Trips and Visits

Day trips and Residentials

Our trips provide exciting opportunities to gain experiences beyond the curriculum. Some are optional (such as the ski trips, cultural visits, trips to Wimbledon, or the regular Modern Languages exchange trips), others are formal extensions of the curriculum and all pupils are expected to take part. You will receive information providing details of the itinerary and timings close to the time of the trip. The dates for all residential trips are listed in the school calendar.

There are residential trips for each year group and these are opportunities for pupils to bond together and broaden friendships. Some may find staying away from home difficult and the residential programme is a good way of helping them learn to be more independent. All pupils are expected to participate in their Year’s residential trip as follows:

» Year 7: activity weekend (Autumn Term)

» Year 8: cultural visit to France (Autumn Term)

» Year 9: visit to Battlefields (Spring Term)

» Year 10: weekend in Bath and Bristol (Spring Term)

» Year 11: weekend to Canterbury (Autumn Term)

Communication on School trips

We will let you know by text or email that pupils have arrived safely. This happens once pupils have settled so please do not panic if you do not hear immediately after the scheduled arrival time. We always provide an estimated time of return for school trips and you will be notified via text/email of any delay of over 30 minutes. We would ask that you are here promptly to collect pupils.

Mobile internet-enabled devices are not permitted on school trips in Years 7-9. Please respect and support this policy, which has been made in light of experience. Staff will contact you if neccessary.

Travel documents

A valid passport for oversees visits is required. The current requirements for travel to an EU country state that the passport must be:

» Issued less that 10 years before the date of entry into the country (check date of issue)

» Valid for at least 3 months after the leaving date (check expiry date)

A valid UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) allows access to state healthcare in Europe at the reduced cost or sometimes free. These can be obtained though the NHS website.

Exchanges

To support our teaching of French and Spanish, pupils in Year 9 and 10 have the opportunity to take part in language exchanges. In Year 9 there is a French Exchange to Bordeaux and in Year 10 a Spanish Exchange in association with our sister school in Colombia.