Tips for winning the ‘My Best School Trip Award’

Last year schools from the length and breadth of the country entered the ‘My Best School Trip’ Award.

In order to take part, and stand a chance of winning £1,500 to spend on a future school trip, teachers got their pupils to write reviews of trips they had taken everywhere from Kenya to Kent.

When the judges got together to pick the strongest entries at the September judging day in London they were faced with some difficult decisions.

In the end, as the sun started to set over the capital, the panel agreed on a shortlist of the strongest entries. Below, STO looks at these entries, and reveals what they had that other entries did not.

Flora Gardens Primary School, Hammersmith

Where: Nethercott House Farm

Lead teacher: Debby Brand

Objectives: To raise economical and industrial understanding, to study basic life processes, to apply mathematical knowledge in a real life setting, to develop Geography knowledge, to build relationships and extend friendship groups.

What impressed the judges? Amongst other things, the trip was cross-curricular, specific goals were set and measured, the development of relationships played a part in the design of the trip. Plus, topics were studied in ways that could not have been replicated inside the classroom.

Headlands School in Yorkshire

Where: South Africa

Lead teacher: Olivia Traves

Objectives: To develop Mathematical and Business knowledge through fundraising activities, to build an understanding of other cultures, and to take pupils out of their comfort zone.

What impressed the judges? This was a trip that could not have been replicated in the classroom. It was cross curricular and gave pupils a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Sacred Heart Primary School in Hertfordshire

Where: Celtic Harmony

Lead teacher: Rachel Smith

Objectives: To study History, in particular, changes over time. To meet speaking and listening objectives in English. To bring algebra to life and to give pupils the chance to work collaboratively.

What impressed the judges? The trip linked back to previous lessons at school and was followed up afterwards in History, Maths and English classes. Pupils were also encouraged to lead their own learning at times.

Bealings School in Suffolk

Where: West Stow Anglo Saxon Village

Lead teacher: Julia Walshaw

Objectives: To embed knowledge of Anglo Saxon life and bring the learning that had taken place in the classroom to life.

What impressed the judges? A lot of thought had gone in to the tailoring of this trip. Julia had built the visit around the imaginative enquiry based approach to learning known as the Mantle of the Expert. Activities had taken place in the classroom prior to the trip and continued afterwards, to enhance learning.

WINNER: Kirk Ella St Andrew’s Community Primary School, Yorkshire

Where: YHA Eskdale, Cumbria

Lead teacher: Ian Wood

Objectives: To study a contrasting area of the UK, to compare life in the past with the present, to ease the pupils’ transition to Secondary school.

What impressed the judges? What really stood out about this trip was the way it had been completely tailored by lead teacher Ian Wood, and how many of the activities were led by school staff, too. Children also had the opportunity to lead their own learning at times, and the trip had been costed to make it accessible for all. On top of all that, the learning from the trip was followed up in structured ways back in the classroom.