10 Sep Ranum’s strongest boys have been knighted
Once again, our pupils have had plenty of amazing experiences – but it’s unlikely to get much more amazing than when our strong lads from Fit for Life were initiated with swords and knighted in Nørresundby.
And that’s far from the only thing that’s happened this week. An outdoor weekend, skydiving and an exciting day trip to TV2 Nord have also been on the programme.
You can read all about that – and much more – in this week’s newsletter.
Happy reading!
Outdoor weekend
The weekend was spent in the fresh air, with plenty of new experiences – and, for most pupils, activities they had never tried before.
A large group took the bus to Aggersund, where the day was spent enjoying camp life and a cosy campfire. The theme was ‘Dive & Eat’, so the pupils jumped into the water wearing wetsuits and snorkels in search of the day’s catch. They managed to bring a good haul of crabs back ashore, which were boiled over the campfire and turned into a delicious crab bisque with a deep, rich taste of the sea.
Others had planned a day out on Lake Vilsted in kayaks and canoes, but the wind turned out to be a bit too strong for a trip out on the water. The plans were therefore changed, and the trip went to Fosdalen instead, where the pupils enjoyed a lovely walk through the beautiful, undulating countryside.
In Aars, a small group of pupils took part in a mountain bike event, where they could choose between 30- and 50-kilometre routes. Our group set off on the 30 km route, but ended up with a bit more than they’d bargained for. They took a wrong turn along the way and ended up clocking up quite a few extra kilometres.
A free fall from 4,000 metres!
The bravest pupils took the plunge from a height of 4,000 metres and soared through the air side by side with their classmates before landing safely back on the ground. It was a day filled with adrenaline, courage and amazing experiences, during which several pupils pushed their own limits and discovered that they were capable of more than they might have thought.
A talk by military analyst Mikkel Storm Jensen
The world is changing rapidly, and it can be difficult to keep up with the many developments taking place around us. That is why, on Monday, we were visited by military analyst Mikkel Storm Jensen, who gave the pupils a brief and up-to-date overview of the tense situation between Russia and Europe, as well as the influence of the other major powers on the global situation.
There was also plenty of time for questions from the pupils, who had the opportunity to learn more about both the current situation and the possible consequences for the future.
Thank you for visiting.
The Media and Social Media team visit TV2 Nord
The Media and Social Media team had an exciting and informative afternoon at TV2 Nord. The students gained an insight into everything from equipment, editorial work and production to what for many was the highlight of the day: standing in the TV studio and trying their hand at presenting in front of the teleprompter. An afternoon full of inspiration, new experiences and the chance to get a close-up look at the media industry.
A big thank you to TV2 Nord for welcoming us and giving the pupils an exciting and educational experience.
Niels Lan Doky – Jazz concert
As an evening activity, all pupils were invited to a jazz concert in the assembly hall, and whether you’re usually into jazz or not, it turned out to be a musical experience quite out of the ordinary.
The Danish pianist and composer Niels Lan Doky is internationally renowned and has performed on stages all over the world throughout his career. As a young man, he studied jazz at Berklee College of Music in Boston, and since then he has performed alongside some of the greatest legends in jazz.
Knight for a Day
There was broad agreement that this was both wild, overwhelming and, for some, also a little out of the ordinary. On Wednesday afternoon, Fit for Life paid a visit to Iron Wolves in Nørresundby, where the spectacular martial art Buhurt is practised.
In short, Buhurt involves fighting in authentic armour using medieval weapons such as swords, shields and axes. It’s full-contact, so it really is a no-holds-barred affair – naturally, within an organised set of rules and with a focus on safety.
Our students got off to a slightly more cautious start, however. They were introduced to various martial arts techniques, such as those used in MMA, before it was really time to bring out their fighting spirit. After that, everyone donned their armour. Not the heavy iron armour that the Iron Wolves usually compete in, mind you, but a lighter version with extra padding and foam swords, so that everyone could take part.
And then the match got under way.
