Year 8 Cultural Capital Day

Leigh Academy Halley Letter Image

Dear Parent/Carer, 

Cultural Capital Day – Wednesday 4th December 2024

At the end of module 2, the Academy will partake in the first of three Cultural Capital events. Our Cultural Capital days and week (at the end of the academic year) are a true highlight of our Academy calendar. These days give students experiences and the chance to participate in exciting activities outside of their usual classroom learning experience in line with National Curriculum guidance. 

Cultural Capital days for Year 8 students will include a visit to the Natural History Museum. The planned trips are linked to their MYP learning and are planned to develop key Approaches to Learning the following skills: Communication, Socialisation, Self-management, Thinking, and Research. The first Cultural Capital Day this academic year will be held on Wednesday 4th December.  Students in Year 8 will be offered a free museum trip or will be taking part in an onsite STEM workshop.  Trips for Year 8 will be allocated, therefore, students do not need to select their activity for this day. 

Students will travel on public transport and there is no cost involved to students, as the Academy receives exemptions from Transport for London.  All trips will commence at the Academy, and students will return to the Academy at the end of the trip so that they can be registered before being dismissed. If a trip returns before the end of the Academy day, students will be dismissed upon arrival.  All students should attend in their normal Academy uniform and are advised to wear appropriate winter travel clothing, suitable for colder December temperatures. They will also need to bring a packed lunch and students eligible for a Free School Meal will be provided with a packed lunch. Spending money for souvenirs is to be kept to a reasonable amount. 

Cultural Capital Day trips assigned to Year 8 students are detailed below:  

  • STEM Challenge, onsite at the Leigh Academy Halley – Free
    Students will work on a collaborative project linking the different STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), to complete a challenge designed to combatting geographical and environmental concerns encountered by societies across the parts of the world. Students will be dismissed from the Academy at 2.20pm. Students who partake in this challenge will visit a museum on our second Cultural Capital day in April. 
  • Natural History Museum – Free
    The Natural History Museum is a world-class visitor attraction and a leading science research centre.  Through their unique collections and unrivalled expertise to tackle the biggest challenges facing the world today, we will explore ideas around sustainability and scientific innovation. Students will develop their geographical and scientific understanding of climate change and its impact on the natural world.  Students will return to the Academy at approximately 2pm, depending on the frequency of trains, where students will be dismissed.
  • Thames Barrier – Free
    Students visiting the local site of the Thames Barrier will develop their geographical and scientific understanding of one of the largest movable flood barriers in the world. The Environment Agency runs and maintains the Thames Barrier and London’s other flood defences and is an integral part of protecting the capital city from flooding. Students will be given a presentation on river usage past and present, wildlife, and urban geography: towns, counties, rural geography tributaries. Students will return to the Academy at approximately 2pm, depending on the frequency of buses, where students will be dismissed.
  • Bank of England – Free
    Students will practise their mathematical skills and experience the heart of the United Kingdom’s financial institution at the Bank of England museum. They will learn about money, the economy, the history of the Bank of England, and how the economy works on a global and local scale.  Due to the allocated time slot given to us by the museum, students allocated to this trip should arrive at the Academy for 10.30am. Students will return to the Academy after the end of the Academy day, at approximately 3.30pm. Parents will be contacted separately to let us know how their child will make their way home from the Academy at the end of this trip. 

If you have any questions about our Cultural Capital Days, please get in touch with a member of your child’s Small School team. 

Yours faithfully,
Mrs H. Panton | 
Deputy Head of Turing School