At Horizons Academy, we recognise the importance of learning beyond the classroom. As the academy continues to grow, we aim to provide a range of trips and visits that help students develop confidence, independence, social understanding and awareness of the wider world.
Trips and visits will be used to enrich the curriculum, support personal development and give learners meaningful experiences in the local community and beyond. These opportunities may include visits linked to curriculum topics, careers education, outdoor learning, cultural experiences, community participation and life skills.
For many of our students, trips and visits provide valuable opportunities to practise important skills in real-life settings. This may include safe travel, communication, managing emotions, following instructions, building relationships and showing safe, respectful behaviour in the community.
As Horizons Academy continues to develop, we will ensure that trips and visits are carefully planned, appropriately staffed and matched to the needs of our young people. Where visits are not an essential part of a course of study, they may be treated as an optional extra as outlined in the relevant DfE guidance (‘Charging for out of school activities’). Any financial contributions from parents and carers would be voluntary, and the academy would always aim to make opportunities as accessible as possible but the academy reserves the right to cancel any trip where there is insufficient funding available to allow it to take place, or where it is felt that student and staff safety is at risk, and will return payments collected if this happens.