Grosvenor In View Magazine 2025

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Senior Ski Trip, Italy 2025

At the end of January 2025, 40 of our Year 14 pupils, accompanied by five staff members, set off for the stunning slopes of Madonna di Campiglio in the heart of the Italian Alps. For many, it was their first time skiing, but under the guidance of our excellent instructors, the group made remarkable progress throughout the week. Beyond the slopes, pupils and staff enjoyed a variety of evening activities that strengthened friendships and created unforgettable memories. Here, a few pupils share their reflections on a memorable week in Italy. The Ski Trip was an unforgettable experience for our beginner group. We started the week on the sunny nursery slopes of Madonna di Campiglio with our very patient instructor Roberto helping us to take our rather wobbly first steps on skis. Everyone gained confidence and speed very quickly, but Roberto made sure to keep us humble asking some of the boys if they had been up the whole night before because of their poor balance! Days two and three saw us move onto the blue slopes and everyone was super excited to try out the chair lifts which gave you a quick breather and a great view of the alpine scene before you hurtled down the mountain again. It was satisfying to begin learning to parallel ski and I don’t think any of us will forget the phrase ‘snowplough’ which was usually accompanied by someone overdoing it and ending up in the splits and falling flat onto their face! The later days of the trip were the most rewarding as we ventured further up the mountain. A definite highlight for everyone was Chalet Spinale, at the top of the mountain, where we stopped for lunch. The steaks and burgers were delicious, and we even enjoyed the proper après ski experience listening to the outdoor DJ! Our final day saw us exploring further, with Roberto taking some of us up over mini jumps which had us feeling like Eddie the Eagle. It was amazing to improve together as a beginner group, and by the end many were confidently taking on difficult red routes! As a group, we have to thank Mrs Peel and Roberto for putting in so much hard work to make the experience absolutely incredible. Liberty Molloy 14 TG4 Gio’s group consisted of 13 pupils and ‘teacher’ as Gio called him - the one and only Mr McCann. With Gio quickly getting us suited and booted we were ready for the nursery slopes, worried about the many falls ahead. Day one consisted of learning how to successfully stay on our feet and ‘SNOWPLOUGH’ - which was quoted for many weeks to come. Day two rolled around and it was time to master the button lifts, chair lifts and green slopes. With Gio realising he needed extra help;

he quickly turned the best skier into ‘boss’ (Hint: it was me!). My job involved counting 13 people every stop we took - which proved more difficult than you would think. We all quickly progressed with falls, and wipeouts were becoming fewer by the day. As we advanced higher up the mountain, chairlifts became longer and more frequent which resulted in our favourite activity, chairlift karaoke. A key moment I will always cherish is seeing Mr McCann on the second last day sliding backwards down the slope with his skis in the air. Erin Cross 14 TG5 For me the ski trip was something I had been looking forward to since the day it was first announced. My anticipation and excitement levels were high; the first day of the ski trip surpassed my expectations and lived up to the great trip I had hoped it would be. I was in the advanced group and our overall skiing experience was top notch. Off the slopes, the trip was co-ordinated to a very high standard and we were never bored when we were not skiing. Activities ranged from going shopping to the town of Madonna Di Campiglio, to going to a local ski chalet for hot chocolate and toasted marshmallows. For me the ski trip was the highlight of all my seven years at Grosvenor. It was very well run by all the teachers and there was never a boring moment. If I could do it again, I would do it one hundred times over. I would recommend going on the ski trip for everyone that gets the opportunity to do so, it is something that will be memorable for a lifetime. Ryder Whyte 14 TG2 In closing I would like to thank Mr Brunt, Mr McCann, Mr Nelson, and Dr Harrison for their tireless efforts and unwavering support in making this trip such a success. Finally, to the 40 pupils who made the experience unforgettable - thank you. Your exemplary behaviour, positive attitude and enthusiasm, both on and off the slopes, were what made this week in the Alps so memorable for everyone involved. Mrs A Peel

GROSVENOR IN VIEW > 2024/25