Challenging outdoor pursuits

sector school frequently offers a remarkable range of extra-curricular

activities, which greatly enrich the participants.

Fortunate is the boy or girl, who has had the opportunity of learning

about or trying a hobby or skill which would never have been open to

them outside school.

Take for example schools with combined cadet forces. Participation in

that demands discipline, teamwork, attention to detail, and staying

power. In return, it offers a chance to become involved in all sorts of

activities, such as learning how to handle weapons, orienteering, and

going on exercise to camps on military bases.

At co-educational Gordonstoun, close to the Moray coast, the usual

demarkation line between curricular and extra-curricular activities is

smudged if not removed, in certain spheres. ''All pupils,'' reports

James Thomas, director of external affairs, ''partake of the seamanship

and expedition programme as part of a curriculum, at varying levels

throughout their school career.''

What sets Gordonstoun apart -- although they are not totally unique in

this respect -- is the fact that their pupils join one of the rescue

services: fire, mountain rescue, or inshore rescue.

''Our fire service is part of Grampian Fire Brigade,'' explains Mr

Thomas. ''They have bleepers, and when the siren sounds in Elgin, it

goes here too and off they go, irrespective of whether they are in

chemistry, chapel or if it is the middle of the night. The same is true

of our inshore and mountain rescue services.''

In the recent past, a Gordonstoun pupil found a body during one of the

latter exercises: a traumatic taste of realism in what the uninitiated

might misinterpret merely as a cosmetic piece of role playing.

''Challenge,'' says James Thomas ''is the big word here, whether it's

in the classroom, music or the fire service for example. About half of

our pupils take music lessons, there are orchestra tours around the UK

and America, and there are overland and oversea expeditions to Norway

and other parts of the world.''

The school, has a big commitment through its pupils, to service in the

community: spending time in local hospitals, visiting elderly people,

and looking after disadvantaged children are some of the

less-high-profile but important services performed.

''Adventurers have to involve themselves in something which is more

cultural and cerebral, while their opposite numbers have to involve

themselves in something adventurous and challenging.''

At Robert Gordon's College in Aberdeen, headmaster George Allan lists

games as a major area of extra-curricular activity, offering rugby,

cricket, hockey for boys and girls, tennis, golf, volley and basketball,

water polo, badminton and ski-ing.

''We have outdoor activities involving year groups too. In June

annually, our first year goes to the Speyside area and engages in a

whole variety of programmes of outdoor activities, some sporting, some

adventure training. Fifth year also do a series of tours at the same

time, ranging from cultural to sporting, both in and out of this

country,'' explains Mr Allan.

''Additionally, we have CCF, hillwalking, drama, music from choirs to

small ensembles, jazz to a concert band which tours on the Continent, an

orchestra, art, and a successful widely recognised debating society, to

name but some. Our activities are provided in response to what pupils

want, and they mostly run them with staff supervision.''

Dollar Academy's rector John Robertson explains: ''We have no

compulsory extra-curricular work at Dollar, even things like rugby and

cricket and so on is all voluntary. We have always taken the view that

if pupils wanted to do it, they would do it with good will.

''We have ski-ing parties going off each weekend, curling, community

service such as riding for the disabled, Duke of Edinburgh Award at all

levels, CCF but because of our central position it's not practical to

have a naval section. We have a major music programme and a new

purpose-built music block was added about five years ago, opened by Sir

Alexander Gibson. Every day after school there, we have choirs and

orchestras rehearsing from all stages of school from seven-year-olds to

18-year-olds. Choral music is a big thing, but orchestral is there too.

''Other clubs and societies include bridge, a mathematical games club,

a Russian club, magazine, and year book committees; there's virtually

every sport under the sun -- squash, swimming, fencing, shooting, golf,

cycling, and at Dollar Academy, Friday night is dancing night, with

classes from Scottish country dancing to sophisticated ballroom. Its a

lovely aspect. As a result, when we have dances, its almost like the

Charge of the Light Brigade, no-one sits out.''