With sun blazing fierce in a cloudless blue sky,
And the mercury climbing to twenty-nine high,
The boarders set out — thirty-nine boys in all,
From Year Four to Year Eight, both the great and the small.

With such heat overhead, we took proper care:
Sun cream on each nose and a hat for each hair.
We kept the boys hydrated, sought shade from the glare,
And no one went pink in the hot summer air.

First came laser tag battles, fought boldly pre-lunch,
With dodging and diving, a fleet-footed bunch.
The boys split to teams and took aim with great flair,
And the grounds rang with laughter and shots through the air.

To New Forest Water Park onward we drove,
Where Poseidon floated — a watery trove.
With Trampoline, Quarterpipe, Action Tower tall,
And Monkey Bars beckoning, joy was for all.

Then Mr Sutherland took up his post on the BLOB,
And launched each young boarder — a most splendid job.
With one well-timed bounce he sent boys to the air,
Who flew, shrieked and splashed down without a care.

Brave Mr Flood manned the Grid and the Nets,
Where football was played in the keenest of sweats.
Through goals, shots and tackles and sun beating down,
He stood firm and stoic — a rock of renown.

Dear Mrs Thomas (still learning to count),
Stood ready with first aid in goodly amount.
Yet not a graze, sprain nor a bruise came her way,
And her kit went home shut at the close of the day.

And when the boys rested from sunshine and play,
A fine BBC programme would brighten the day.
With Mrs Thomas they watched, ever keen to learn how
Scam Interceptors catch fraudsters right now. 

Back home and to tea-time, we thought all was done,
Till Mr Sutherland made one last bid for fun.
He passed boys the hose pipe — chaos at full spray,
And a full change of clothing concluded the day.

Sun-kissed and soggy, exhausted and spent,
The boarders trooped bedwards with smiles where they went.
A weekend of water, of laughter and sun,
To be fondly recalled — what a weekend of fun.

Steve Leslie
Q School Housemaster
Head of Geography