Year 12 Media Studies students have taken part in a fun team building activity at ‘Cluedini’ Escape Rooms in Darlington. In three teams of five, students worked together to solve problems in an attempt to escape their room in 60 minutes or less; only one team succeeded.

Two teams took on the challenge of ‘Sleuth’ rooms, themed with detective-style furniture and props, whilst the third team chose to enter the ‘Outlaw’ room, complete with cowboy hats, bandanas, revolvers, dynamite and an Arizona sunset wall mural. Students had to solve over 30 problems and challenges in each of the rooms by working together; this allowed them to develop their communication skills and understand that to be an effective communicator, listening to other people is just as important as sharing your ideas. Despite everyone’s best efforts, only the Outlaws managed to escape with just four minutes to spare!

This experience was completely free for Media students, thanks to a successful bid for funding from local organisation, ‘The Key+’. Miss Davies, Director of Learning for the Media Department, signed up two teams of Year 12 students for Stage 1 of this extra-curricular opportunity. Teams had to plan and make a presentation to two judges in order to bid for £250 which would pay for an activity of their choice. This team decided to budget for an activity that would benefit the whole class, which shows how strong friendships are within the department.