Residential Trips
Year 4 go to Oakwood Centre at the end of the Spring term. This is a 2 day trip with one night sleeping over. The newly opened centre is near Bracknell. Children stay in dormitories with on site catering, break out areas and a lounge. Children experience a range of challenging activities designed to promote team building and resilience. From climbing in the indoor centre, making towers of crates, archery and grass sledging, children have an amazing time and challenge themselves to complete every task. Activities are led by the centre's staff.
Year 5 go to Rushall Farm in September at the start of the academic year. Rushall Farm is set in the beautiful Pang Valley part of the North Wessex Downs AONB. As well as having a modern working organic farm there is also an education centre (Rushall Manor Farm). Rushall Organic Farm is an excellent place to learn about many aspects of the curriculum. We are a mixed organic farm which primarily runs a large sheep flock and a herd of beef cows as well as growing cereal and other crops. We also have chickens, two donkeys and some pigs as well as tractors that the students have access to. There is also a pond, woodland and grassland as well as access to the River Pang so we are able to focus on habitats and river studies as well as farming.
Our children spend 2 days at the farm, camping overnight. Most camps include bivouac building, team building activities, river dipping, swimming (at Bradfield College), pond dipping, a woodland mini-beast hunt, BBQ and a camp fire. The activities are led by Rushall Farm staff.
Year 6 go to Rhos–y-Gwaliau at the beginning of the Spring term (end of January). This is a seven day trip with the children leaving early on Sunday morning and returning the following Saturday afternoon. At least 5 staff accompany the children depending on numbers and need.
The trip allows the children to experience a wide range of outdoor adventurous activities from walking in a mine to climbing a mountain. All of the activities take place off-site. The unique situations that this creates as well as the sense of freedom and adventure really emphasises the development of skills such as independence, self- esteem, risk taking, resilience, confidence, perseverance and being part of a team, to list but a few.
Parents can apply to the Gordon Palmer Memorial Fund for help with paying the cost. Please complete these forms (click here) and return to the office.