Scouts

Bournemouth School has had its own Scout Group continuously for ninety years. During that time it has evolved from being ‘Scouts and Cubs’ into ‘Scouts & Senior Scouts’ followed by ‘Why can’t we have a Sea Scout Patrol’ into the present ‘Scouts & Explorer Scouts’ who are predominantly Sea Scouts.

The Group is one of the ‘top 101’ Royal Navy Recognised Sea Scout Units and is regularly inspected to ensure that high standards are maintained. Recognition provides all the privileges accorded to cadet forces – but without the money! The RN runs a popular Summer Camp on HMS BRISTOL each year, a sponsored swimming gala and a football competition in addition to helping organise field day visits.

At the same time the School Scout Group is very ‘traditional’ in its Scouting activities and Camps and Expeditions play a large part. Whether it’s having a summer camp in Iceland (2004), explorer expeditions to Holland (2006) and Canada (2007) or backwoods cooking (cremating sausages over an open fire!) on a winter’s evening it is always approached with the intelligent enthusiasm to be expected from grammar school boys.

Essentially the Group policy is that the members are firstly Scouts; Sea Scouting is an ‘add on’.  Boys can join at any time during their school career and membership covers all age ranges. To join, a boy has to be at least 10½ and to have been accepted for a place at Bournemouth School. At the end of Year 10 Scouts become Explorer Scouts until the end of their school career. Similar arrangements exist for young ladies from Bournemouth School for Girls. Consideration will also be given to non-BS siblings.  Previous membership of Beavers, Cubs (or even Scouts) is useful but not necessary. About 50% of the current membership started from scratch.  The school Group has its own Explorer Unit which takes an active part in troop and District events.

The School Scout Group meets on Friday nights at Bournemouth School from 7.00pm to 9.00pm but during the summer term tends to migrate to the Scout Activity Centre, Perch Pool, at Tuckton Bridge. The group has the use of a wide range of watercraft from single seat canoes via dinghies to power boats. Expedition work is based on board the fast motor cruiser ‘Pisces’ based in Poole Harbour. The emphasis is on safe-seamanship rather than becoming a master mariner.

There is a summer camp or expedition each year and a Field Day activity each term in school time. Other activities include Gang Shows, film-making, hiking, night-activities, wide games, swimming galas and cooking and camping competitions.

The Scoutleaders are well qualified and are strong believers in the Patrol System. As intelligent grammar school pupils the older Scouts are encouraged to plan and run their Patrol activities. At the same time the leaders are in a unique position to help balance their Scout and School lives.

The casual visitor on a Friday night often comments on the atmosphere of lunatic enthusiasm and obvious enjoyment of the Scouts. Scouting is a game to be enjoyed not endured. Perhaps the fact that we have more older members than most groups is significant. Four of the five Scoutleaders started as Scouts in the school troop.

Further details are available from the Acting Group Scout Leader, Mr A Sherriff on 07855 187669