Top School Trips 6

www.teachwire.net/school-trips | 7 Making Magic Merlin’s Magic Wand conjures a unique playground for students with SEND… You’ll doubtless be familiar with the many attractions operated by Merlin Entertainments (not least the LEGOLAND Windsor Resort showcased on this issue’s cover), and you may even have visited one or more of them with students from your school. But you may not be aware of Merlin’s Magic Wand, the official charitable partner of Merlin Entertainments. Dedicated to creating magical experiences for children facing serious illness, disability or adversity, it provides “Magical Days Out” with the help of its partners, delivers community outreach initiatives, and funds “Magic Spaces” in the likes of orphanages and hospices. The charity’s newest community Magic Space, which opened on 7 March, is a one-of-a-kind “London Under the Sea” playground, created for St Ann’s School in Hanwell, a school for children aged 11–19 with special educational needs. The interactive, sensory-rich area is designed to inspire creativity, play and exploration for students, especially those with sensory processing challenges, and was built over the course of a year with the support of volunteers from across Merlin Entertainments. Learn more at www. merlinsmagicwand.org TAKE IT OUTSIDE A recent study carried out by the Outward Bound Trust with Mortar Research has highlighted the value of outdoor learning. The survey, which received responses from 2,000 adults, revealed that nearly 40% believed that experiences outside the classroom taught them more than what they learned indoors. Read more at bit. ly/OBTsrt MUSIC & SCIENCE Music and science combine in a free workshop at the Royal Albert Hall. Linking to the KS3 curriculum, the 75-minute sessions, which are part of the Hall’s Engagement programme, see students exploring volume, frequency, sound and light waves, and the speeds of light and sound. Students then use what they have learned to create their own piece of music. You can find out more about the Hall’s Engagement programme by visiting bit.ly/ RAHscience ULTIMATE GUIDE If you want more advice on planning the perfect school trip, look no further than Teachwire’s ultimate guide for teachers. Packed with advice on every stage of the process, from choosing the right destination to managing pupils on the day and maximising the educational value of the experience, it will help take the stress out of the process and ensure your visit is a success. Visit bit. ly/TWschooltrips NEWS IN BRIEF The Age of AI The increasing impact of AI on society is a hot topic at the moment, and now school groups can explore the issues with a trip to Bletchley Park. The Age of AI is a new exhibition, aimed at teenagers, that invites visitors to explore how AI is already part of their everyday lives while revealing cutting-edge research projects and examining the opportunities and risks of frontier AI, provoking discussion on how reliant on AI we could – and should – be. Open until 2026, the exhibition also covers the connections between AI and Bletchley Park’s famous codebreaking achievements during World War II. Visit www.bletchley park.org.uk Grant alert! More young people than ever are accessing the outdoors thanks to the Ernest Cook Trust, according to figures published in its latest Annual Report (bit.ly/ ECTar). Headline figures include the fact that 1,138 grants were awarded over the year, all aimed at offering children and young people opportunities to learn in and connect with nature as well as take positive environmental action. This translated to 2,930 children being supported by the Trust’s school programmes. Despite these successes, the Trust doesn’t intend to rest on its laurels, as it has plans to increase its total support to £5m by 2029. SUPPORT FOR SCHOOLS At present, schools can benefit in the form of an Outdoor Essentials Grant; this is £1,000 per secondary school, and while applications for the grant are currently closed, you can stay informed about future rounds via social media. Other options include the Trust’s OWL (Outdoor Week of Learning) Collaboration, which supports schools to send children on an immersive week in nature, as well as providing funding to develop their own outdoor learning. Visit www.ernestcooktrust. org.uk/grants NEWS