Residentials

Residential trips provide further opportunities for personal, educational and social education, and, importantly, are also great fun. Residentials are for pupils in Years 4-6 and include country, city and cultural trips. Reports and photographs of the children are posted on social media to allow parents to follow their adventures while they are away.

Gibside
Year 4 children are encouraged to take part in this trip which, for many, will be their first experience of outdoor activities involving a night away from home. An extremely enjoyable programme of adventurous, team building, problem solving and leadership tasks ensures that the children are fully engaged in the learning process and have great fun at the same time. Gibside is a National Trust property in the Derwent Valley that’s a haven of adventure and activity. Prep School staff accompany the children on activities run by the well-qualified, experienced team.

French Trip
This popular trip is available to pupils in Years 5 and 6. Based in Northern France, pupils learn about the history and culture of France with opportunities to visit Dieppe market, the historical city of Rouen and WW1 battle sites at Vimy Ridge and Arras. Locally they learn other skills which might include making pain-au-chocolat and baguettes or learning the cheese-making process. Tasting snails is a culinary highlight and there are a range of language and games activities at our chateau base.

Robinwood Activity Centre
Our popular annual trip to Robinwood, at Alston, provides a safe introduction to a variety of adventurous activities for pupils in Years 5 and 6. These include archery, canoeing, climbing and abseiling, assault course, zip wire, team challenges and problem solving. Their own “home-made” activities might include the piranha pool, the night line and low ropes course. The weekend is non-stop. It is geared to pupils of all abilities and provides a memorable experience for everyone who takes part. Prep School teachers accompany the children and take part in the activities although the actual supervision is undertaken by well qualified group leaders. The children return exhausted but elated, often having surprised themselves at what they have achieved and the fears they have overcome.

London Trip
This trip is for Year 6 pupils and is unlike the other residentials as it forms an integral part of the curriculum. All children are expected to participate. We believe that museum and gallery visits, which are linked to school projects and form the basis of follow up work in school, are extremely valuable and a necessary part of the curriculum. The children have the experience of working and living together and gain a good understanding of our capital city. Activities include visits to The National Gallery, The Science Museum, The Cabinet War Rooms, The Tower of London and HMS Belfast. Pupils also have the opportunity to act on the stage of the Globe Theatre (having studied Macbeth) and to see a West End show. A flight on The London Eye and seeing Downing Street, Tower Bridge and Horse Guards’ Parade are included in the trip. Both Prep School and Senior School staff accompany the trip which takes place in October each year just prior to Half Term.