Field Day – Oct 2025
Last Friday our Field Day saw students from Years 7 to 13 take part in a host of different Seckford Scheme activities, as has become tradition in School twice each year.
From Mandarin drumming, calligraphy and Ba Duan Jin, to public speaking, first aid, self-defence, and lots of other activities, it was an enjoyable and enriching day for students, and a great opportunity to learn new skills, build self-confidence and build relationships with other students from around the School.
Over 220 of our CCF also spent a fantastic 24 hours in the field. With Army platoon ambushes and rotation of different stands which included occupying and holding a defensive position, paintball, fire and movement and patrolling skills, while others visited RAF Wattisham and our Navy went to Portsmouth.
RAF and Army visit to Wattisham Air Station
A busy day for everyone, students enjoyed some PT at the start of the day, a race around the gym involving walking lunges, rowing machine, bike erg, star jumps, jumping over things and crawling through things; everyone demonstrated excellent effort. Students then enjoyed lunch in the cookhouse, afterwards they went to the helicopter hanger where they learnt how to change a wheel on a land rover, how to rivet things, had a look around some kit and did another task involving nuts and bolts! At the end of the afternoon, they paraded in front of the CO, and a few cadets were given silver coins for their efforts during the day. Superb effort and enthusiasm shown by everyone, well done!
Navy boating day on the Solent from Gosport
Cadets from Years 9 to 13 enjoyed a super day in Portsmouth, which began with marching across HMS Excellent RN base to the mess for breakfast before going over to the Haslar Marina Gosport for Sailing with the RN on the Solent. Four boats, two powered craft and two sailing vessels, were loaded, safety briefings were given, and then they progressed out onto the river. A lack of wind caused the sailors some issues but it meant that it was calm for the Swans. A good day was had out on the water, with cadets actively helping with the running of the boats. Helming always seems to be the most enjoyable part, but chartwork, logbooks and ropework were all covered too. A great day for our cadets.
LAMDA, Learning how to master public speaking
Year 8 students joined Mrs Lockwood, Head of LAMDA, for lessons in public speaking; a great opportunity to do something a little different, but certainly something that will be useful throughout their lives – at School and beyond.
Students shared that they found the public speaking workshop to be very engaging and interesting, in particularly Sarah shared
“It helped me see how people should and should not speak publicly and how to present a captivating speech using skills like eye contact and hand gesture when necessary. Skills such as public speaking are extremely important for the future as many jobs and careers involve some form of presenting or public speaking. As someone who is an aspiring actress, I feel like I have benefited from this workshop as it helped me gain confidence about speaking publicly and to my peers.”
Honor also shared,
“Mrs Lockwood taught us how to structure a speech and speak with confidence thinking about posture eye contact and clear communication. It was great fun and really helped us with new skills.”
George explained that what he enjoyed the most was that,
“people who are not that confident in speaking in public had the chance to discover, learn about and think of new and creative ideas in groups.”
Summarising the day’s activities, Helen Richardson, Director of Co-curricular shared,
“Last Friday marked the first of our two Field Days this academic year – days that play an essential part in nurturing well-rounded students. While academic studies build the core of knowledge, co-curricular experiences like Field Day and clubs add important layers of personal growth, character, and real-world skills that help shape our students, by allowing them to step away from their usual routines of lessons and develop abilities that are vital in everyday life. These experiences teach key life skills such as teamwork, communication, and creative problem-solving. As students work together toward shared goals, they also have the chance to strengthen their leadership qualities, something exemplified especially through CCF and sports leaders.
At times, a quieter student may surprise themselves by taking the lead and guiding their peers. In other moments, students discover the value of supporting others – listening, cooperating, and contributing a different perspective. These lessons in teamwork and leadership extend far beyond the School gates, helping to prepare students for future success in professional and social settings.
From exploring Chinese drumming to building confidence in public speaking, from volunteering in another school to learning about safeguarding as sports leaders, from practising self-defence to touring a Naval base, the range of experiences reflects the diverse opportunities of a typical Friday afternoon at School. And although Field Day might appear to be just a welcome break from classroom learning, it is far more than that – it’s a chance for students to grow socially, emotionally, and physically.
Through collaboration, resilience, and enjoyment, co-curricular events such as Field Day play a vital role in shaping confident, capable young people ready to meet the challenges and opportunities of the future.”
