The Outdoor Education department runs Kayaking and Canoeing sessions throughout the year which take place on local rivers and in the school swimming pool. There are also opportunities for pupils to participate in more exhilarating white water and surf kayaking trips throughout the year.
In 2014 Clifton College became a Directly Licensed Centre (DLC) which allows us to deliver and issue our own programmes and awards. At Clifton College we cater for large numbers of pupils who want to achieve their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Within the Expedition section we offer opportunities to undertake expeditions on foot or by canoe. We regularly run expedition in England and Wales and overseas destinations have included to Morocco and Sweden.
As well as having the opportunity to do expeditions within the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, the Outdoor Education department gives every pupil in the school an opportunity to participate in an overseas expedition which takes place in the summer holidays. In recent years expeditions have taken place to the Arctic Circle, Borneo, Ecuador, Swiss Alps, Morocco and Sweden. All expeditions will involve an element of training so pupils are well prepared to carry out their expedition aim.
Scotland offers a great opportunity for pupils to experience winter mountaineering and is a trip that the Outdoor Education department runs each winter. In previous years we have used the Cairngorm Mountains which provide terrain and conditions to practice using an ice axe, crampons and digging snow holes.
Wilderness and Survival Skills takes place as part of the weekly Outdoor Pursuits Programme. During the year long course pupils learn safe cutting techniques with a knife and folding saw, various fire lighting skills and techniques, identifying and using natural and man-made tinder and kindling, plant and tree identification, game and fish preparation and cooking, animal tracks and signs, traps and snares, shelter building, water filtering and sterilizing, navigation and wood carving to create a bow drill set, pot hanger and spoon.
The Outdoor Pursuits Programme is a weekly programme where year 10 pupils follow a programme of various outdoor activities that include: geocaching, archery, low ropes, initiative tasks, bouldering, indoor climbing, first aid and mountain biking. As well as the weekly programme, pupils also participate in 2 field days where they get to work as a team in height based and water based activities.
Clifton College is fortunate enough to have ‘real’ rock climbing on its doorstep in the Avon Gorge. Indoor climbing is also available at four indoor climbing centres within a short drive of the school. The Outdoor Education Department runs climbing sessions on a weekly basis throughout the year and we also enter a climbing team into local and national competitions.
