington
NSW 2021 Australia
Phone: (02) 9366 0100
St Ives Preparatory School
Ayres Rd, St Ives
NSW 2075 Australia
Phone: (02) 8302 5200
