Activity Week - all you need to know

Summer is here (hopefully!) and so is a highlight of the year – Activity Week for Third and Fourth formers.

This week is positioned after internal examinations and is the culmination of our Thursday afternoon activity programmes that uses outdoor education, volunteering and conservation work to develop character and create bonding experiences for the pupils. 

Depending on year group, the full programme includes a two day ‘mountain marathon’ expedition in the Shropshire countryside (for Third Form), a Competition Day at Packwood School  a Nature Day, Conservation Volunteering in Snowdonia and a host of PSD, Futures and Outward Bound events.

Third Form parents might be interested to know more about the Mountain Marathon concept.

The Shrewsbury School Mountain Marathon (SSMM) is based on the Original Mountain marathon (OMM), founded in 1968 and continuing to this day.

The OMM was designed as a test of orienteering skills in extreme circumstances; the OMM course is a double-marathon length foot race, and each team must carry all their gear, including equipment for an overnight camp. The Shrewsbury MM is more than a  little easier with students not needing to carry their overnight equipment (this is taken to the camp for them) but the top teams will still cover a considerable distance over the two days in challenging terrain as they try to visit as many checkpoints as possible. Like the OMM, the course is not disclosed until the race begins, so each team must have good navigation skills. The SSMM is a rewarding event that gives students a chance to put into practice many of the skills they have learnt during their Thursday afternoon BASE sessions, whilst also giving them an insight into what similar challenges like Silver D of E and adventure races are like.