Sherbourne Challenge
Since 2013, we have undertaken an annual “Sherbourne Challenge”. The primary purpose and unwavering vision of these challenges is to push the boundaries of strength, resilience, togetherness and to really show that, despite our students’ additional needs, they can overcome barriers and can achieve so much.
Our first challenge was in 2013, with the conquering of the highest mountain in Wales - Snowdon. This whet our appetite for more of these challenges, and to see how far we could raise the boundary.
We then decided to try and take on the tallest peaks in the United Kingdom to get the clean sweep!
2014 saw a challenge team head up north to tackle Scafell Pike, which is the tallest peak in England. The following year saw us head north of the border to take on the tallest peak on offer, which was Ben Nevis in 2015.
Having conquered the 3 peaks on the mainland UK, we then decided it was time to complete the UK peaks with the two tallest mountains on offer over the Irish sea. In 2016, our challenge group conquered Carrauntoohil in Ireland, and the following year, they took on Slieve Donard in Northeren Ireland.
By 2017, we had completed the 5 highest mountains in the United Kingdom. Quite a feat for any school to accomplish. Even more so for our amazing youngsters, all with additional needs, who all face barriers and challenges in everyday life.
We then had to start thinking of other ways for us to complete our challenges, having set the bar so high with our 5 peaks. So in 2018, our team set off to tackle the Yorkshire "three peaks" - Ingleborough, Whernside and Pen-y-ghent. We kept up the inland walking challenge for 2019 as well, with the team completing a "Route 66" challenge of walking 66 miles of the Wales Coastal Path.
The global pandemic of 2020-2021 brought a halt to our Challenge trip for a while, but once we were given the all clear to travel safely again, we where chomping at the bit to get stuck into more challenges.
We wanted to complete another mountain, but where to go? We decided on Croagh Patrick on the west coast of Ireland in 2022
We needed to start thinking outside the box for ways in which we can challenge the groups of youngsters going that didn't just include mountains - which we had conquered so many, or long walks.
So in 2023, we set off on a "Slip N Slide" Challenge. This involved facing their fears of water and heights with activities off the south coast of Devon. As well as the customary gruelling hike, our group also took on coasteering and paddleboarding to add a different set of difficulties to the challenge.
2024 arrived, and it was time to up the game again. This time - our "Highland Challenge". This group faced the task of not only conquering a mountain in Ben Lomond, but also our first foray into open water swimming, in Loch Lomond. Arguably the most difficult of all the challenges we have faced thus far.
Each and every year, our students show so much solidarity and resilience, and have never once given up. Each year, we smash our challenges and come home as stronger and wiser characters.
So, onto our next challenge.. Where do we go from here?
Sherbourne Challenge 2025 -
Svalbard Polar Expedition
Our good friend of the school and Polar Explorer, Mark Wood, has accompanied us on some of the challenges we have done previously. Not only as a guide and leader, but someone who truly understands our young people and the need to challenge them to show what they are really capable of.
For our 2025 challenge, Mark has organised a remarkable trip for us to Svalbard, in the Arctic circle. A series of islands housed between Norway and the North Pole.
Whilst there, our students will face a completely new set of challenges to any previous trip. The cold will be their first thing to face. Keeping warm and active will definitely be a priority!
One activity we have planned is Dog Sledding, where the students will be tasked with handling the dogs, harnessing the dogs, preparing the sleds and then riding them out in the wild!
We also hope to do some trips out on snow mobiles and the possibility of visiting some ice caves on snowcats.
The students are not going to just enjoy the beautiful scenery of Svalbard and enjoy some leisurely trips out on the ice however. They are heading out to this wonderful place with a task in hand. This trip will be more of a mental challenge, with our team tasked to learn about the main island, its habitats and wildlife. Absorbing all the information whilst out on trips with things they will be seeing and also listening to local people who live there. Lots of note-taking, sketching, thinking, planning and collaborating will be done during our downtime.
Once we return to school, our challenge group will then lead an assembly for all our school to show off a film that we are hoping to have made whilst we are there, and to talk about their experiences and findings bought back from their challenge.
We are also hoping to have a film night to show our Svalbard film and invite our sponsors to come and watch.
Our challenge for 2025 has very kindly been financially supported by one such sponsor, Ramble Worldwide. The Ramble Worldwide Outdoor Trust have granted some of their funds to allow us to partake in this special expedition this year. We are very grateful for their generosity and are all very much looking forward to heading off in April 2025.
As we get nearer to our challenge date, we will be participating in lot's of activities as a group to prepare for it. We already have a lunch club together every week, with games and activities to help gel as a unit, as well as some time to learn about where we are going and what we will be doing. We also hope to get out on some trips to try and experience glimpses of what we will be facing in Svalbard.
Stay tuned for more updates as the weeks and months pass toward April.
Ramble Worldwide are also supporting our journey leading to Svalbard and whilst we are there on their own website, so please have a look here:
https://www.rambleworldwide.co.uk/our-charitable-trust/sherbourne-fields-school
