The purpose of the D Block Basecamp experience is to give the pupils a fun and challenging experience in the great outdoors. Basecamp will develop self-awareness with a particular focus on social awareness, building new relationships, communication and working in teams.
Basecamp takes place in and around Calderwood Park and lasts for three days with two nights under canvas. Activities include basic canoeing, target shooting, abseiling, basic bush craft, basic First Aid and some initiative tests, including for example, raft building.
Basecamp includes intensive introduction to the necessary bush craft skills for our outdoor programme. Fire making, shelter building, navigation, packing rucksacks, equipment selection and nutrition are all covered in a half day introduction session by professional instructors.
Pupils from PHB and PHG participate in the D Block Basecamp in single sex groups.
Basecamp is run by PH staff assisted by staff from Outward Bound, Zimbabwe (OBZ) and costs in the region of 35USD.
The purpose of the C Block Outback is to build on the experiences of the D Block Basecamp, with a strong focus on teamwork, grit and building self-confidence.
Outback is essentially a three day, 45km “journey type” expedition from Gosho Park to Kushinga Pikaleli dam and then on to Zambesi Holidays before returning to Gosho Park. Pupils will spend three nights under canvas. Activities include canoeing, target shooting, water rescue, water related First Aid, abseiling together with several initiative tests. More advanced bush craft skills are developed (fire making, shelter building, navigation, packing rucksacks, equipment selection and nutrition).
Pupils from PHB and PHG participate in the C Block Outback in single sex groups.
Outback is run by PH staff assisted by staff from OBZ and costs in the region of 45USD.
The purpose of the B Block Chimanimani trip is to build on the experiences of the D Block Basecamp and C Block Outback in the rugged and more physical challenging environment of the Chimanimani Mountains. This location affords each pupil the opportunity to grow as they are physically and mentally tested thereby enhancing the important characteristics of grit, determination and perseverance.
The B Block Chimanimani trip is centred at the OBZ base, not too far from the town of Chimanimani itself. Activities include high cliff abseiling (the Sphinx), high ropes course, bush craft together with some well-structured leadership/initiative tests (Tessa’s Traverse etc.) together with a three day expedition with three nights under canvas which includes summiting Pezza and Quezza (highest peak in Mozambique) mountains and camping at Southern Lakes.
Some PHB pupils may opt for a seven-day expedition in Chimanimani and rather than being based at the OBZ camp they enjoy the challenge of seven days and six nights (under canvas) in one of Zimbabwe’s most remote regions.
Pupils from PHB and PHG participate in the B Block Chimanimani trip in single sex groups.
The B Block Chimanimani trip is run by OBZ staff assisted by staff from Peterhouse.
The purpose of the A Block trip to Far and Wide is to build on the experiences of the D Block Basecamp, C Block Outback and B Block Chimanimani trips in the rugged and challenging environment of the Eastern Highlands. The trip has a particular emphasis on developing relationships and working with the opposite sex.
The A Block trip to Far and Wide takes place immediately after pupils have completed their IGCSE exams towards the end of the Michaelmas term. Lasting for a week, it is based at the Far and Wide Centre; it is an integrated programme for pupils from both PHB and PHG.
Activities include a confidence/high ropes course, well-structured leadership and initiative tests and discussions, a solo night out and three days (with three nights under canvas) on the Turaco Trail.
Some pupils opt for a six-day expedition on the Turaco Trail rather than being based at the Far and Wide camp; they enjoy the challenge of six nights under canvas on one of Zimbabwe’s most spectacular expedition routes.
The A Block Far and Wide trip is run by Far and Wide staff assisted by staff from PH.
Peterhouse is Zimbabwe’s first and only DOE’s International Award Centre (IAC). The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is the world’s leading youth development award programme. It involves structured participation in a programme of physical and skill development, service based activity, an adventurous journey and a residential project (Gold Award only) to better equip young people for life.
Over eight million people have participated in the Award in over 140 countries and territories since it was founded by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in 1956.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation is a registered UK charity whose mission is to promote the Award, provide young people with the Award programme, and preserve the quality of the Award worldwide. It is world renowned and any DOE award is well recognised on a CV in the global village.
Several Peterhouse staff have been trained to implement the DOE-IA and we made our first Bronze Awards in 2013. By 2015 we had produced our first Gold Award winner.
All C Block pupils have to attempt the DOE-IA. There is a 5USD administration charge and will be additional charges for any Adventurous Journeys (usually about 45USD) or Residential Projects attempted (price based on quotation).
Introduction
All full time members of staff (with the exception of the Deputy Head, Director of Studies, and the Chaplain) are required to be an Academic Tutor.
Whilst it is acknowledged that Housemasters/Housemistresses have overall responsibility for the welfare of the pupils in their houses Tutors (both Academic and House Tutors) have a very important part to play in looking after both the academic progress and pastoral welfare of each of their tutees. This implies building up a productive relationship with the pupil concerned together with his family.
The tutorial system
The tutorial system is based upon vertical groups of pupils within individual boarding houses as follows:
Tutorial meetings are held formally on a fortnightly basis; guidance for tutors is provided by the Senior Tutor (Upper School), the Senior Tutor (Middle School) and the Senior Tutor (Lower School), who is the Housemaster of Tinokura. At the top end of the school there will inevitably be a great deal of emphasis on academic performance and university entrance whereas at the bottom end of the school tutorials are more likely to focus on the basic expectations of pupils.
Tutors should also keep in touch with tutees informally and take an overall and active interest in their tutees academic performance, their extra-curricular activities, hobbies and interests, their family background and any disciplinary issues which may occur.