Tree Jumpers

Year 10 and 11 students went Tree Jumping as part of our recent PBL day. Taking part in a range of activities to build teamwork and trust, our year 10 and 11 students had a great day out.

On a cold January morning, fifty one students made the half hour coach ride from Strood Academy to Paddock Wood Hop Farm to do Outdoor and Adventurous Activities at TreeJumpers. Spirits were high on the journey and on arrival at the farm, in anticipation of the activities the students were to embark on. After the safety instructions, the students strapped into their harnesses and donned their helmets to tackle the daunting TreeJumping tasks.

In groups of 10, the students got to grips with wall climb, used their team work skills in crate stacking, scaled the wood ladder and negotiated the high balance beams, and of course challenged themselves on the terrifying ‘Leap of Faith’.

Students raced each other in the wall climb, to see who could scale the obstacle and ring the triangle at the top. There was some incredible athleticism shown, as the students battled their way to the top to be the first to make the sweet chime of success. Crate stacking involved students working together to pile crates as high as possible with one of their peers precariously balancing on top as the stack got progressively higher. Which group could stack the crates the highest, while still supporting their balancing student?

The two most challenging tasks came with the balance beams and the ‘Leap of Faith’. Students showed exceptional courage to climb to great heights and then balance on very small platforms. The balance beams required students to climb up to the first beam, work their way along to the end and climb up to an even higher beam and perch themselves in the middle, before being winched down by their fellow students who were controlling the ropes that were attached to their harnesses. The ‘Leap of Faith’ required students to scale a narrow, wobbly pole that went high into the sky…..when at the top students had to pull themselves up on to the ledge, steady themselves, and then take the ‘leap of faith’ as they attempted to fly through the air and catch the swinging bar several feet in front of them, much like a trapeze artist at the circus. Student after student scaled the pole and took the leap with fearless abandon. Some caught the bar, some missed it and plummeted to the ground, before being harnessed by their fellow students below. As the students recovered from their adventure, they were buzzing with excitement…..but there was to be one more twist…



Under extreme pressure from the students, Mr Cogger, who is terrified of heights, was cajoled into strapping on a harness to take the ‘Leap of Faith’ in a true I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here Moment. Shaking like a leaf, Mr Cogger climbed the pole in the style of Gillian McKeith, much to the amusement of the students below. Already terrified, on reaching the top, Mr Cogger noticed Mr Ballard scaling up the pole behind him in the style of Sylvester Stallone in Cliff Hanger. Mr Cogger was now informed that he had to wait for Mr Ballard at the top, as if to prolong his agony, balancing at great height while the over enthusiastic Geography teacher was shaking the pole like a conker tree. When Mr Ballard reached the top, the pair embraced before simultaneously taking the ‘Leap of Faith’ and dismally missing the bar. The pair were left hanging in the air to the sound of hysterical student laughter below.



TreeJumpers provided these students with a fantastic day out, and each and every one of them showed great team work and courage in completing the tasks while having many laughs along the way. Some students (and teachers) found the tasks most daunting, but overcame this in admirable fashion. Well done to all involved, you were a credit to your Academy!