A trilogy in cultural awareness!

These opportunities are offered to year 9s, 10s and 11s, during the early Autumn, in consecutive years.  This gives our most intrepid students occasion to experience these three amazing countries.

Our international residential program is designed to deliver opportunities for our students to develop their transferable skills and cultural awareness as they journey through school and on to college and work.

Experience has shown us that, for year 11s in particular, our students return from these residential trips more mature, better prepared for the next chapter in their lives and far more focused toward the demands of their final academic program.

Up Coming Autumn residential to Belgium

Autumn 2024 

This experience delivers a monumental array of activities.  Primarily an exploration in history, the students will wave a temporary goodbye to England and the iconic white cliffs of Dover, and begin their journey across the English Channel to Dunkirk. This alone will be a taste of the small, but not insignificant, milestones from the Second World War. 

Our hotel for the trip is centred in Ypres. In this four-day excursion, the students will have an opportunity to witness the enormity of the Great War at the Tyne Cot Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery, and the deeply moving tribute paid to the fallen at the Menin Gate at Ypres.

If last centurie's wars were not enough, we journey later to the Southern region of Belgium - Wallonia. There, we will visit the Forest Massif of Semois and Houille, and the 10^th century Bouillon Castle, considered to be among the most beautiful medieval castles in the country. Here we will learn a little of Godfery de Bouillon, who, with an army of knights, led the First Crusade and the capture of Jerusalem.

Later, in the architecturally resplendent city of Bruges, we will be treated to an opportunity to prepare the world-famous Belgium chocolates, in their chocolate workshop and take our produce home.  Finally, there will be an opportunity to peruse the famous Christmas markets of Bruges, where students will have opportunities to purchase gifts or just enjoy the spectacle.

Applications for this trip will be available later in the Spring Term.