Kingsthorne Primary School Year 6 residential to Aberdovey, Wales / Photograph supplied by Kingsthorne Primary School
Words by Lila and Martha (Year 6)
(Ed’s note – this BACK TO SCHOOL article was first written for the Erdington Local printed edition and published on 15.05.25)
Last month, we went to Aberdovey in Wales for our Year 6 residential. It was an incredible experience away from home and school!
We got to try many activities including: climbing mountains, jumping into the sea and many more. The instructors were very kind and encouraged us to overcome our fears.
“I loved Aberdovey because we were with our friends and I conquered my fear of heights,” told Lila.
The meals there were very appetising, and they made sure you had eaten enough for the fun experiences that were ahead. The dorms were very cosy and comforting to anyone who may have felt homesick.
Kingsthorne Primary School Year 6 residential to Aberdovey, Wales / Photograph supplied by Kingsthorne Primary School
Many people’s favourite activity was the jetty jump as it took a lot of courage jumping from a 10 foot platform. It looked very scary but when you jumped it was not as bad as you first thought.
We also liked the speed boat because of how fast it went! At the centre, we had plenty of free time to rest, clean or play before meals and even more activities!
“This residential really boosted my confidence by completing things out of my comfort zone,” added Martha. “It was a great adventure and I’m sure everyone who went would recommend it.”
Kingsthorne Primary School is part of the Erdington Local BACK TO SCHOOL programme, working together to celebrate school life from staffroom to classroom.
If your school would like to know more about going BACK TO SCHOOL with Erdington Local please email: [email protected]
Erdington litter Busters have been awarded a £500 donation by property developers McCarthy Stone, to help the local community group “continue to grow, thrive, and be there to clean up Erdington for years to come” – according to McCarthy Stone Business Development Manager, Declan Fishwick.
The donation comes from the McCarthy Stone ‘Happier, Healthier Project’ – which hopes to help community groups in and around the areas of their residential developments, with small bursaries and financial support.
Erdington Litter Busters were selected by the property developer from amongst the constituency’s strong and varied portfolio of community and volunteer groups, following research into locally led activities and organisations.
Members of Erdington Litter Busters by the Village Green on Erdingotn High Street / Photograph supplied by McCann Birmingham
McCarty Stone had previously donated £500 to both the Erdington Foodbank, operating out of Six Ways Baptist Church, and Friends of Witton Lakes – as well as gifting £2000 to Birmingham Hospice, who run the cherished John Taylor Hospice on Grange Road in Erdington.
Ruth Dillon, Chair of Erdington Litter Busters, told Erdington Local: “It’s really quite humbling that we’re just a community group in Erdington and this big company has sought us out without any prompting form us and have given us a very kind donation.”
She added: “But what we’ve found [we’ve got] from today is not just the cheque, but we’ve made a new friend there. They’ve invited us to the project (Botham Place), there’s new ideas that we can work collaboratively on, and that is going to be really important – a lasting link with a new company coming into Erdington.”
(l-r) Ruth Dillon and Dawn Edwards – from Erdington Litter Busters, Cllr Robert Alden, Nicky Broda – from McCarthy Stone / Photograph suppliued by McCann Birmingham
Erdington Litter Busters were awarded the £500 donation by representatives from McCarty Stone at a special presentation on the Erdington Village Green, with members of the litter picking and green space advocates joined by Erdington Ward Councillor Robert Alden.
Celebrating the recognition of Erdington’s volunteer community, Cllr Alden told Erdington Local: “Erdington Litter Busters are a wonderful organisation who have been making a real difference across the local area – helping green up our green spaces. And what’s wonderful to see is that McCarthy and Stone have come into the area and are now committing to supporting local groups.”
He added: “And that’s really good from businesses coming into Erdington, not just investing in the fabric of the place but also investing in the community of the place – and that’s really important for helping to make Erdington an even better place to live.”
Sign for Erdington Litter Busters on Reservoir Road, Erdingto / Photograph by Ed King
McCarthy Stone is currently constructing a new retirement and residential apartment block on Orphanage Road, called Botham Place, which a spokesperson for the developer states will “offer a mix of one and two-bedroom energy-efficient retirement apartments, featuring private patios or Juliet balconies.”
Personally handing over the cheque to the Erdington Litter Busters on Erdington High Street, McCarty Stone’s Mr Fishwick, added: “We build our own communities, but we like to push into the community that already exists and make sure we’re all one part of Erdington.
