School Trips

Trips are not only one of the highlights of any child’s time at primary school but also a wonderful opportunity to enrich a child’s understanding of the society and the world in which they live. At Millbank Gardens, we have spent a great deal of time to plan a programme of educational visits designed to expand children’s horizons and fire their enthusiasm for learning.

We make the best possible use of our location in central London: we are just a stone’s throw away from the Houses of Parliament, Tate Britain and Westminster Abbey, and only a short bus or tube journey to other highlights, such as the Tower of London, the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum. Wherever possible, we time visits to bring to life topics that children are studying at school and to help them make meaningful links between subjects. We also regularly welcome visitors to our school to tell us about their diverse lives, their jobs and their passions. Recent visitors have included computing experts from Imperial College London, leaders from a range of different faiths, well-known poets and our local firefighters (with their engine!).

Alongside this, we want children to have a deep understanding of the natural world. We have carefully planned the opportunities that every child will have during their time at Millbank Gardens to allow them to become more connected to nature. Amongst these are:

• wading through a river in wellies
• birdwatching
• feeding animals on a farm
• growing plants, both inside and outside
• using a weather station to observe the weather
• watching insects metamorphose
• canoeing or kayaking in a lake
• climbing along valleys, up hills and through gorges
• roasting marshmallows on an open fire

While some of these activities take place in or near the school, others are inevitably further afield. Children have the opportunity of attending two residential trips (typically, during Years 5 and 6). These are hugely enjoyable and, for many, stand out as a highlight of their time at Millbank Gardens. They also give children the chance to visit a range of physical landscapes and experience a different way and pace of life.

Taken together, these activities give children memories that will last them a lifetime, and help them see the world from new perspectives.