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Radnor innovates again - this time we're going vertical!

I'm pleased to be launching today our newest programme to improve the life opportunities of our young people over the long term.

From September 2018 Radnor House Sevenoaks will add a new arm to its educational provision in the form of Outdoor Adventurous Education right across the school from Reception through to Sixth Form.

Angela Duckworth delivered one of the most influential lectures I've see recently on the theory of grit, resilience and perseverance. Children today are not regularly taught the importance of working through difficult situations or picking themselves up when things get tricky. Mental toughness is a trendy topic but the evidence suggests its a necessary one for schools to consider, and with this in mind Radnor will be hiring its very own Bear Grylls in the form of a Head of Outdoor Adventurous Education for September 2018.

Building on the huge success of Forest School in the EYFS and the clear link between teaching children outside and their long term emotional development, we will be extending the reach of this type of education to all age ranges (and we are delighted to add this new provision with no extra charge to the school fees.)

For those in the Lower Prep (Y1-3) Forest School will be added to the curriculum and teachers will make use of our existing Forest classroom. We are already fortunate to have two fully qualified Forest School leaders on the staff and will be adding to this further over the years ahead.

For the Upper Prep we will be adding a new element to the curriculum focused on bush-craft, forest skills and leadership.

As a school with expansive grounds we have everything on site to deliver a really unique experience for the children and from September this will be a weekly addition to the timetables for those children in Years 4 to 6.

The most exciting element of this new Outdoor Education provision will be seen in the Lower School (Y7&8) where all children will be expected to attend a series of expeditions over two years. We'll build up slowly with an introductory expedition in the local area followed by two intermediate expeditions to places like the Downs or New Forest.

Their final expedition will be a more challenging route through one of the UKs national parks and see them climbing mountains and visiting a selection of remote locations.

The Outward Bound Trust has been doing something similar for decades and the research they publish on impact assessments of their courses can be found here.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme will continue to be a significant part of the Y9 curriculum with Silver and Gold Awards achieved in the later years, employers are increasingly seeing the value of these softer skills.

We are advertising the new role now and I would be grateful if you would forward to anyone you know that might be interested.

More details will be sent to parents later in the term but if there are any questions now please contact me (dpaton@radnor-sevenoaks.org).

David Paton

Head

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