Independent girls’ school, Manor House, explains why prioritising school trips enriches their pupils’ education
Speak to any past pupil and a school trip is often one of their fondest memories, a time to stretch their muscles of independence and venture out of their comfort zone. Following the lifting of Covid restrictions, Manor House School has made a priority to relaunch its portfolio of school trips from the Nursery up to the Senior School.
School trips are the logical extension to classroom teaching, bringing children out of their daily learning environment and immersing them in real-world experiences which can be recalled later in work and exams. The shared experience can add to the pupil teacher relationship which has a positive and enduring impact.
To this end, this year, Prep pupils visited the Toy Museum in Chertsey, tackled the high ropes at Sayers Croft, surveyed the river Tillingbourne and kayaked on their residential in the Isle of Wight. They also discovered Sutton Hoo treasures at the British Museum. Our Year 4 immersed themselves in Tudor life for 2 days in full costume at Hooke Court and Year 5 spent the day in a Victorian School, with both coming to realise school today is preferable and not so strict!
A highlight for some of our Seniors was the ski trip to Switzerland. Pioneering the way forward post Covid, 66 girls and 8 staff completed the necessary and extensive paperwork, avoided Covid and arrived on the sunny slopes for the February Half Term break. In the words of one of the party members “this ski trip made me think differently about school trips. It gave me so many new memories and so much more confidence.”
Iceland (known as the land of fire and ice) is arguably the best place in the world to see a variety of geographical landscapes. That is why, in February 2023, GCSE pupils will get to see waterfalls, walk on a glacier, and experience the geothermally heated pools.
At the Girls Go Gold GSA (Girls Schools Association) Conference, GCSE Physical Education pupils were inspired by Sue Anstiss MBE on Women in the World of Sport and Professor Greg Whyte OBE, a lead expert in the world of physical activity. This group also gained an insight into undergraduate sports science at the Surrey Human Performance Institute.
The Physical Education department are taking senior netball squads to a tournament in Holland this autumn which will provide a wonderful opportunity to strengthen team bonds as well as experience a different culture. Closer to home, the annual trip to ‘Top Golf’ is, for many, an opportunity to try a new sport.
Manor House School is committed to unforgettable experiences. Find out more at manorhouseschool.org
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