Trips, expeditions and DofE

Visits to the Warner Bros. Studios, Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford Castle and Oxford Botanic Garden all enhance curriculum topics, while our visit to Hazard Alley teaches valuable life skills.

Our annual residential visit alternates between a cultural visit to Stratford-upon-Avon and an action-packed trip to an adventure centre. With both year groups attending, it is an excellent opportunity for students to extend friendships and develop their team-working skills.

Year 8

Half of the year group will visit Kew in November, while the other half visit in May. This trip supports Year 8 ceramics projects.

Year 7

This two-night residential at Condover Hall, Shropshire, has a range of outdoor activities and challenges planned for students to work together and build their teamwork skills.

Year 8

These two-night trips give students a chance to hone their skills in netball. This is a highly competitive event with a tournament running across the weekend. There is also a chance to meet England netball players and complete team-building activities.

Years 8 and 10

Each February half-term a group of students from Years 8 and 10 go on a ski trip. The students receive lessons on the slopes and spend evenings engaged in different activities, from bowling to quiz nights.

Year 10

All Year 10 artists stay in a youth hostel outside Penzance to spend three days working on an environmental project linked to their GCSE coursework. Students produce a finished sketchbook having visited galleries, museums and gardens.

Year 9

All Year 9 students, accompanied by form tutors and history teachers, spend two days in Belgium and France visiting battlefields, memorials and war graves; this brings their study of WW1 to life. Spending time together also helps to build bonds and friendships.

Year 10

An exciting global opportunity for two students in Year 10 to link up with two students from St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School, Corinda, Australia. Like St Helen’s, St Aidan’s is an aspirational and high-achieving independent girls’ school. The aim is to inspire students and cultivate their engagement with the wider world.

Years 10–Lower Sixth

A long haul tour for cricket and netball. Students will embrace the culture of the destination and take part in high-quality
coaching and game play against local opposition.

Years 10 and Lower Sixth

An opportunity to explore Bath through a literary lens, including visiting the Pump Room whilst dressed appropriately for the occasion.

Years 11–Lower Sixth

These expeditions take place every other summer, with students travelling to Eswatini to undertake community work, supported by Sense Earth. Previous projects have included building an old people’s home, refurbishing a school and supporting local farmers. Sense Earth has very strong local links that have been in place for a long time, ensuring that
community activities are carefully checked and meaningful.

Year 10

This three-day field trip is focused on developing Year 10 students’ investigative skills as part of their compulsory GCSE field work requirement. Students study river processes and features and investigate the impact of tourism in an upland, glaciated environment.

Years 11–Upper Sixth

Running every three years, this tour visits the ‘home’ of lacrosse, with matches against local teams. Students stay with local host families.

Years 10–11

Designed to enhance students’ linguistic and cultural knowledge, a German exchange and Spanish and French study tours run every year. Visiting Bielefeld in Germany, Lyon in France and Salamanca in Spain, students have the opportunity to enhance their understanding of each language within its cultural context.

Years 9–10

The netball and tennis tour is a five-day trip to Spain for anyone wishing to take part in either netball or tennis. The students receive coaching and participate in competitive fixtures. There will also be sightseeing excursions and an opportunity to relax with friends.

Years 9–Upper Sixth

This cross-curricular trip to Greece is run by the Religion, Philosophy and Ethics Department and the Classics Department.

Years 8 and 10

Each February half-term a group of students from Years 8 and 10 go on a ski trip. The students receive lessons on the slopes and spend evenings engaged in different activities, from bowling to quiz nights.

Year 11

A day out visiting both Tate galleries in London in preparation for the GCSE externally-set assignment.

Every year Sixth Form artists go on a residential trip to a major centre of art to visit galleries and museums. This supports A level coursework.

Our A level artists join MFL students in their journey to Paris and have their own itinerary focusing on the inspiring galleries and museums.

Years 10–Lower Sixth

A long haul tour for cricket and netball. Students will embrace the culture of the destination and take part in high-quality
coaching and game play against local opposition.

Years 10 and Lower Sixth

An opportunity to explore Bath through a literary lens, including visiting the Pump Room whilst dressed appropriately for the occasion.

Years 11–Lower Sixth

These expeditions take place every other summer, with students travelling to Eswatini to undertake community work, supported by Sense Earth. Previous projects have included building an old people’s home, refurbishing a school and supporting local farmers. Sense Earth has very strong local links that have been in place for a long time, ensuring that
community activities are carefully checked and meaningful.

Lower Sixth

This visit offers A level students the opportunity to complete two days of compulsory field work as part of their non-examined assessment. Students study coastal management in Swanage and sand dune processes in Studland Bay.

Sixth Form

This biannual visit allows students to explore the breath-taking volcanic and glacial landscape of Iceland. Students visit volcanoes, waterfalls, geysers and the Blue Lagoon.

Years 11–Upper Sixth

Running every three years, this tour visits the ‘home’ of lacrosse, with matches against local teams. Students stay with local host families.

Years 9–Upper Sixth

This cross-curricular trip to Greece is run by the Religion, Philosophy and Ethics Department and the Classics Department.

Lower Sixth

This joint trip with Radley College gives members of our sailing club an opportunity to develop their sailing skills further in the blue waters of the Mediterranean.