Past Events/ Activities

Pupils from Lossiemouth High School took part in a Solar Punk Interdisciplinary Learning (IDL) Shipwreck Day, designed to develop creativity, resilience, and teamwork. The event was based on the Solar Punk Island project created by Daydream Believers and delivered in collaboration with local employers, organisations, and emergency services.

Thank you to...

• Out of the Darkness Theatre Company
• UHI Moray
• Lossiemouth Community Fire Station
• Lossiemouth Community Council
• Buckie Wildcat Community First Responders
• Glasgow School of Art

The day began with ODTC captaining a “ship” which struck an iceberg, leaving pupils shipwrecked. This immersive introduction set the scene for a practical challenge in survival and community building. Pupils were taken to Lossiemouth beach, divided into “tribes”, and rotated through a series of survival and resilience activities.

Objectives:

• Introduce resilience and survival skills through practical, hands-on learning
• Encourage teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving in a real-world context
• Strengthen links between the school, employers, and community partners
• Provide an immersive learning experience outside the classroom
• Extend learning through follow-up project work back in school

Results:
The beach-based activities were designed to embed real-world knowledge and skills. Pupils took part in:

• Shelter Building – using limited resources to construct protection from the elements
• Community Resilience – exploring how communities adapt in times of crisis with Lossiemouth Community Council
• Water Purification – learning methods to make water safe to drink with UHI Moray
• Fire Safety – receiving practical guidance from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
• First Aid – gaining basic emergency response skills with Wildcat Rapid Responders

These sessions gave pupils a wide-ranging introduction to essential survival techniques, alongside opportunities to consider wider themes of resilience and collective responsibility. The outdoor, practical setting helped pupils to engage positively, with many responding well to the hands-on style of learning and the chance to work collaboratively.

Back in school, the project continued with each tribe creating a flag to represent their identity and values. Further classwork will build on this foundation, encouraging pupils to reflect on their experiences and embed learning across multiple subjects.

Benefits:

• Pupils developed practical skills in survival, first aid, and community resilience
• The immersive structure encouraged adaptability, leadership, and collaboration
• Engagement with employers and community partners provided authentic, real-world context
• Outdoor activity created a motivating and memorable change of learning environment
• The project provided a clear link between classroom learning and wider life skills