Extended Opportunities

All Academies within the GDFT group offer a wide range of activities that directly support all aspects of the curriculum.  These extended opportunities include visits to concerts and theatres, galleries, leading manufacturing companies, service and technology centres and local work place environments.

Looking further afield, residential trips have also been planned over the next year to France, Spain, New York and Italy that will enrich pupils' understanding of history, geography and modern foreign languages.

Personal development is very high on the agenda at all of our Academies and pupils have the opportunity to take part in a progressive range of activities that will build their leadership and communications skills, confidence, motivation and self esteem.  As a Trust we also believe passionately in the benefits to our young people of learning in challenging outdoor environments and we sponsored over 800 pupils last year on adventure courses at the Outward Bound Trust centres in Snowdonia and the Lake District.  The benefits to the pupils in terms of team-working, social and community cohesion, building character and improving their employability and life chances are profound and long lasting.

All secondary Academies within the Group offer pupils the chance to complete the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.  Similar positive links have also been developed with the emergency services, road safety partnership, local youth organisations and the Armed Forces, all of whom provide invaluable training and encouragement to enable our pupils to play a full and productive role in society.