Erasmus Darwin Academy provides a wide range of opportunities to promote students interest and learning beyond the classroom.
Each academic year an average of over 70 educational visits are planned and delivered to give students insight and experiences that will greatly enhance their learning. Some visits are part of our Preparation for Life days, some visits are integral to an examination course, whilst some visits are for the purpose of enrichment in a particular subject. All our visits provide highly enjoyable experiences that challenge students and extend the horizons of those involved.
In Year 8, students are invited to participate in ‘Challenge Week’ which is an exciting, full week of outdoor learning at the Outward Bound Trust Centre, Aberdovey. Working in partnership with the highly trained instructors at the Outward Bound Trust, our students gain new skills and understanding that can be transferred to the classroom, promoting resilience and overcoming fears.
Other opportunities include visits abroad, such as the opportunity to visit Paris to experience some sights of the city including Disneyland Paris, as well as the Academy’s annual ski visit which has seen it’s numbers treble from 20 in it’s first year to now over 60 students experiencing skiing in either Austria or Italy.
Learning outside the classroom is promoted across all departments in the school, with visits to places such as the Peak District, Jurassic Coast and London a regular occurrence whilst students are also offered the opportunity to venture further afield to places such as Iceland, Italy and New York.
The Academy affords students the opportunity to take part in the highly prestigious Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, with all 3 levels (Bronze, Silver and Gold) being offered, and as with the ski visit, this has grown in popularity and now sees over 70 students enrolled each year over the 3 award levels.
The number and range of educational visits available grows year on year and with staff at Erasmus Darwin Academy always willing to give of their time to provide as many opportunities as possible for students, there will continue to be an increasing choice of fantastic opportunities to get involved in and take advantage of.