Parents take on the Great Escape
The Great Escape has been a much-loved tradition at St Edmund’s for as long as most can remember. It is truly part of the St Edmund’s culture: good, wholesome fun that brings pupils together for outdoor adventure across the school grounds, filled with teamwork, laughter, camaraderie and the occasional forfeit in the ‘cooler,’ all rounded off with a well-earned feast in the school dining hall. Pupils from Form 3 through to Form 11 take part, and when Old St Edmund’s (OSE) are asked about their fondest school memories, the Great Escape is invariably mentioned.
With this in mind, on Friday evening we decided it was time to give parents a taste of what their children get up to and hosted our first Parent ‘Great Escape’ in over twenty years.
Armed with maps, parents hunted for checkpoints dotted around the grounds, all the while keeping a beady eye out for the guards patrolling the school drive, ready to capture any prisoners unlucky enough to be spotted. Parents were split into three teams; Tom, Dick and Harry and congratulations go to Team Dick, who emerged victorious overall on points.
Parents arrived with enthusiasm and energy, many kitted out in full combat gear and head torches, with a hint of trepidation about what the evening might hold! As one parent put it, “A dark and gloomy January evening has never been so much fun; a brilliant way to get to know other parents and finally understand the excitement when my child comes home muddy and full of stories from Great Escape nights.” Another summed it up perfectly with, “Please say this is going to become an annual event for parents!”
At a time when the world can feel uncertain and January stretches on as a long, grey month, evenings like this are a good reminder of what makes the St Edmund’s community so special.