Outdoor education offers exciting adventures for pupils

Published: 26 October, 2011

A fleet of mountain bikes, a specialist outdoor education vehicle and other state-of-the-art activity equipment are just some of the additions to Plymouth College's Outdoor Education department this term. 

With two new staff at the helm, activities such as power-kiting, mountain biking and ultimate frisbee have already been introduced with archery, gorge-walking and adventure racing on the agenda for the future.  Utilising the school's outdoor education centre, Whiteworks, on Dartmoor, the team has injected more variety into the PE syllabus, run staff CPD training and continues to support existing programmes such as Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and Ten Tors. Two new residential trips are also in the pipeline - Scottish winter mountaineering and Ardeche multi activity week. 

The new head of outdoor education, Gwilym Starks, holds the Mountaineering Instructor Award and Winter Mountain Leader plus qualifications in white water kayaking, sea kayaking, canoeing, mountain biking, lifesaving and scuba diving. All these awards combined also allow him to guide coasteering and gorge-walking trips. The former police officer spent four years teaching outdoor education at FE and HE level and has run his own company providing instructor training courses. Gwilym has led teams to Kilimanjaro, Meru, Mt Kenya and Jungle Trekking in Borneo as well as personal trips to Norway, the Alps and other European destinations.

His right-hand man is Dan Brice, assistant head of outdoor education, who has worked in the outdoor industry for ten years in various capacities. These include developing outdoor education for a county sports partnership, senior instructor at activity centres, delivering outdoor education at FE and HE level, running his own outdoor delivery company, vice-chairman of a canoe club and volunteering on the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. Dan holds qualifications in Countryside Recreation Management, Mountain Leader Award, Single Pitch Award (climbing), ERCA High Ropes Instructor and Rescuer, Trail Cycle Leader, Level 2 Canoe and Kayak, Level 2 Power Kite Instructor (buggy and land-board) and GNAS Archery Leader. Dan can often be found using his free time to improve his own skills on the rivers and trails of the South West.