Pupils joining Queen's Sixth Form for the first time had the chance to learn both about the exciting challenges ahead and about themselves on a residential trip to Anglesey.
New Year 12 students enjoyed a 24-hour stay at the Conway Centre on the Menai Straits where they joined in with a range of outdoor activities and classroom-based sessions to prepare them for the big step up from GCSE.
Pupils first had the chance to do a series of group-based team-building tasks taking on outdoor woodland challenges that tested them both mentally and physically.
The Friday to Saturday trip ended with a raft building exercise where pupils designed, constructed and then water-tested their own rafts, getting themselves more than a little wet in the process.
Queen's sixth form staff also led classroom sessions on the skills and approaches needed for successful A-level study, and Year 12 tutor Mr Magill acted as both question setter and question master in a highly competitive and multiple-round quiz on Friday evening with some tasty chocolate-shaped prizes for the winners.
"The visit was a great chance to get to know our new classmates and the girls who are joining sixth form for the first time," said Year 12 pupil Cora.
"We also found out about the importance of having a positive 'growth mindset' when it comes to taking on our new courses of study."
