From our Nursery upwards, girls and boys make the most of time spent outdoors. From age four, pupils explore our dedicated woodland adventure area. Staff plan a range of activities focusing on key learning areas such as communication, physical development and personal and social development.
All pupils from Year 3 upwards take advantage of the school’s adventure learning centre, Patterdale Hall. These multi-activity residential visits allow pupils to exceed their own expectations and develop their ability to work as part of a team, all while enjoying the Lake District landscape.
In school, an ongoing programme of outdoor adventurous activity takes place within PE/Sport lessons. Activities include rock climbing, mountain biking, archery, orienteering, sailing and paddle sports.
Trips and training sessions continue at the weekends and in the school holidays. Monthly trips to North Wales, Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District develop skills and interests further. International trips also include rock climbing in Spain, skiing in the Alps and white water kayaking in France.
Involvement in the School’s Scout Group also begins in the Infant School with the Squirrels, progressing up to the Explorer Unit for Year 11 and Sixth Form students.
Pupils in Year 9 take part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Bronze Award (DofE). A large number go forward to take part in the Silver Award in Year 10 and the Gold Award during the Sixth Form.
Outdoor Learning at Bolton School
Additional Trips
Ski Trips
Bolton School organises regular ski trips to the Alps for pupils in Year 5 and up. Junior Girls and Junior Boys usually travel together on a joint trip every other year during February half term. Boys’ and Girls’ Division pupils enjoy a separate joint trip every four years over the Easter holidays. Pupils are grouped according to ability and make the most of daily English-language ski lessons, while activities such as bowling, karaoke and disco nights are arranged for the evenings.
Boys’ Division Saundersfoot Camp
At the end of the summer term in Year 8, Boys’ Division pupils are given the option of going on a week-long camp to Saundersfoot in Wales. The boys enjoy camping in tents as well as a host of traditional activities, from days spent on the beach to walks into Saundersfoot itself. The Saundersfoot Camp is extremely popular and those who attend remember it fondly.
Tenacity is a 48-foot 12-berth offshore sailing ketch, which was built over the course of nine academic years by pupils in our Boys’ Division. It was part of the School’s Outdoor Learning curriculum and used for Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions from 2009 to 2024.