Roedean School students learn on an impressive 45-acre campus overlooking the Brighton coast. Beyond the inspiring School location, students also enjoy lessons and academic enrichment opportunities beyond the classroom. Learning outdoors and in new environments sees students research widely and take inspiration from several settings and disciplines.
Roedean enrichment opportunities span many academic and creative areas of study, such as Textiles, Lateral Thinking, and Animation. Another example is Year 7’s entry into the global Waggle Dance Challenge.
Roedean produced a video of students performing the dance, an interpretation of bees’ communication, to raise awareness of how important bees are for food security, biodiversity, and ecosystem health.
Roedean enrichment opportunities also include trips that allow students to immerse themselves in educational settings all over the world.
These are 16 trips that Roedean students can look forward to for the 2023/24 academic year.
16 Trips for Roedean School Students
Roedean School plans trips throughout the academic year, including Year-Group residential trips for Years 7-10 and 12 in the days leading up to the October half-term. Timed near the beginning of the academic year, these trips help students bond and welcome newcomers to Roedean’s community.
Students have the following adventures to look forward to.
Autumn 2023 Trips
1. Geography Trip to Calshot (Year 11)
The Year 11 trip to the Calshot Centre, near Southampton, will present students with an ideal opportunity to complete two days of fieldwork. This fieldwork is compulsory for Geography GCSE students.
After completing their fieldwork on Calshot Spit, a one-mile-long sand and shingle bank, students can enjoy the activities on offer at the centre. These activities include rock climbing, archery, skiing, and ringoing.
2. Cultural Visit to the Opal Coast (Year 7)
The new Year 7 cohort will enjoy a cross-curricular cultural tour of the Opal Coast in north-eastern France. Activities will include visiting the Nausicaá National Sea Centre and traditional cheese and biscuit makers. Roedean has designed this trip to encourage its newest cohort to get to know each other better in a more relaxed environment.
3. PGL Trip (Year 8)
Year 8 will take part in an activity-packed couple of days at PGL, based on the English Riviera. Students will follow a timetable of challenging but fun team-building and independent activities, each designed to help them build resilience, confidence, and problem-solving skills.
As students push beyond their comfort zones, they will also work with peers across their year group and have the chance to build new friendships.
4. Cultural Trip to Normandy (Year 9)
Year 9 will embark on a cross-curricular cultural tour of Normandy, France, and the surrounding area. Visits will include trips to local museums and galleries, and students will explore Normandy’s military history.
5. Cultural Trip to Lille and Bruges (Year 10)
Year 10 can look forward to a cultural twin-centre trip to Lille, France, and Bruges, Belgium. In Lille, one of the visits will include a trip to the art collection at the Palais des Beaux-Arts. In Bruges, students will enjoy a variety of cultural activities and explore the mediaeval buildings.
6. Cultural and University Trips to Oxford, Bristol, and Bath (Year 12)
Year 12 students can visit one of three cities that have a huge cultural influence: Oxford, Bristol, or Bath. When they visit their city of choice, they will tour key places of cultural and historical interest, consider the city as a university location, and enjoy an evening excursion to the theatre or cinema.
7. Art Trip to St Ives (Years 12-13)
Art lovers across Roedean Sixth Form will benefit from this weekend of drawing, printing, and ceramics. Students will stay in St Ives, Cornwall, a coastal town that offers a high level of artistic influence.
Students will visit Tate St Ives, Barbara Hepworth’s House and Sculpture Garden, and The Leach Pottery. They will also take part in a pottery and printmaking workshop at Porthmeor Print Workshop.
Spring 2024 Trips
8. Creative Writing Trip to the Isle of Sheppey (Years 12-13)
Creative writers from Roedean Sixth Form can take advantage of this weekend trip to the marshes of Sheppey. The aim of the trip is to stir students’ gothic imaginations and inspire their creative writing pieces. Students will follow nature walks and absorb the atmosphere of the swamps.
