Annual Ski Trips

“Developing confidence and risk judgement among young people is crucial if we are to structure a society that is not risk averse. We need to accept that uncertainty is inherent in adventure, and this contains the possibility of adverse outcomes. A young person’s development should not be unduly stifled by the proper need to consider the worst consequence of risk but must be balanced by its likelihood and indeed its benefits. Counter-intuitively, the key to challenging risk aversion among leaders and decision makers, is the application of balanced risk assessment. It is only by objective analysis that the benefits and opportunities of an activity can be weighed against their potential to go wrong. Indeed, I feel that the terminology should be changed to ‘risk/benefit assessment’. For the most part, as previous generations have learnt by experience, it is rare indeed that a well-planned exercise leads to accident. It will instead be most likely to bring a sense of enterprise, fun and accomplishment, 

so vital for maturity, judgement, and well-being, which must nearly always offset the residual and inevitable risk”. Tom Mullarkey OBE, Chief Executive, Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. 

Each Penair runs a school ski trip. It is our aim to provide pupils with an amazing snow sport holiday experience that they will remember for the rest of their lives. We believe that there is much to be gained from a foreign adventurous holiday in an environment unlike their own in Cornwall.  

Both skiing and snowboarding are active sports that enable you to learn new forms of movement and balance. They create a new and different appreciation of physical activity in a non-competitive atmosphere that can help develop enthusiasm and confidence to pursue an active lifestyle.  

For many pupils, our ski trip is the first (and perhaps only) encounter with a geographical environment that is significantly different from that in Cornwall. First-hand experience of this beautiful, yet fragile environment can provide an opportunity to develop a more responsible and caring attitude towards the world in which we live. However, in many alpine areas, the destructive effects of human activity are all too clear: erosion, congestion, lack of sensitive planning and unforeseen effects like flooding can be observed. The contribution of a skiing or snowboarding residential trip to pupils personal and social development is likely to be significant. It is likely to develop: 

• enjoyment of the outdoors. 

• respect for yourself, others, and the environment. 

• a sense of responsibility for your own safety and the safety of others. 

• a sense of achievement and the value of opportunities to succeed. 

• self-awareness and self-confidence. 

• an interest in a healthy physical activity that may become a lifelong pursuit. 

• improved relationships with both peers and teachers. 

Pupils are offered this opportunity approximately one year in advance of the trip. This allows parents to afford regular payments and allows us to plan the trip and have regular meetings with the pupils to run through a wide range of important information. We have visited many destinations in France, Austria and Italy and use very reputable companies to ensure a high quality and reasonably priced trip. 

Historically we have offered two separate trips for KS3&KS4 but in more recent years we have offered just one trip for all year groups with priority given to older pupils. The trip is staffed by experienced members of Penair staff and is undertaken in February half-term which offers the best skiing conditions. 

We will not be offering a trip in 2021 but are making plans for 2022.