Team Building Days

Hi Will & Tim, The Problem Solving Company is in its 15th Year of running Team Building Days At Schools. Can we get an overview of why you started the Company?

"The Problem Solving Company was started to allow greater access for the many students that did not have the opportunity engage with Outdoor Education. With barriers to participation such as budget constraints and the red tape involved in taking students off the school site we thought why not take the activities to the students. In doing this we have created a nationwide Service throughout the UK providing Problem Solving & Team Building Days for Primary (EYFS, KS1, KS2) & Secondary Schools (KS3, KS4, KS5) as well as Colleges and Universities.

What has made The Problem Solving Company the popular choice for both Primary & Secondary schools?

"Firstly, we know that teachers are busy and with this in mind our aim is to minimise the amount of work they have to do. From their first enquiry we will provide teachers with activity suggestions that work for their objectives and fit with their schools timetable. We know that this is different for each school and that flexibility is key. This might be for a small class of students or it may be a whole school event with activities on offer for over 1000 students.

In addition to the organisational side we pride ourselves on the successful delivery of our activity days. For this reason our staff are critical to our success. Our management team all come from an outdoor education background in both Private and LEA outdoor centres and hold a host of National Governing Body qualifications. We take great satisfaction in employing staff with a wealth of experience in both teaching and the outdoors so as to benefit from their hard and soft skills.

Lastly our equipment is also key to our success. We bring a whole host of specially made activity equipment that allows students to get hands on, stay engaged and want to take part. We are also the leading supplier of team building equipment to schools within the UK.

Can you give a quick overview of your team building days?

"Whichever options you choose The Problem Solving company like to arrive early to transform the area that you have designated us for the activities. This may be on your school field, sports hall or AstroTurf. We realise that schools are busy places and certain times of year, like exam season, some spaces will not be available. We are therefore not strangers to working in classrooms, dance studios and canteens.

We will always be setup for the start of the school's first lesson. The day will start with an introduction about the day/session and the learning objectives helping students to set goals for the day. The key learning points will kept fresh in the students minds through the activities.

Before the end of the day bell, students will review their performance in a relaxed way with their instructors before heading home for the day. Our full day activity days are just that "A Full Day". When the students have left our team will pack all of the equipment away and leave no trace of our visit.

What type of days do schools book you for?

"We offer full days as well as half days with the option to run session for different groups through the day. The latter is at no extra cost. The Problem Solving Company offer a large range of activities which gives allows a unique position to off multi activity weeks. We also spend a lot of the school holidays working with schools that offer holiday activities such as summer schemes.

What activities do you offer?

"We offer a huge range of activities that can stand alone or combined to create different styled days. Some of these include:

Team Building & Problem Solving
Escape Rooms
Bushcraft & Survival Days
Mobile Laser Tag
Mobile Crazy Golf
Orienteering
Mobile Climbing Wall
Mobile Caving Tunnels
Maths Workshops
STEM Days

What are the participating students likely to take away from taking part in one of your team building days?

"We obviously offer a wide selection of activities. Many of these can be subject related and so are a great way to introduce a topic or a finale to a period of study.

Overall our activities give students the opportunity to develop skills used to work together in groups, to communicate ideas, to learn the art of compromise and to understand the importance of resilience and not giving up. All of this whilst taking part in a range of fun hands on activities all in the school grounds!

With many schools having different aims and objectives we often gear our activity days to fulfil their school ethos, targets and beliefs.

Are your activities just participated in outside?

"The Problem Solving Company, unlike many other seasonal companies, operates for the full year. Although we have worked out ways to pack most things into our vans, we have still not managed to work out how to pack sunshine. We therefore spend the winter months working inside sports halls, gyms, canteens classrooms and other smaller spaces. Although this does not allow some activities, such as ones with water or fire lighting we adapt our programmes as required.

Do you cater for SEN schools?

"We have successfully worked with many Special Education Needs schools in the last 15 years and hope to work with many more. Our differentiated activities are ideal for the needs of different groups and schools. These will be discussed with each school upon booking.

If you have any more questions which hopefully you do then please get in contact with The Problem Solving Company to find out more about what can be offered to your school.

Mental Health & Well Being In Schools.

"As a company we recognise that all students have had a challenging year. With a generation deeply challenged by the Coronavirus we incorporate and practise ways of modelling self care into our activity days. To help decrease anxiety and stress we incorporate physical, social, emotional and spiritual support throughout our activity programs. We are passionate that mental health and wellbeing is everyone's business and hence as a company regularly consult with a child psychotherapist to better our interactions with children in schools.