“Part of doing that is we have a small sponsorship budget that we like to distribute to local initiatives in the area – and when we were doing some research, we saw the Erdington Litter Busters and we thought fantastic. It aligns massively with what we do as a business, and we wanted to give our support.”
Artist’s impression of new Botham Place development on Orphange Road, Erdington / Graphic taken form McCarthy Stone promotional material
Words and pics supplied by Kingsthorne Primary School
(Ed’s note – this BACK TO SCHOOL article was first written for the Erdington Local printed edition and published on 17.01.25)
Disco ball and party lights / Pic taken from Adobe Stock Images
The run up to Christmas was very exciting at Kingsthorne with lots of special activities and events. On Thursday 12 December the school held its first after school disco since lockdown.
Children from all ages came and ate pizza and chips and there were prizes for the best dancers!
The following day was the House Challenge. Normal lessons were cancelled for the morning and the children got into their houses: Earth, Fire, Water, and Ice. They spent the time making things to sell at the Christmas market in the afternoon.
The house that raised the most money would be crowned the winner! Congratulations to Earth house who raised over £180.
Aberdovery beach and seafront, Wales / Pic taken from Adobe Stock Images
There were festive parties; Reception and Nursery charmed the parents with their re-telling of the nativity story and on the last day we walked down to the local church, St Lukes, for a Christmas service.
There were carols and readings and the ukulele group put together a medley of seasonal songs.
Looking ahead to 2025 there are lots of exciting events planned, including a Y4 residential visit to the Chester Trafford Youth Hostel and the annual Y6 trip to Aberdovey.
Kingsthorne Primary School is part of the Erdington Local BACK TO SCHOOL programme, working together to celebrate school life from staffroom to classroom.
If your school would like to know more about going BACK TO SCHOOL with Erdington Local please email: [email protected]
Words and pics supplied by Kingsthorne Primary School
Earlier in June, children from Kingsthorne Primary got the chance to spend time at the Youth Hostel Association (YHA) country house Ravenstor – as part of a special residential trip organised by the Kinstanding school.
Situated in the heart of the Peak District, looking down on the River Wye that runs between Bakewell and Buxton, YHA Ravenstor is a popular holiday destination for families and walkers who want to get back to nature.
During their stay, the Kingsthorne children got to explore the 60 acres of beautiful grounds that surround the National Trust property, playing games and taking part in fun activities.
With some wet weather coming whilst they were away, everyone got quite muddy but had a great time doing so – and luckily YHA Ravenstor had a special ‘drying room’ for all their wet clothes and muddy boots.
School trips and residential stays are a fantastic way to build confidence in young people, help them with social inclusion, and give many children the chance to see and experience things that may not be easily accessible to them.
National consortium Learning Away champions the benefits of UK based educational residentials and found the impact of the experience on primary school children can increase their relationships with both peers and teachers by over 70%.
Renowned mountaineer and explorer Sir Chris Bonnington told: “Children benefit in a profound way from the adventure of a residential and the opportunity and experience of being absorbed in what they are learning in the great outdoors.”
Kingsthorne Primary School is part of the Erdington Local BACK TO SCHOOL programme, working together to celebrate school life from staffroom to classroom.
To find out more about going BACK TO SCHOOL with Erdington Local please email: [email protected]
Words by Neveah in Y6 / Pics supplied by Kingsthorne Primary School
15 – 19 April were the dates of the first ever Kingsthorne Y6, four night residential to the Outward Bound Centre at Aberdovey.
The 41 children and six staff that went were truly pioneers. We all had an unforgettable experience and a great time.
The views of the estuary and beyond were gorgeous, particularly when it was sunny. We saw lots of nature too including cows, crabs, and jellyfish!
During our time at Aberdovey we conquered many fears and completed lots of fun activities. Some of the activities that we did consisted of abseiling, gorge walking, jetty jumping, and the jog and dip.
Two of my favourite activities were the jetty jump and the gorge walk. Both of these were incredibly fun, even if you did get absolutely soaking.
I learnt a lot on this trip including how to be more resilient and independent. I even learned how to make a duvet – now there is a skill for life!
Many people overcame their fears and made memories that they will never forget.
Kingsthorne Primary School is part of the Erdington Local BACK TO SCHOOL programme, working together to celebrate school life from staffroom to classroom.
To find out more about going BACK TO SCHOOL with Erdington Local please email: [email protected]
