Educational trips are a key part of our holistic approach to learning and development. We recognise that our students benefit from meaningful, real-world experiences that build on classroom learning and develop essential life skills. Every half term, students have the opportunity to participate in off-site trips that align with our CREATE points reward system and support our school-wide “Choices and Consequences” behaviour policy.
Trips are used as a powerful tool to motivate students, celebrate their progress, and embed positive behaviour. By linking trip eligibility to behaviour thresholds and CREATE values, we promote responsibility, consistency, and a sense of achievement. These experiences also play a central role in developing students’ social skills, independence, and emotional regulation—particularly vital for our cohort of learners with SEMH needs and EHCPs.
Beyond being a reward, our trips are carefully chosen to build students’ cultural capital and expose them to opportunities they may not ordinarily access. Whether it’s visiting a museum, trying indoor skiing, taking part in outdoor pursuits, or attending a University Experience Day, these experiences help broaden students’ understanding of the world and encourage aspiration. For many of our students, trips represent new and exciting environments where they can practise budgeting, navigating public spaces, communicating effectively, and managing sensory or emotional challenges with support.
Trips are planned with care and led by familiar staff to ensure safety and consistency, with pre- and post-trip reflection built into the process to reinforce learning and promote self-awareness. These moments often become some of our students’ most memorable and impactful learning experiences, contributing to their confidence, wellbeing, and preparation for life beyond school.
At Salmons Brook, trips are not simply an add-on to the curriculum—they are a central part of how we nurture, inspire, and equip our students to succeed in school and in life.