02 April, 2014: A group of pupils and seven staff members from Antrim Grammar School, in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, were lucky enough to go on a school ski trip to the Les Menuires ski resort, in the French Alps.

The trip, which took place in February, saw the school group visit the resort for a total of one week. Over the course of the trip pupils were able to balance the several facets of a school ski trip, such as leisure, schoolwork, and educational tours.

Perhaps the highlight for most of the children involved will have been the ski lessons, provided by a local ski school. These took place twice daily, and enabled even the least experienced among the pupils to learn a few of the basics of the sport. Divided into five teams according to their skill level and experience, the children practised several movements and techniques, including the ‘snowplough’. Once lessons were over, the fact that their hotel allowed them to ski in and out provided an excellent real-life opportunity for the pupils to practise their newly-honed skills.

Due to the careful instruction dispensed by the school’s professionals, the students were able to tackle a ‘blue’ run (easy difficulty) as early as the middle of the week. The chosen piste was Pont de la Masse, preceded by a 1km long gondola run and negotiated in less than perfect conditions by the fiercely determined pupils, as their teachers kept attentive watch over the proceedings.

At the end of the week, each child was given a test to assess how much they had learned on the course of their lessons, with all the pupils achieving at least a ‘Class 1’ mark, and a healthy number ranking in ‘Class 2’.

This school ski trip was thought to have fit in perfectly with Antrim Grammar School’s motto of ‘Educating for Life’, having gifted its participants with important life skills.

About Ski Plan:

Ski Plan organise school skiing and winter sports trips. Contact them at http://www.equityschooltravel.co.uk/

Contact Details:
Ski Plan
One Jubilee Street
Brighton
East Sussex
BN1 1GE
0871 222 6565
[email protected]