The Curriculum - Trips Outings and Events
Off site visits are an extremely important part of the curriculum, with each year group benefiting from at least one trip per term. For the younger children, visits to Bocketts Farm and mini-beast hunts at Painshill Park are always popular, and the Christmas outing to the Polka Theatre is a firm favourite.
For the main school, educational trips to Hampton Court Palace, Fishbourne and the Imperial War Museum provide a valuable reinforcement to the girls’ history studies, while a visit to the National Gallery enhances their appreciation of art. Outward bound weekends for Years 5 and 9 test the girls’ leadership skills, encourage them to overcome their fears and inhibitions and provide a valuable lesson in teamwork.Years 8 and 9 also enjoy an annual residential trip as part of their modern language studies. Recent trips have included Strasbourg, Belgium and the Amalfi Coast and Pompeii.
However, special events at school also contribute to the children’s learning experiences. There is always great excitement in the pre-preparatory school when community police officers or the local fire brigade come to visit, or when the Early Years children are allowed to bring in all sorts of companions to celebrate pets day!
The juniors get a great deal out of their "living history days", when they dress up as Ancient Greeks, Tudors and Ancient Egyptians for a day. Somehow maths written on wax tablets seems much more fun, while everyone is prepared to try different food if it is part of a Tudor banquet! Year 5’s Ancient Egypt experience last year even involved an authentic funeral, complete with ritual embalming!
