Bushcraft Residential

The Bushcraft trip is a three-day, two night residential trip for Year 7 students. It is held at The Bushcraft Company site at Castle Howard, North Yorkshire on Wednesday 1st to Friday 3rd July 2026. This is an exciting, outdoor experience, which offers students the opportunity to step beyond the classroom, build lasting friendships, and develop key skills such as leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving in a unique and memorable setting.

Bushcraft offers a truly authentic camping adventure, encouraging resilience and independence removed from home comforts. Students will be without electronic devices and other modern distractions, relying instead on the essentials: a tent, a sleeping bag, cooking over an open fire—and basic toilet facilities, with no access to electricity or showers. We will have exclusive use of a woodland camp where students can develop valuable skills and knowledge beyond the classroom. For students considering the Duke of Edinburgh Award, this is an excellent introductory experience.

The total cost of the trip is £245. 

If your child is going on the Bushcraft residential, the option to pay has been added to your ParentPay account and the non-refundable £50 deposit is required to be paid by Saturday 1st November 2025. This will secure your child’s place on the trip. 

 Following this date, a payment schedule has been created of six payments to be paid by the following dates, totalling £195: 

  • £33 due on Monday 1 December 2025
  • £33 due on Friday 2 January 2026
  • £33 due on Monday 2 February 2026
  • £32 due on Monday 2 March 2026
  • £32 due on Wednesday 1 April 2026
  • £32 due on Friday 1 May 2026

Please note, that if your fail to meet these deadlines, your child may be removed from the trip. If you are struggling to meet these deadlines, please contact the main office and inform them so.

The cost includes:

  • Tent accommodation for two nights
  • All meals and snacks over the three days
  • Coach travel to and from the Castle Howard site
  • A full programme of activities with all instruction, supervision, and equipment provided

11 September 2025 - Bushcraft Initial Interest Letter 

This will be held on the Thursday 2 April 2026, between 5-6pm, in the Main school hall. You do not need to sign up for this event but can just turn up on the day.

Do not worry if you cannot attend this event, all information will be distributed to those parents/carers who could not attend.

If you have specific questions, you can speak directly to the staff responsible for this trip.

Drop your child off at school as usual - just make sure they have their luggage with them.

Your child should head straight to the sports hall, where they will be registered. They do not need to attend form time.

If your child requires medication, they will need to hand it over to their camp leader. Please note, if your child has a blue inhaler or requires an epi pen, they need to have two of each medication: one for their person and one to hand to their camp leader.

We aim to arrive back in school in time for students to leave as normal at the end of the school day at 3pm.

If you are collecting your child, please collect them from the Lidgett Lane entrance.

Please explain explicitly to your child whether they are being collected or going home independently. In previous years, students have developed their independence significantly during the Bushcraft experience and have felt confident to walk home by the themselves, when they have never done so before. This has led to worried parents who are unable to contact their child as the child does not have their mobile phone on them. Please be explicit with your child about how they are to travel home after the trip.

If we are late returning, we will communicate this via text message with instructions on when and where collection will take place.

Please indicate any medical condition and medication your child requires on the EV1b form.

If you would like to discuss the medical needs of your child during the trip, please contact the trip lead - Ms Bhullar to discuss - simmybhullar@allertongrange.com 

Your child will have an authentic camping experience during the trip. This will mean that they do not have access to modern day amenities such as showers, flushing toilets or electricity.

Please note that students will be provided with Portaloos and will have access to running water to drink, wash and brush their teeth.

The Bushcraft trip provides an opportunity for your child to develop their independence and embrace the wilderness. So that these remain preserved, we ask that students do not bring their mobile phones. If a mobile phone is found, it will be confiscated by a member of staff and a decision may be made for the child to go home early from the trip. As per the behaviour contract, parents/carers may be asked to collect their child early from the campsite.

We also ask that phones are left at home so that student safety can be maintained.

Students are provided with three meals a day and regularly given snacks. 

Bushcraft maintain a nut free site and take dietary requirements and allergens extremely seriously. As such, students are not allowed to bring any food or snacks onto the site. All food will be provided by the Bushcraft team.

Dietary requirements are catered for - everything is taken seriously and any accommodation can be met for a medical need. If your child has a dietary requirement, please ensure you indicate it on the EV1b form when asked to complete this.

Fussy eaters - for more information please see the Bushcraft website - https://thebushcraftcompany.com/your-questions-answered/parents-page/

It is important that trips are conducted with student and staff safety as a priority. Students on this trip have a responsibility to behave in a way that keeps everyone safe.

As a student attending the visit I agree to the following:

  • I will always behave in a respectful and safe manner when on the trip, aware that I am representing Allerton Grange School at all times.
  • I will follow instructions first time, every time and be respectful to the Bushcraft staff.
  • Whilst in the camp, I will not enter any tent other than my own.
  • I will not bring any illegal drugs, alcohol and vaping or smoking products on the visit.
  • I will not bring my mobile phone, or any electronic device, on the trip (excluding torches).
  • I will not bring any food on the trip, including snacks of any kind.
  • I understand that if I do not meet these expectations, I will be sent home from the trip and may face further sanctions upon returning to school in line with Allerton Grange School’s Policy for Positive Discipline.
  • I understand that I must demonstrate my ability to meet these expectations in school in the months leading up to the trip and may be unable to attend the trip if my behaviour suggests that I may put myself or others at risk.

 

As a parent/guardian of a child attending this trip I agree to the following:

  • I agree and understand the above expectations and will support the school in ensuring my child meets these expectations. I agree that if my child is sent home early due to breaking the above expectations that I am responsible for collecting them from Bushcraft. I confirm that I have clearly communicated these expectations with my child and expressly outlined the consequences.
  • As part of the Bushcraft experience, students will engage in riskier activities (such as axe throwing, fire lighting) than during the normal school day. As such, staff have to be confident that any student going on the trip will follow instructions, the first time and every time, to ensure all students' safety. If your child is not meeting this expectation within the school environment, this may lead to a decision for your child to be removed from the trip as we cannot guarantee their safety within a riskier environment.

Your child can purchase a hoodie to wear on camp and keep as a memento after the trip.

Hoodies can be purchased online and will be delivered to school and distributed to your child.

We will let you know when the shop is open to purchase hoodies.