A new resort brought many differences, including a shortened coach journey of 18 hours this year, a much quicker travel time, which the students greatly appreciated.On the first day of skiing, students were split into ability groups. Their instructors put them through their paces to ensure everyone was placed in the right group to maximise progress throughout the week. Shortly afterwards, the groups headed up the mountain to explore the new slopes and familiarise themselves with the resort.The beginner groups spent the first part of the week on the nursery slopes, getting to grips with the fundamental techniques of skiing, including how to ‘pizza’ and stop. Meanwhile, the intermediate groups quickly progressed to the other side of the valley, tackling steeper terrain. The advanced group ventured higher up the mountain, reaching altitudes of over 2,800m and taking on some of the more challenging slopes in the resort.This progression continued throughout the week, with all groups making excellent progress across the vast Monterosa region. On Tuesday, we woke up to a fresh 25cm of snow. It was a challenging day of skiing, as the snowfall continued throughout the day. The fresh powder made turns more difficult, but certainly softened any falls! After a tough day on the slopes, we enjoyed a pizza night at a local restaurant. With it being Pancake Day, students were also treated to crêpes for dessert, which went down very well.As the week went on, we experienced every type of weather: wind, heavy snowfall, bright sunshine, and everything in between. Being based in a valley meant students had to work particularly hard on their skiing. As confidence and ability improved, groups began exploring some off-piste areas with their instructors, experiencing small jumps and varied terrain.On Thursday afternoon, students skied down the mountain for the final time with their instructors, who presented them with passport-style awards recognising their ability and progress. It was wonderful to see how many students had built positive relationships with their instructors, and there was a real sense of sadness that the week was coming to an end.

That evening, we held our annual quiz (won by the Sixth Form girls), followed by our awards evening, including Sixth Form awards. It was a brilliant way to round off an excellent week.

Unfortunately, on Friday, the resort was closed due to high winds and avalanche risk. We took this as an opportunity for a slower morning, allowing students time to prepare for the coach journey home. By this point, many were exhausted after an intense week, and a well-earned rest was definitely needed.

We arrived back at school on Saturday morning to a very quiet coach, as most students slept for much of the journey home. It was a long and demanding week of skiing, but an exceptionally positive experience for all. From beginners to advanced skiers, every student made excellent progress and created some fantastic memories.

In the coming weeks, please keep an eye on your inbox for information about our 2027 ski trip, as we plan to return to Gressoney, Italy. If you want to take a look at the resort to see what is coming up, you can see the piste map here.