At the end of the trip, Roedean will compile the weekend’s best writing in an anthology.
9. Cultural Enrichment and Art Study Trip to Paris (Years 10-13)
Students studying Art or French at GCSE and A Level have much to learn from this cultural trip to Paris. Students will explore Paris’ thriving art scene at some of the world’s most iconic museums. They will also learn about Parisian contexts for inspirational artwork throughout history.
10. Iceland Trip (Years 10-13)
Roedean’s annual Iceland trip is ideal for Geography students, who will explore the country’s waterfalls, glaciers, volcanoes, geysers, coastal features, geothermal pools, geothermal energy, and sustainable communities in a guided tour.
Roedean works with the tour operator Discover the World to offer this outstanding annual trip across the south coast of Iceland. Students will enjoy excursions to the “Golden Circle,” the Lava Centre and Lava Show, the Secret Lagoon, black beaches, a glacier walk, a geothermal power station, and basalt columns.
11. Culture and Language Trip to Berlin (Years 10-12)
Students studying German or History at GCSE and A Level can enjoy this trip to Berlin. They will learn about Germany’s rich culture, visiting historic sites across the city. Those studying German will have several opportunities to communicate with native German speakers to practise their speaking and listening skills.
12. Ski Trip to Austria (Years 9-12)
Students who would like to learn how to ski or improve their skiing ability can do so on Roedean School’s skiing trip in St Anton, Austria. This village is home to beautiful snowy landscapes and plenty of snowfall. Skiing aside, students can also enjoy an array of enrichment activities and cultural experiences.
Summer 2024 Trips
13. Netball Trip to South Africa (Years 9, 10, and 12)
Roedean’s netball players have the opportunity to play abroad on this week-long tour of Cape Town, South Africa. Players will take part in training sessions and four matches. They’ll also enjoy a surf lesson, a trip to Table Mountain, a trip to Robben Island, the Langa Township Tour, a trip to the District 6 Museum, and a dusk and sunrise game drive.
14. Geography Trip to Dorset (Year 12)
Year 12 Geography students produce an independent coursework project as part of their A Level studies. This trip to the Leeson House Field Studies Centre, Langton Matravers, helps students complete field investigations and analysis for their coursework.
Staff at the centre assist students with their field investigations and analysis and write-up skills. During the trip, students collect data in the field using the centre’s equipment. They also take evening planning and review lessons, which Leeson and Roedean staff lead.
Students also visit the Isle of Purbeck and the southern Jurassic Coast to familiarise themselves with the geographical processes and landforms covered in their A Level studies.
15. Sustainability and Environmental Trip to South Wales (Years 7-8)
Students who are particularly interested in sustainability and environmental issues take priority places for this trip to South Wales. Students follow an itinerary of nature-related activities to learn about conservation and ecology.
Students will visit the Bug Farm and spot seals, dolphins, and migrating birds on a boat tour. They will also study intertidal marine surveys, partake in a Surfers Against Sewage beach clean, and enjoy campfires with marshmallows.
16. Project 125 Trip to Moldova (Years 11-12)
Students will travel to Moldova to continue their philanthropic efforts for Project 125. In early July 2023, students visited Moldova and had a hugely rewarding time, in collaboration with Hope4 teaching Ukrainian refugee children English. The July 2024 trip will see students continue their teaching efforts. Students will also visit an orphanage in Moldova, which may become a focus of the project.
Trips at Roedean School
Roedean School has planned this array of trips so that students across all year groups can pursue their interests and skills in memorable residential and non-residential stays.
Roedean’s senior team is essential to the preparation that goes into these trips. Members of the senior team who have been involved in preparing these trips include:
- Head Niamh Green, who has taken over this position from Oliver Blond, Head of School.
- Former Head of School and Designated Safeguarding Lead Talia Keller, who has finished her career at Roedean this summer.
- Deputy Head of Co-Curriculum and Partnerships Ross Barrand, who plays a key role in planning trips for students.
Learn more about the trips on offer at Roedean School.
