GLUSBURN children went skiing during their annual residential trip.

But the destination was Ilkley rather than Austria and the youngsters were using ‘land skis’ during one of many teamwork exercises.

The pupils of Glusburn Community Primary School split into groups of three and walked on planks instead of skis.

The trio had to move together carefully while holding ropes, timing their steps and lifting their feet in tandem in order to travel along a path.

The year six children visited the Nell Bank Centre for three days.

School head Richard Hunt said: “The children were exposed to a range of team-building exercises, whilst also working together to complete chores such as washing-up, tidying dormitories and preparing lunches. The group were superbly and enthusiastically led by the staff at Nell Bank, staying over for two nights in the well-furnished and recently built accommodation block.”

The children also enjoyed performing at their own evening talent contest, preparing their performances before the trip. Talents included dancing, joke telling, singing, acting, beat-boxing and rapping.

During one of the days they took a walk to the Cow and Calf rocks on Ilkley Moor where they were told the legend of how the rocks were laid into position.

Mr Hunt added: “This residential is one of the highlights of our children’s time at Glusburn Primary - taking many fantastic memories and memorable experiences from the visit.”

One of the exercises was entitled Save the Species, and involved the children filling three increasingly-larger tubes with water, covering holes in the side to prevent the water escaping.

As the water rose so did a plastic duck, which was then passed to the next tube to be filled.

Nellbanian Mountains involved the children working as a group as they travelled around an obstacle course.

Mr Hunt said: “The children had to pass two objects through the group, and the person holding the objects was not allowed to move.

“In the Screaming Game the children had to run from one end of the field towards the other, allowing one large scream. The furthest pupil who travelled ‘on one scream’ was the winner!”

The children also worked in groups to make den structures from various lengths of branches, considering what would make a safe and strong structure.

They took part in orienteering, working in pairs to locate points in the woods and fields around the Nell Bank Centre.

They also played hide and seek in the dark, the children working together with torches to find teachers hiding in the woods. The first team to record every teacher’s signature was declared the winner.

The Nellbank Centre, run as a charity, provides day and residential experiences for schools and community groups.

The centre can cater for up to 64 children.

It also runs team-building courses and conferences for businesses, including some of the biggest in the world, with exercises emphasising trust building, communication skills, leadership, and problem solving.