There’s something that happens when you take children out of the classroom and hand them a map, a pair of muddy boots and three days of open sky.

Last week, our Year 4 students headed to Bewerley Park in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, near Pateley Bridge, for their residential trip — and by all accounts, it was everything a few days in the great outdoors should be.

Set against the stunning backdrop of Brimham Rocks and rolling woodland, the children threw themselves into a packed programme of walking, orienteering, shelter building and climbing. The kind of activities that don’t have a right answer, that ask you to problem-solve on your feet and trust the person next to you.

That’s the thing about residentials. The friendships forged over a wobbly rope course or a well-earned summit tend to stick. Children discover things about themselves that no lesson — however good — can quite replicate; a quiet confidence, a willingness to try, a pride in getting it done.

At Woodhouse Grove, we believe that education extends well beyond the classroom walls. Moments like these — fresh air, laughter, a little bit of challenge — are every bit as formative as anything that happens behind a desk. They build the kind of resilience, curiosity and camaraderie that sit at the very heart of what it means to be a Grovian.

We have no doubt that Year 4 came home with muddy knees, tired legs and memories that will last a good while longer than either.