Please be aware we are a nut free school. For more information please visit our Lunchtime Page.

Looking to join The Gordon Children's Academy in September 2026? 

Come along to our Opening Evening on 3rd November at 5pm.
See our school in action during one of our Open Day tours on 5th, 12th, and 19th November. Choose from 9:30-10:30am or 1:30-2:30pm tours.

Contact our office for more information. 

Trips

Curriculum Trips

We believe that first-hand experiences bring learning to life. Each year, pupils at Gordon Children’s Academy take part in a wide range of curriculum trips designed to enrich their understanding and give them memorable learning moments.


Curriculum Trips

 

Trips are carefully planned to link with class topics and enquiry questions. They allow children to:


• See classroom learning in real-world contexts
• Explore museums, galleries, historical sites, and outdoor environments
• Ask questions, investigate, and learn through experience
• Develop independence and confidence outside the classroom

Each year, as part of our trip offer, all children from EYFS-Year 6 take part in Geography Field Trips. These trips are designed to deepen understanding of geographical concepts by allowing children to observe, investigate, and interact with physical and human environments directly. As part of the trip, pupils will take part in fieldwork - a key component of geographical education. This means they’ll be actively involved in collecting data, making observations, asking questions, and analysing what they find. This could involve creating field sketches and maps, surveying land use or recording data.
 

  

 

Extra Curricular Trips:

Some trips are directly connected to our extra-curricular clubs:

  • Choir Club pupils have the chance to perform at Young Voices, the largest children’s choir concert in the world. This incredible event brings together thousands of schoolchildren to sing in a professional arena alongside live musicians and guest artists—an unforgettable celebration of music and teamwork.
  • Choir members also take part in community singing, such as performing for local residents, helping to build confidence and foster kindness through music.
  • Sports Clubs may lead to participation in competitions like the Mini Youth Games, a Medway-wide sports series that promotes fair play, teamwork, and healthy competition among primary schools.

Seizing Opportunities

We also embrace one-off opportunities that enrich pupils' cultural and educational experiences:

  • KS1 pupils have previously visited the cinema as part of the Into Film Festival, which promotes literacy and storytelling through film. These trips help children engage with narrative, character, and emotion in a visual format.
  • Year 5 and 6 pupils have attended theatre performances in the Marlow Theatre in Canterbury that brought their class novel to life on stage - deepening their understanding of the story and sparking a love for literature and drama.
  • We take up opportunities to attend performances by the Royal Ballet or West End productions, giving children access to world-class performing arts and creative inspiration.
  • Our Pupil Parliament visit the Houses of Parliament, where they take part in workshops and tours that help them understand democracy, leadership, and how their voices can shape the future.

We’re always on the lookout for enriching opportunities and when they come our way, we make sure our pupils benefit.

Residential:

At Gordon Children’s Academy, we offer two exciting residential trips that give pupils the chance to build independence, strengthen friendships, and create unforgettable memories outside the classroom.

Year 4 – PGL at Grosvenor Hall, Ashford

In Year 4, pupils have the opportunity to spend three nights at PGL Grosvenor Hall in Ashford—a purpose-built activity centre set in the grounds of a former manor house. PGL specialises in outdoor adventure and team-building experiences for young people.

This trip is designed to help pupils:

  • Develop confidence and resilience
  • Strengthen teamwork and communication skills
  • Experience being away from home in a safe, supportive setting

  

Year 6 – Isle of Wight Adventure

In Year 6, pupils enjoy a five-day residential exploring the beautiful Isle of Wight. This trip blends fun, culture, and learning, with a packed itinerary that may include:

  • Visiting a theme park like Blackgang Chine,
  • Opportunities to play at an Aqua Park,
  • Visit a farm and Donkey Sanctuary, 
  • Exploring Carisbrooke Castle and other historical sites,
  • Spending an evening playing Crazy Golf,
  • Enjoying coastal walks and evenings on the beach,

This experience celebrates the end of primary school and helps pupils:

  • Bond as a year group before transitioning to secondary school,
  • Apply learning in real-world settings,
  • Helps to build independence, 
  • Build lasting memories through shared adventure

Planning & Parent Information

These trips are extremely popular, and we aim to ensure that every child who is interested has the opportunity to. We share initial details in the summer term of Year 3 and Year 5, allowing time to plan and budget. We also host parent information evenings before sign-ups, where you can learn more about the itinerary, accommodation, costs, and ask any questions.

We believe these residentials are a vital part of our pupils’ personal development - and we do everything we can to make them accessible, inclusive, and unforgettable.

Cost and payment

We work hard to keep trip costs as low as possible and use a mixture of PTA support and school funding to subsidise visits, however, if we do not recieve enough parent contributions to cover the cost of the trip, there is risk that we will have to cancel them. Payments are made securely through Arbor. We aim to ensure that curriculum trips do not total more than £40 per year. If you need any support with payment of trips, please do speak to the school.

Keeping parents informed

Parents receive a trip overview at the start of the year with planned trips and approximate pricing. Letters via Arbor are then sent with full details of each trip, including timings, clothing, packed lunches, and any permissions needed.