“The pantomime in Year 7 was really good fun – I laughed so much I lost my voice!”

Alice, Year 7

School Trips & Enrichment

Trips, visits and enrichment activities are an important part of school life at Highsted and are integral to our belief that learning should be fun. In every academic year there are a number of trips and activities across each year group which enhance pupils’ learning beyond the formal classroom. To download our Educational Visits Policy, please follow this link.

Coronavirus 2020

The effect of the Coronavirus pandemic has halted many planned activities for the current academic year in a way that we could never have imagined. Below is a small snapshot of some of the places we have been and activities we have taken part in over a number of years prior to the ongoing health emergency. Needless to say, as soon as we are able, we shall be planning our broader curriculum provision and range of experiences for all students once again!

Art

Years 7-9 & Year 12 Great Bristish Arts Festival: workshops in creative and performing arts led by practising artists, teachers and friends of the school. Activities included music, theatre, dance, fashion, sculpture, floristry and many more, from 15 - 19 July 2013.
Art

Years 7-9 & Year 12 Great Bristish Arts Festival: workshops in creative and performing arts focusing on the theme of Earth Song and led by practising artists, teachers and friends of the school. Activities included music, theatre, dance, fashion, sculpture, floristry and many more.
Years 12 & 13 visit to the Wallace Gallery, London. The Wallace Gallery programme allows students to explore the amazing art collection alongside drawing from a professional life model during a one day workshop led by practising artists.
Year 12 & 13 A-level Photography – Nikon Gallery London. A one day workshop exploring photographic techniques working with professional practitioners to enhance camera skills.

Business Studies

Year 10 study visits and tour of Coca-Cola Enterprises, Sidcup.

Young Enterprise activities:
Trading at Highsted Post-16 Evening.
Trading at Dickensian Christmas Market, Rochester.
Trading at ASDA, Sittingbourne as part of our ongoing partnership with the store.
Trading at Highsted Christmas Concert and the Christmas Festival Concert.
Trade stand at Chatham Dockside Outlet.
Trade stand at Borden Grammar School.
Trade stand at Dartford Shopping Centre.
Trade stand for Mother’s Day in School.
Trade stand and Young Enterprise promotional activities at Kent Choices 4 U Event, Detling Showground.
Young Enterprise Area Final: Winners of Best Trade Stand.
Young Enterprise promotional activity at SFM Radio with Asda Community Team and Vanessa Johnson, Young Enterprise Manager. Question and answer session live on radio and recording of Young Enterprise advert.

The Area final is normally held in April when judges will choose one school to represent Mid-Kent and Medway at the Kent Finals in May.

Year 10 study visits and tour of Coca-Cola Enterprises, Sidcup.

Careers

Year 12 visit to Universities across the country.
Year 12 UCAS Careers Convention at University of Kent, Canterbury.
Years 10 & 12 aspirational trip to Cambridge University.
Year 12 Eton Summer School residential.

Design & Technology

Year 12 trip to the annual launch of the Engineering Education Scheme and client briefing at BAE Systems, Rochester.
Year 12 Engineering Education Scheme residential workshop at the School of Engineering & Digital Arts, University of Kent, Canterbury.
Year 12 Engineering Education Scheme celebration and assessment day at the University of Kent.

Film Studies

Year 13 Film & Media Studies trip to London British Film Institure, Southbank – The Reuben Library.

Geography

Year 12 field study residential to Flatford Mill, Suffolk.
Year 10 fieldwork trip to Reculver and Botany Bay.

History

History trip to London Dungeons and Whitechapel, London on.
Year 13 History Lecture in London.
Year 13 Holocaust Education Trust seminar on Lessons from Auschwitz in London; and visit to Auschwitz, Poland.
Journey of Commemoration to Ypres on Armistice Day – Year 7 and Year 13 pupils – Ypres in Belgium.
Year 13 visit to Imperial War Museum in London.

Mathematics

Years 12 Mathematics Inspiration trip to Canterbury.
Year 9 trip to UK Mathematics Team Challenge at Westlands School, Sittingbourne.
Year 11 visit to Maths Revision and Challenge Day in Greenwich.

