Students from Woodham Academy continue to visit Hamsterley Forest after school on a Friday evening. There are a wide variety of challenging red graded mountain bike trails that the students continue to enjoy. On average, students cover about 10 miles and the mix of challenging climbs followed by exhilarating descents bring a thoroughly enjoyable conclusion to their week at school. The sessions are in popular demand and since it began 2 summers ago, over 50 students have participated in mountain biking in one form or another.
The trips are led by deputy headteacher and MIAS (Mountain Bike Instructors Award Scheme) level 2 leader Danny Morgans and are made possible as a result of funding from the Great Aycliffe and Middridge Partnership for a trailer to transport 14 bikes. Such trips reinforce Woodham’s commitment to provide extensive opportunities for students beyond the formal curriculum where they can overcome different challenges and develop personal attributes that it’s not possible to do in the classroom alone.