The Bushcraft Company Penshurst

Son just returned from trip and was so disappointing to hear his feedback. Experience was not like the glossy promo video - staff were ‘sassy’, activities were ‘dull’, food was awful - ‘like dogfood’, and the scheduling was all over the place (one group left for 3 hrs waiting for an activity. School very unhappy with the experience too. A lot of things to fix, hope the company can because its a great idea on paper

my review is VERY long, so if you don’t have time to read it, basically: DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILDREN HERE!Horrible. I went here for a school trip (Jun 19-21)), and it was TERRIBLE. At first, I was super excited for it, then it just went downhill. I’ll start with food. The food was disgusting! I haven’t had a proper meal since Monday (when we had burgers), since the food just looked horrible and as a picky eater, I honestly think a non-picky eater would hate it. Actually, the non-picky eaters DID hate it! Next, first-aid. One of the people on camp site we was on, she was feeling really sick, they just told her to think about something else? If you’re really that trained in first-aid then help! I was sick on the last day, and the staff didn’t even help, the teachers helped me, and they aren’t trained in first-aid and they definitely helped me better! All the staff did was ask me was if I could remember yesterday (which I couldn’t, but if I was better I probably could). Next, hygiene. I get we are in the woods, but still… There was showers, but only the teachers and staff was allowed to use them? Many people on site take showers EVERY NIGHT at home, but then they have to break that because this company is restricting BASIC hygiene? Also, we have to use stick and tin foil for spitting out our toothpaste? It put me off brushing my teeth, since they wouldn’t even change the tin foil! Plus, the toilets are DISGUSTING. Some toilets don’t flush, they stink, and it was making me not want to go to the toilet. Next, activities. Most of the activities was MILES away from the camp site. I’m a person who doesn’t exercise alot, so this is tiring for me, and many people, it felt like a weight loss program! Next, comforting. Since many other people didn’t like it, they felt homesick and just wanted to go home to get PROPER food and rest. Many people cried, and all they do is tell you that it’ll be better? The teachers did do that, but at least some did let us call our parents. Next, discipline. I could not sleep at night, because people kept on talking (tents are not soundproof!) I did not get enough sleep, I started hallucinating. All the staff do is say: “Please stop.” Like thats going to help? People in my year aren’t well behaved, and it takes alot for them to. So you should actually do some shouting maybe? It’ll get them to behave! Next, camp sites and groups. I chose to be with my friend, which ended up being on a different camp site, so we weren’t together (which isn’t bushcrafts fault). So we TRIED to interact with eachother, but then we get SCREAMED at if we get an inch close? Do they have some deadly disease? Whats so wrong with them? And they’d do this with group 1, which was on my camp site! Next, timetable. Lunch would be at 2:30, which isn’t ideal! Even the teachers agreed that it was a horrible time! The timetable was supposed to be we go straight to activites, but before the activities we played games, which was mainly splat, and we was so sick of splat! Finally, nights. Nights were horrible, I would randomly wake up, with people talking (not being told off!) and I kept on going in and out of sleep. On tuesdays night, I had no sleep, I kept on hallucinating, I could not sleep at all because people were screaming and talking. IF YOU ARE A SCHOOL DOING A RESIDENTIAL TRIP OR PARENTS WHO WANT A CAMPING HOLIDAY, DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILDREN HERE, NO MATTER WHAT!

My son has just had the worst time here. Never seen a kid come home so broken and I know he wasn’t alone and I will also speak to the school.Staff apparently weren’t nice at all and the food disgusting. The children actually cheered when it was time to leave