We focus on some top trip ideas to help prepare pupils for later life including college, university and careers.
When in school, the idea of leaving and starting a new chapter of life can seem extremely daunting and quite frankly, terrifying. So when planning trips, teachers can help prepare students for what may come their way after they’ve left school.
By preparing pupils from an early age and exposing them to the independence they may require when growing up and having to make adult decisions, will ultimately better equip them for the changes that will inevitably occur in their lifetime.
Residentials
Residentials are a fantastic way to prepare pupils for later life in a fun and engaging way. Skills that can be gained from a residential trip include independence, working as a team, self-belief, and knowing your capabilities. They also help prepare pupils for being away from home their parents, which in the long run will help them when, and if, they choose to study away from home at university.
There are plenty of locations throughout Britain that offer residentials for both Primary and Secondary pupils. From Kingswood to PGL, to Select School Travel, you can be sure that no matter where you want to take your class, there will be residentials centres to cater for your school’s needs.
Career practice
One of the biggest problems children face when leaving school, is not knowing which career path to choose. And whilst some opt to extend their education further at colleges and universities, others decide to go straight into work, and therefore it is teachers’ and schools’ jobs to ensure their pupils feel they have a clearer direction of where they want to go after leaving.
Kidzania in London is described as a ‘town run by kids’ and it is exactly that. The attraction offers pupils the chance to have a go at adult jobs and real life scenarios, from supermarket checkouts to a pet welfare centre.
Ripley’s Believe it or Not, believe it or not covers careers too! Suitable for Key Stage 3 and 4, the Customer Service resources teach students about the tourism, travel and business sectors. Meanwhile attractions such as Madame Tussauds offers Key Stage 4 workshops in customer service too.
Pictured: Pupils at Kidzania learning about the emergency services.
Real experience
Whilst getting a mortgage, buying insurance and booking holidays is not something that pupils can actually do in school, there is no harm in teaching them about these topics, as often they leave school without having a grasp of life essentials and issues that they will likely face, such as these.
Various attractions can help support your teaching, from visits to The Bank of England, to learn about money and how banking works, to visits to The London Dungeon which offers a workshop with a Design and Technology focus which helps pupils learn about room design.
University visits
Alternatively, one of the best ways to prepare pupils for university, is by taking them to one. Many universities offer school visits and these can include short lectures, visits to the halls of residence and tours around campus, so it’s always worth contacting your nearer university to see if it can be arranged.
