If you had happened across Mercure Hull Grange Park Hotel on one sunny morning in October, you may have been greeted by a strange sight as Year 5 from St Anthony’s VC Academy took over the hotel as part of their ‘Run a Hotel for a Day’ experience. Set to work, they split into groups and conquered the key elements of ensuring the smooth running of a hotel.
First up was the reception desk. Customer service skills were key here, as the children greeted patrons with a smile and allocated them rooms based on their specific needs.
Housekeeping was the next activity. Armed with checklists and a trolley of supplies, the children ensured the rooms were spotless and topped up with amenities. Arguably the most important aspect of a pleasant hotel stay, the children realised how physical these jobs are and relied on teamwork to complete them to a high standard.
The children took detailed notes, including diagrams, of the specific instructions on how to set a table for one of the large events that the hotel often caters. Having to show impressive attention to detail, and after some practise, they were able to complete a place setting in less than 20 seconds. We think that’s a new record!
A hotel stay is not complete without a visit to the restaurant! For their final activity, the children worked tirelessly to change the tables from breakfast to dinner settings. Because they had completed the banqueting challenge, they were able to apply their prior learning and completed this task with ease. A few were even offered jobs!
Overall, the children had an incredible experience and enjoyed their time at the hotel (even though it was, at times, very hard work!). We would like to extend a huge thank you to David and his team at Mercure Hull Grange Park and the University of Hull for supporting this experience. Dreams were certainly ignited: objective completed!
The children returned to school buzzing about their amazing day!
Jenna Thompson - Assistant Head