A unique feature of Stillbrook Lodge is our dedication towards taking children out into the world to experience new activities and challenges outside of the confines of the classroom, which we call Tour Days.
We love to see young individuals learning in their infancy to broaden their horizons and learn new skills by visiting the multitude of valuable sites in the local area and beyond. This opens up the opportunity for them to develop a strong sense of confidence and willingness to experience new things and explore the world around them with a purpose.
Our curriculum allows for a Tour Day to be completed for every week of term, usually on the Friday. Each of which will not merely consist of a passive visit to a certain site, but the sites are picked especially for their potential to encourage independent study in the child. The day's activities will be designed around increasing the child's education and skill set by use of specialist equipment and established techniques.
The educational and social benefits of regular educational visits are widely recognised.
The National Trust says:
"When working within the confines of the classroom, and taking into account the increasing impact of virtual learning environments, it seems as vital as ever to take your pupils outdoors as part of their overall education and development.
More than just fulfilling a curriculum learning outcome, a visit provides exercise, fresh air and a shared sense of place and wonder that will impact upon young people’s values and interests."
Tour Days cover a variety of venues:
Museums, Libraries, Science Centres, Monuments, Religious Sites, Archaeological Sites, Historic Houses, Contemporary Buildings, Wildlife Parks, Art Galleries, Transport, Craft, Music, Dance, Drama and Theatre, Literature, Film, Broadcast, Digital Media, Gardens, Coastal Areas, Parks, Woodland, Farmland, Quarries and Rivers.
These are just some of the venues and subjects that our Tour Days will cover throughout the term, each offering the children an opportunity to discover layer upon layer of fascinating details that all add up to their complete education and development.
More than classroom education can possibly provide, Tour Days will:
- benefit the children in terms of fitting ancient places and people into a timeline of rich history;
- provide broader knowledge of creative culture, possibly strengthening the child's own desire to create;
- help the children understand varied beliefs, rituals and religious celebrations;
- show the value of well designed spaces and the relationship between the natural environment and the local community;
- teach children about the plant and animal kingdoms and of the beauty and wonder of the natural world;
- and much more...
