Residential trips at St Dunstan's Senior School are an important way of developing the values we espouse as an organisation.
By immersing young people in unexplored environments, with novel experiences, diverse individuals, and unfamiliar interactions, we provide an unparalleled opportunity for personal growth. Residential trips taken as a young person are, in short, life enhancing and can serve as some of the most memorable events in a child’s school life. At St Dunstan’s, we have a trips framework that ensures students in all year groups can access a broad and diverse range of experiences in their time at the College, with each one fitting into different categories by way of purpose:
Courage to Explore
These trips support the development of courage, as students are exposed to unfamiliar tasks in challenging environments.
Students all get a grounding from the moment they join us, as Year 7 spend a night in the Oxfordshire countryside working together across a variety of outdoor challenges, as varied as rescuing staff involved in a helicopter crash and making pizza!
They also spend a week away together at an activity centre during the summer as part of our annual Adventure Week.
The Duke of Edinburgh Award and Combined Cadet Force are always popular with students, providing regular opportunities to get out on adventures and work as part of a team whilst exploring the great outdoors.
They sit alongside our Adventurous Training programme which runs regular, smaller-scale adventurous activity expeditions, such as climbing, mountain biking and kayaking.
All students are enrolled in the Bronze DofE Award, and many progress through Silver and Gold Awards.
Compassion, Curiosity & Cultural Awareness
This offering of regular and exciting day and ‘short-stay’ trips bring lessons learnt inside the classroom to life. Our St Dunstan’s linguists take time away and immerse themselves in the cultures that they are learning about, taking advantage of the opportunities to practise their speaking and comprehension; our scientists and geographers put their classroom learning to the test, seeking to prove or disprove theories on field trips and expeditions; our historians visit sites of historical significance; and our scholars attend exhibitions and seminars that tackle contemporary issues of cultural significance.
All students will also have the chance to engage with off-site community projects which foster compassion, empathy and personal growth. These always prove to be some of the most enriching and transformative off-site experiences, as students develop an understanding of how they can positively impact the world around them.
Creative Expression
Whether students are participating or spectating, these experiences broaden students cultural horizons and inculcate an appreciation for the transformative power of the arts. We are fortunate to be located within a short train ride of all that London has to offer, and our students take regular trips to the world-famous galleries, theatres and concert venues that we are so lucky to have on our doorstep.
Those with a passion for the arts will have the opportunity to travel further afield in pursuit of inspiration, with trips to Barcelona, Rome and a planned trip to New York recent notable highlights.
Confidence to Compete
Our young athletes travel far and wide throughout the year, engaging with high-quality competition and in doing so learning about themselves and the culture that they perform within. These experiences are so important, that every child in Year 7 will have multiple opportunities to travel with teammates and enjoy the experience of representing their school.
In no way are competitive experiences limited to sport, as students have experienced great success across a variety of disciplines, including but not limited to maths, engineering, debating, computing and design.
International sports tours are a highlight of the school experience for many young people, and we take advantage of partnerships with like-minded institutions in the UK, Europe and even further afield. Upcoming destinations include Cardiff for senior pre-season camps, Barcelona for younger age group teams and South Africa for our senior groups.
Trips, Expeditions and Adventure
