At Gatehouse we consider school trips vital for a full appreciation of the curriculum. Throughout the year children can expect to go on anything from Art trips to the Tate Britain, to music composition workshops with the London Symphony Orchestra, to interactive lectures at the Science museum. These vary each year according to our ever-changing curriculum – please refer to the News section and calendar for updated information and forthcoming trips where possible. Photos of recent trips will be available in the relevant form section of the Parents’ Area.
There are a number of visits that are repeated annually at Gatehouse:
Kenwood House Autumn Ramble
Kenwood House is an 18th-century villa located at the north of Hampstead Heath. Class trips to the extensive grounds during the Autumn term have become a Gatehouse tradition, where children from the Upper Juniors are paired with younger children in order to encourage a sense of family as well as a responsibility for one another as they explore the forests and sculptures of Kenwood.
Christingle service
The Christingle service at Westminster Abbey is organised by The Children’s Society, held every year in the period between Advent and Candlemas. This too has become an annual tradition at Gatehouse, where Year 4 pupils celebrate the build up to Christmas at Westminster Abbey. For further details on the exact date, please check the school calendar.
For more information on the Children’s Society, please visit www.childrenssociety.org.uk
Year 4 Bushcraft Experience
The Year 4 Bushcraft experience is a chance for Gatehouse children to experience the excitement and challenges of living outdoors. They spend three exciting days in the rural/countryside, working together on a number of outdoor challenges and learning fun and valuable skills along the way, including building and sleeping in their own shelter.
Year Five French Trip
In the second half of the Summer term, Year Five spend three days and two nights in a specialised chateau on the Opal coast. As well as providing them with a huge range of exciting new experiences, the trip is an invaluable opportunity for the children to try out their French skills in all manner of situations: buying food in Boulogne market, visiting a working snail farm, learning about the battle of Agincourt, and even making their own croissants!
Year Six Outward Bound Expedition
At the end of their time at Gatehouse, Year 6 embark on a week-long trip to the Lake District. The Outward Bound experience gives them the opportunity to try a huge range of exciting outdoor activities led by trained professionals: kayaking, abseiling, hiking and rock climbing, to name only a few.
The Outward Bound trip is considered to be the culmination of Year 6’s time at Gatehouse, and is a chance for them to work together with their peers while experiencing first-hand the new level of responsibility and independence afforded to them as they move on to their new schools.
For more information on educational visits for both Lower and Upper Juniors please see the relevant section of the website.