The boys rose to the challenge and put on a cracking match – the blue team against the black. There was fierce competition, loud cheering and everyone gave it their all; it was undoubtedly an experience that both pupils and teachers will remember for a long time to come.
Home at
Thursday was a very special day, as we held ‘Hjemmehos’. ‘Hjemmehos’ is a day when pupils visit their contact group teacher and, hopefully, get the chance to get to know both the teacher and each other even better through cooking, cosy moments and fun activities.
As a efterskole teacher, you often develop a very special and close bond with your pupils – and not least with your form group, with whom you spend a great deal of time throughout the year. ‘At Home’ therefore gives pupils the chance to gain a little insight into the teacher’s life outside school. Perhaps they’ll meet the family or the pets, see the home, or discover new shared interests.
Some contact groups stay at school if the teacher is unable to host the pupils at home, or for other practical reasons. The most important thing, however, is not where the day takes place, but that everyone is together and creates some happy memories.
And that’s certainly what it turned out to be.
Nicotine products among young people
As we have also mentioned in previous newsletters, nicotine is a major problem amongst many young people. It is also no secret that we have already found and confiscated nicotine products amongst this year’s pupils. We would therefore like to urge you, as parents, once again to have a chat with your child about nicotine and the potential consequences of using it.
Frederik, who gave a talk on nicotine to our pupils two weeks ago, has made a video aimed at both you, the parents, and the pupils. In it, he focuses on nicotine and explains why it is important that we work together to help young people make good choices.
You can watch the videos via the link below.
Parents’ video here
Student video here
Day of the Afterschools
On 27 September, from 10.00 to 17.00, we’ll be opening the doors to Ranum Efterskole College as part of Efterskole Day.
Our pupils are ready to show you around, tell you about their everyday lives and give you an honest insight into what it’s like to be a pupil at Ranum.
With more than 50 subjects on offer, there are plenty of opportunities to put together a timetable that suits each pupil’s interests and curiosity. On the day, you can try your hand at crafts, sailing, design and dance, amongst other things, and get a taste of some of the many subjects and activities that form part of life at Ranum.
Of course, there will also be an opportunity to enjoy the delicious food, the cosy atmosphere and, not least, that special efterskole sense of community.
Registration for Efterskolernes Day
We look forward to seeing you!
Headmaster's column
This year, young people achieved the lowest ever score in the PISA survey. The result hit the country’s politicians, education professionals and parents like a brick wall – causing both frustration and a sense of guilt. Where does the responsibility – and the blame – lie? Is it social media, the widespread use of smartphones, or school reforms that shifted the academic focus away from modern performance cultures?
At efterskolen, we have also seen a shift in academic standards and noticed that young people expect ‘edutainment’ – that lessons should trigger just as much dopamine as social media platforms such as TikTok. At Ranum, we offer ability-grouped teaching, which ensures that pupils receive an academic boost, whatever their starting point, whilst at the same time developing life skills.
In the 10th-year ”Politics and Society” class at Kompas, the poor PISA results prompted the teacher to set the pupils the task of coming up with their own answers as to how we can improve young people’s reading and numeracy skills. A group turned up at my office, and in true Ranum style, we developed a template for the study and set ourselves the goal of evaluating their proposals collaboratively, involving pupils, teachers and the school leadership. The very fact that the young people themselves are seizing the opportunity to investigate how teaching can lead to better reading and numeracy skills is a sign that they possess a wider range of – and more relevant – skills than those assessed by the PISA study.
This coming weekend, we’re holding the Vilsted Sø Charity Run and Family Day. We’re very much looking forward to seeing the 900 or so family members who have registered, and to telling them about the upcoming choices of cultural subjects and trips for the second term.
Have a great weekend.
Yours sincerely
Olav Storm
Principal
It happens:
Calendar
- Family Day at Vilsted Lake Charity Run 12 September 26
- EMI WIDE Concert 22 September 26
- Efterskolernes, 27 September 26
- Specialist Study Trips 03/10/26
- Autumn half-term 12 October 26
- Alumni Day for former pupils 24 October 26
- Performance weekend 31 October 26
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