Outings & ‘Innings’
Variety is the spice of life, and we make sure our children have access to exciting and enriching opportunities outside the school gates to enhance their development, both intellectually and personally.
Throughout the year, the children are taken to various exhibitions, events, or places of interest. These visits are usually linked to a topic being studied as part of the class’s work for the term. Children may visit a diverse range of places – from farms to galleries, the Science Museum, and even the Houses of Parliament.
From Year 3, children take part in residential trips that build independence, teamwork, and resilience. Previous adventures have taken pupils to Outward Bound in Wales, the Isle of Wight, Flatford Mill, and Bushcraft experiences.
Apart from the annual residential trips in the upper school, there are normally no extra charges levied for outings.
Innings
On other occasions experts are brought into the school to talk to the children. These are called ‘innings’. Examples of recent innings include a workshop about Florence Nightingale, a drama activity about Katie Morag and an island home, a maths magician, storytelling workshops and the exotic Rocky’s Animals. As part of the Dukes Education initiative, Poetry Together, we also welcome award-winning authors and poets to Orchard House to deliver inspiring workshops to our pupils from Year 3 to Year 6. Parents who are celebrating events such as Thanksgiving or Diwali are sometimes invited into their child’s form to share traditions with the whole group.
We also hold an International Day when all the cultures represented in the school are celebrated. Parents will be informed in advance by e-circular when these outings are going to take place.
