The sun has been shining in the starting days of Projects Week where pupils throughout the Senior School are embarking on a variety of activities which include developing teamwork, resilience, creativity, communication and leadership skills through activities based around outdoor, creative, life skills and charity options. 

Mr Tayler, Head of Outdoor Education and Mr Paul, Educational Visits Co-ordinator compiled a week-long programme to enable pupils to be active and social where they can interact in a safe environment. 

Mr Tayler shared: “Throughout the year we have tried to keep the outdoors as an opportunity to be active, be positive and be social. This is reflected in the wide range of projects we have available this year. Even though they were planned with restrictions in place, we are lucky to live in an area where we can be on the beach, mountain or forest within a short journey. 

“Our traditional projects week aims to challenge pupils whilst supporting the core values which remain at the heart of the programme. It provides the opportunity to try something new. For some it's being away from home or trying new foods but this year those challenges have been different whether it's S1 boys learning dance or S5 pupils summiting Lochnagar, the challenges are still there.

“A huge thank you to all the staff who have worked so hard and adapted to make this week possible.”

House events have always been a highlight in the school calendar for bringing the community together. This week, Countesswells plays host to a fun day of House favourites like Quiddith and Nuke’m Ball, however the house leaders have some new activities up their sleeves as well as supporting a wider fundraising initiative. 

During the week, each year group will take part in a charities day where they take time to reflect and remember the late Owain Bristow, Head of Biology whilst raising funds for various charities he had close connection with. S1-4 took part in a 10km sponsored walk from Schoolhill taking in many of Aberdeen's sights including Marshall College, Aberdeen Beach, Seaton Park, St Machar Cathedral and Old Aberdeen. Along the way there was even a pitstop for ice cream. 

Pupils in S5 pupils and College staff climbed local Munro Lochnagar guided by qualified mountain leaders and had the opportunity to set their own level of challenges to fully experience Owain’s passion of mountaineering in Scotland. 

If you are able to support any of the charities the College House groups are fundraising for this week, please follow the links below.

• Aberdeen Mountain Rescue (Blackfriars)

• RNLI (Collyhill)

• Mental Health Aberdeen (Sillerton)

• Campus Children's Holidays (Straloch)