THERE were no Monday morning blues for Altarnun Primary School when they visited Widemouth Bay beach to participate in an exciting ‘Wild Tribe’ day.

Altarnun Primary School, which is part of the adventure Learning Academy Trust, pupils, teachers and parents embarked on a trip to the seaside resort to spend the day participating in a wide range of activities, from biological to artistic.

The school’s emphasis on outdoor learning is part of its wider community project engagement, which helps pupils become more aware of and attuned to the surrounding world, as well as becoming a kinder inhabitant of nature and the environment.

The trip was free as the Friends of Altarnun School Association (FOASA) sponsored the transport.

The children took part in three workshops throughout the day. The first was beach science, where pupils examined the properties of sand and how it reacts with other materials.

They also studied rock pool habitats and learned the many different purposes of seaweed.

During beach art they perused the work of an artist and subsequently created their own pieces of artwork sourced from natural materials from the beach, using the artist’s creation to provide an inspirational spark for their own masterpieces.

After the strenuous mental work of scientific discovery and artistic design, the children had a beach sports workshop where their favourite games were given a sandy twist – beach football and beach tag.

The pupils learnt to work with their surroundings, as the games were adapted to the beach environment.

As a final treat before heading home, the children’s repository of outdoor learning skills was expanded as they enjoyed a hot drink made with a Kelly (camping) kettle on the beach and toasted marshmallows — a much-needed boost after all the action.

This latest activity day is just part of the school’s wider focus on outdoor learning having already taken part in a surf day on June 5 and a ‘Big Dig’ on June 16, which was a regeneration of their outdoor space, which included other members of the Altarnun community.

Activities that take children out of their regular schedules allows for more open minded thinking and provides fresh learning opportunities for the pupils, as well as creating a true sense of community spirit.

Principal Kristina Harrison, who also attended the ‘Wild Tribe’ day, said she was thrilled with how it turned out: “It was a lot of fun for all — not just the pupils! Everyone learned a lot over a wide range of subject areas, and there was an activity to suit everyone.

“Thank you to FOASA for sponsoring the trip, as well as the teachers and parent helpers who came along and assisted. I look forward to many more outdoor trips.”

The school plans to hold many more of these outdoor learning days as part of the school’s wider community project.