11 Plus Exams Forum

Hello folks,

My DS is thinking of doing NCS this summer. Does anyone have any real experience of it that they can share? My DS is hoping to go to uni so I'm wondering if this will help him develop...

thanks you
F4T.

My DC is all signed up for this year. Cousin went 2 years ago and had a blast and was invited back as a young leader this summer. Very well paid.

IMO what's not to like for 4 weeks of 'entertainment' for a mere £35!!??

DC very much looking forward to it.

I guess it depends on the DC though.

Good luck with the decision.

My dd also did it last summer and had a great time - lots of fun, hard work and meeting new people whom she is still great friends with. It's definitely worth it IMO.

OP tell your DS to do it if he likes the idea of NCS.

He may or may not enjoy it (it is a bit Marmite as you have no control over who else is going - unlike DE where it is all very safe with your school mates) but if he goes in with his eyes open, he will likely learn a bit about himself/others and whether he likes it or not, the skills he learns/strengths he recognises he does or doesn't possess are useful going forward - especially if he can unpick these a bit in his Personal Statement and relate it to his future study - as well as giving him experience of living/being away from home with strangers!

Thank you for your messages, it all sounds positive. 4 weeks is a long time, so it needs to be worthwhile... take care all.

DD did NCS in 2017 and it was actually only 3 weeks of 'doing things', plus a final activity (stewarding at a local charity event) on the Saturday evening at the end of the third week. The camping week was fairly routine for her, a scouting veteran with two Essex International Jamborees under her belt (and only four miles from home - not exsctly out of her comfort zone ), but even at £50 here, rather than £35, plus bus / train fares for week 3, it was pretty good value for money.

DS did it last summer and enjoyed it. The biggest complaint was that the adventure week was very primary PGL and they went somewhere with no water sports which were all over the promotion literature.

He met children from other schools which he really enjoyed as he is a bit of a nerd (hugs admission) and it helped him to realise he has to work on his social skills.

DD's group had no water sports in week 2, either, but they had got fairly wet the previous week (some folk oviously haven't got quite as much canoeing experience...) and they had known this upfront. They were in Hadleigh Country Park, so got to use the Olympic bike track instead, which DD felt was fair exchange.