Trips out of the school fall into three categories: sporting, academic and social.

Our sports teams compete successfully in all the major sports – and many minor ones too, on the main East Anglian independent schools circuit. This will mean on occasions a long journey – say to play at Greshams in North Norfolk. The cost of all sports fixtures is fully met by the school. If pupils go on a purely educational outing then the cost is split between the school and parents while the cost of cultural visits such as trips to the theatre or opera are billed to parents.

Social events will typically take the form of tutor outings. Typically, a tutor group might go to the cinema or theatre, ten-pin bowling, dry skiing, ice/roller skating or simply out for a meal. On a summer’s evening they might even go to the seaside for a couple of hours. All these events, and tutor trips tend to happen on a half-termly or termly basis, are billed at the end of term unless other specific arrangements are made.

There are also other, more ambitious visits. The CCF offers a wide range of adventurous training opportunities, mainly in holiday time and there are Duke of Edinburgh Award expeditions on a regular basis. Juniors will also go on some expeditions and these will mainly happen at weekends. There are opportunities during the sailing season for boys and girls to take part in expeditions in our fleet of Cornish Shrimpers and these are offered at nominal cost. In addition there are holiday trips which recently have included skiing trips or cultural, choir and band tours further afield – for instance Europe, Sri Lanka, Iceland, South Africa and Canada.

In all cases, before your son or daughter can agree to take part in a major expedition they must seek parental approval and in the case of major events you will be required to give written permission for them to take part. We are very aware that independent education is expensive and we do strive to keep additional costs to parents to an absolute minimum.

Year 7 Adventurous Training Weekend

When they first join the school all Year 7 pupils are invited to attend an adventure training weekend at the East Mersea Youth Outdoor Education Centre on Mersea Island, Essex. They get the opportunity to try Mountain Biking, Abseiling, Climbing, High Ropes Course, Problem Solving, Aerial Runway, Orienteering, Assault Course, Camp Craft, Judo and an It’s a Knockout Competition. The weekend is designed to help the new year group to get to know each other and make new friends.