Modern languages

Years 9 & 10 Erlangen residential exchange in Erlangen, Bavaria.
Years 9 & 10 various activities with German Exchange partners, including visits to Canterbury and Maidstone.

Music

The Jack Petchey Glee Club Competition in Swanley and in Sevenoaks - annual events.
Years 7-13 music trip to the Stag Theatre, Sevenoaks.
Choir workshop (yearly) – open to all local schools and run by Highsted Staff and students. Culminating in a mass performance.
Guitar workshop – open to all guitar players from all local schools and run by international soloist, Manus Noble. Players had the opportunity to play alongside Manus in the Sittingbourne Music Society concert the same evening.
Chamber ensemble – open to small ensembles from Highsted and run by former graduate from the Royal Academy of Music, Charlotte Ashton. Players had the opportunity to play alongside Charlotte and her trio ensemble in the Sittingbourne Music Society concert the same evening.
Christmas Festival Concert – open to all local schools and run by Highsted staff and students, culminating in a mass performance.
Christmas and Spring concerts – end of term concert to celebrate the work of all the music extra-curricular clubs that meet weekly; Highsted Choir, Highsted Orchestra, The Origin, Recorders, Rock Band, Wind Band, Folk Band, Gospel Choir, Samba Band, String Group.

Physical Education

Years 7-11 sports reward trip to Lee Valley, London.
Athletics Club rewards trip to Canterbury.
Years 12 & 13 Sports Studies trip to Canterbury Christ Church University.
Sports fixtures: to view the list of fixtures from previous years and read the match reports, please follow this link.

Additionally, throughout the year numerous visits to external sporting facilities take place in support of both curricular and extra-curricular PE. The range of activities covered includes athletics, bowling, cricket, cross-country, individual fitness programmes, football, hockey, netball, rowing, swimming, skiing and tennis.

PSHE Education & Citizenship

Years 9 Armistice Day Journey of Commemoration visit to Ypres, Belgium.
Year 13 driving presentation ‘Licence-2-Kill’ in Maidstone.
Year 7 Tea Party for primary school liaison at Highsted.
Year 8 Charity Bazaar at Highsted.
Inter-House Drama Competition at Highsted.
Years 7-13 representation at Swale Youth Forum meetings: termly throughout normal years.
School Council Save the Children Youth Summit.
Whole school Franklin House Charity Event.
Years 7-9 & 12 Activity Day 'Highsted Goes Down Under' for Year 5 pupils.

Reward Trips

Year 12 GCSE celebration trip to Covent Garden and Apollo Theatre, London.
Year 11 trip to Thorpe Park, Surrey.
Years 8 & 13 Curling and Basketball reward trip to London.
Year 12 celebration trip to Brighton.
Year 7 pantomime trip to the Marlow Theatre in Canterbury.

Science

Year 8 Salters' Festival Chemistry visit to University of Greenwich.
Year 9 trip to Science Museum, London.
Year 12 Ecology field trip to Challock.
Year 8 Energy Challenge in school.
Year 7 Space Camp in school.

Theatre Trips

Years 12 & 13 trips to the Gielgud Theatre, London to see ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time' on 6 March 2016.
Year 12 trip to the National Theatre, London to see 'War Horse' on 27 April 2015.
AS Theatre Studies trip to see ‘The Threepenny Opera’ at the National Theatre, London on 20 September 2016.
Year 12 trip to the National Theatre, London to see 'War Horse' on 27 April 2015.
Years 10 & 11 trip to see ‘The Woman in Black’ on 29 November 2016.

Trips Abroad

School Council trip to Ypres as part of Swale Borough Council's Youth Ambassadors' programme. Click here for student reflections of the day.
Year 13 trip to Auschwitz, Poland. Click here for student account.
Years 9 & 10 German Exchange visit to Sittingbourne from Erlangen, Bavaria.
Years 9 & 10 German Exchange visit to Erlangen, Bavaria.
Year 12 Brussels work experience and cultural activities.