Visits and residential trips are an important part of the curriculum we offer to our students at Castle Manor Academy.

Trips are well planned using OEAP National Guidance to compliment classroom-based teaching and learning by offering practical, real-life opportunities for all curriculum subjects.

Learning outside of the classroom contributes significantly to raising standards and improving students’ personal, social and emotional development.

Castle Manor Academy is proud to have achieved the Bronze Learning Outside of the Classroom award which recognises the many opportunities given to its students.

Following the experiences lost during Covid, we wanted to make LOTC a big focus and introduced a new annual tradition by planning an activities week for all in July.

This has been a huge success with students offered a huge plethora of activities they could be involved in throughout the week. Many were heavily funded making the week affordable and fully inclusive.

Residential trips to Paris, PGL and Thorpe Woodlands proved popular. Students experienced new and exciting activities including glamping, bushcraft, climbing, abseiling, canoeing, fireworks and the Eiffel Tower to name but a few! Students in school had a whole week of themed activities which included visits from Zoo Lab, Abbey Croft Leisure, CSI and the author James Campbell while Year 9 went ice-skating and Year 10 finished a week of work experience with a visit to Thorpe Park.

We are in the process of planning our Activities Week for 2024, which will take place between Monday 8th July – Friday 12th July. Parents and Students will be made aware of the offer well in advance to help with finances. There will be other LOTC opportunities on offer throughout the academic year to support learning such as the Year 7 visit to the Matilda Musical, Geography field trips and other local opportunities led by subject team leaders.

Mrs Baldwin is the Educational Visits and Learning Outside of the Classroom Coordinator for our Academy. She supports staff to ensure that:

• When planning trips there is always an aim or clear purpose for the trip.
• Trips are fully inclusive and accessible to students (including SEND provision and Pupil Premium funding)
• Opportunities are given to work with other schools within Unity Schools Partnership and with the local community.
• Students and staff remain safe and enjoy their trip or visit.
• At each Key Stage students are offered a residential experience which focuses on developing our PROUD values.
• Curriculum areas contribute to nationally recognised days that celebrate LOTC, such as: National Grounds Week, Science Week and Empty Classroom Day.