The primary programme at Blairvadach is designed primarily for P7 children who are about to make the transition to secondary school.  The focus of the programme is children and their personal and social development through outdoor activities.  Courses are of a multi activity format allowing children to experience many outdoor activities. This range of activities will enable children to make considered choices later, on whether to follow these activities or not.  The day time activities are supported by an evening programme which includes teamwork and reviewing. This encourages children to reflect on their own performance and take forward their own personal and social development

 

Courses are designed to meet level 2 outcomes in Health and Wellbeing, Social Studies and Science outlined in Curriculum for Excellence.

 

Courses are generally run over five days, three full days and a half day on Monday and Friday.

 

Because of the nature of the course and to permit access to varied types of challenging conditions and terrain, the group ratio is maintained at 1:8 with the same instructor staying with the group all week. The favourable ratio and the same instructor with the group enable very important bonds to be formed both between children and children and instructor and children. If ratios allow, visiting school staff are welcome to join the children on the activities.

 

Activities that can be pursued are burn scrambling, dinghy sailing, canoeing, hillwalking, kayaking, orienteering, pond study, rock climbing, ropes course, scrambling, seashore study and trail biking.

 

There are three main styles of course at present;