Dear Parent/Carer,
4-Day Residential Trip to Berlin – Years 9 and 10: Monday 14th July – Thursday 17th July 2025
The History Department is delighted to invite your child to partake in the Academy residential trip to Berlin, Germany, from Monday 14th July to Thursday 17th July 2025.
The objectives of this trip are to:
- Explore historical sites firsthand, such as the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie and the Brandenburg Gate.
- Deepen their understanding of key historical events: Berlin is central to understanding major GCSE history topics like the Cold War, Nazi Germany, and World War II, offering museums and memorials like the Holocaust Memorial and the Topography of Terror.
- Enhance their cultural and historical contextual knowledge: Visiting Berlin allows students to see the direct impact of historical events on modern Germany, giving them a broader understanding of how history shapes societies today.
Students will stay in the Kolumbus Hotel located in Berlin. Breakfast and an evening meal are included in the price. Lunch will be an interactive experience for students purchasing food at local markets. During their stay, students will have the chance to engage in a variety of activities including:
- Visit the Berlin Wall and East Side Gallery – Explore this iconic historical site and view the vibrant murals painted on the remaining sections of the wall.
- Tour the Reichstag Building – Take a guided tour of Germany’s parliament building, including a visit to its famous glass dome with panoramic city views.
- Explore the Holocaust Memorial – Walk through the memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe, a poignant tribute to Holocaust victims, and visit the underground information centre.
- Check out Checkpoint Charlie Museum – Learn about Cold War history and escape stories from East to West Berlin at this famous border crossing between East and West Berlin.
- Visit The Story of Berlin Museum – Explore 800 years of Berlin’s history through interactive exhibits, multimedia displays and a guided tour of a Cold War-era nuclear bunker, offering a comprehensive overview of the city’s past.
Students will stay in single-sex rooms. We will be travelling by plane and all students will need to have a valid passport with at least 3 months left before expiry, a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and a permanent leave to remain card, if applicable.
The total price of this trip is £635.76 and will be divided into 6 instalments, including a non-refundable deposit of £100. This price does not include money for lunch, snacks and souvenirs, therefore additional spending money must be provided to your child. Each instalment, at each stage, is non-refundable. This price includes travel insurance.
The cost of the trip is £635.76 which includes accommodation on a half board basis, activities and transportation for the trip, including transfers to and from the airport both in Germany and the UK. Payments can be made via ParentPay. An initial deposit of £100 must be paid by 8th November. The dates and sum required for each deposit is as follows:
- November 30th 2024 – £100 (non-refundable deposit)
- December 31st 2024 – £107 (non-refundable)
- January 2025 – £107 (non refundable)
- February 2025 – £107 (non refundable)
- March 2025 – £107 (non refundable)
- April 2025 – £107.76 (non refundable)
This trip will take place during term time and your child’s place will be dependent on the following criteria being met:
- Attendance must exceed 95%. Periods of illness caused by COVID-19 or other medical needs may be taken into account.
- Students must be on target in the majority of subjects and if this is not the case they must be engaged with relevant interventions/homework to move towards their targets. Students who are not reaching their target grade may attend the trip if staff acknowledge that the student is working hard in all their lessons.
- Students must have a good behaviour record with minimal behaviour points and no severe sanctions such as referrals to The Compass or suspensions. An accumulation of sanctions such as Academy Leadership Team detentions will also result in students not being able to attend the trip.
The Academy reserves the right to withdraw your child’s place on this trip if your child’s behaviour is persistently in breach of our code of conduct. The final decision on attendance will be made by the Principal, Mr Russell. Students attending this trip must attend the Academy on each of the remaining days of Module 6: Friday 18th, Monday 21st and Tuesday 22nd of July.
If you would like your child to attend this trip, please register your interest on this Google Form. Following this, you will need to pay a non-refundable deposit of £155.76 by 8th November 2024 on Parent Pay to secure your child’s place.
Yours faithfully,
Hayley Panton | Deputy Head of Turing School