Year 11 Residential Weekend at Hindleap Warren
Friday, 12th to Sunday, 14th September 2025
For the fifth consecutive year, St Mary’s has sent its Year 11 pupils on an enriching residential trip to Hindleap Warren Outdoor Residential Centre, combining adventure activities with revision sessions in their core GCSE subjects.
Set in the heart of Ashdown Forest, Hindleap Warren is nestled within 300 acres of ancient woodland in East Sussex. The centre offers a unique blend of outdoor learning experiences, captivating students while encouraging them to step outside their comfort zones. With a range of activities designed to challenge, inspire, and build resilience, students are pushed to develop both their teamwork skills and personal confidence.
The weekend was packed with exciting physical challenges, including night walks, a campfire gathering, scaling the climbing wall, Jacobs Ladder, and the thrilling Leap of Faith. Team-based activities further promoted collaboration, requiring pupils to work together to solve problems and face challenges head-on. A standout moment this year was the "forest adventure," where students navigated rocky stream beds, climbed over and under fallen trees, and faced the natural obstacles of the woodland. Throughout this adventure, pupils displayed incredible teamwork, offering encouragement and physical support to one another without prompting.
However, the trip was not all about physical challenges. The timetable also included focused revision sessions in Religious Education, English, Mathematics, and Science, conducted in the centre’s indoor facilities. Teachers from St Mary’s accompanied the group, providing a balance of academic learning and outdoor exploration throughout the weekend.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the staff and instructors at Hindleap Warren for their unwavering professionalism and warm welcome. Their guidance and expertise ensured the success of the trip.
Finally, the success of this year’s trip would not have been possible without the leadership of Ms Garrett and the other members of staff from St Mary’s. Their dedication and commitment, giving up their weekend to support the students, ensured that all involved had a memorable and enriching experience.
Year 11 Hindleap Warren 2025
