7 November 2023
Mrs Rachael Wratten, Assistant Director of Sport
Our senior sports tour to Singapore and Malaysia in the half term break was a huge success. Many students described it as “a once in a lifetime experience” – a sentiment echoed by PE staff.
The students were an absolute pleasure to tour with and did Woldingham and the PE Department proud throughout, from their competitiveness in sporting fixtures, positive interaction with all the teams they played against, showing real care for the children at the orphanage we visited and developing strong bonds with each other that will last a lifetime. It was lovely to watch each individual’s personal growth journey on the tour. The girls embraced the cultural experience and were really interested to get to know local people. We heard many times from our sporting opponents and staff in hotels and restaurants how polite and amazing our students were. They really embodied confidence, courage and compassion throughout.
Olivia R, Sport Ribbon
Our sports tour to Malaysia and Singapore was an unforgettable experience for all of us lucky enough to go. As well as playing hockey and netball against local teams, we visited some amazing places, forged friendships for life and learned a lot about ourselves.
The UK may have been experiencing cold, wet, and windy weather but conditions in Malaysia and Singapore could not have been more different and it was certainly very different to playing at home. The Singaporean and Malaysian girls we played against were so lovely, even giving us gifts and taking photos with us. Competing in the heat and humidity tested our resilience but over time we got better at dealing with conditions and played incredibly well. Every single player’s contribution to our teams’ performances was fantastic. I was so proud to be part of #TeamWoldingham.
As well as our netball and hockey matches, we had a busy sightseeing programme to make the most of travelling so far. We saw a huge number of different animals, from snakes and deer to orangutans and elephants. Visiting the orphanage was very emotional but everyone really enjoyed it and found it enlightening.
On the bus, as we travelled to different places, we loved singing (very loudly) to Pitch Perfect songs and doing quiz games and we had a lot of fun with the teachers playing cards every night. It turns out our sports teachers are super competitive.
A highlight for me was relaxing by the pool on the last two days after such a busy time beforehand.
Thank you to all our teachers who came on tour over the half-term, especially Mrs Wratten who organised the trip. Ms Daley got the nickname Dr Daley as she did such an amazing job of looking after the minor injuries and those of us who struggled with the heat. And thank you to our parents who paid for us to go! We will remember the trip forever. It was an incredible opportunity to spend time with friends, play sport, and be immersed in cultures so different to ours.
