Educational Visits and Workshops
At Dorothy Barley Infant School, we believe that learning extends far beyond the classroom.
At Dorothy Barley Infant School, we believe that learning extends far beyond the classroom. Our curriculum vision prioritises empowering experiences for our children and these are at the heart of our approach because they provide children with the confidence and skills to take ownership of their learning. These experiences encourage curiosity, resilience, and a sense of accomplishment, helping children to become independent thinkers. By engaging with real-world situations, they are not only able to connect their learning to the wider world, but also develop essential life skills such as communication, collaboration, and empathy.
To bring our vision of empowering experiences to life, we carefully plan trips and workshops that ignite curiosity and deepen understanding. These opportunities are thoughtfully designed to complement our curriculum, enabling children to engage with real-world contexts and hands-on learning. From visits to local landmarks and cultural sites to interactive workshops with expert visitors, each experience helps to broaden horizons, inspire creativity, and foster a lifelong love of learning. Through these enriching activities, our children build confidence, develop critical thinking, and create lasting memories that shape their educational journey.
Alongside our programme of educational visits and workshops, our curriculum has a range of theme exit points that allow children to perform and share their learning. These opportunities strengthen oracy, confidence and pride in their work.
Educational Visits
Our programme of educational visits is carefully designed to enrich our curriculum, deepening children’s understanding of what they are learning in school. In this way, we bring learning to life and provide hands-on opportunities to inspire and engage our children. Here are just a few examples of our educational visits and how they complement our curriculum.
Year 2 – National Portrait Gallery
To deepen their understanding of their History unit of work focusing on the lives of Elizabeth I and Elizabeth II as significant monarchs, and their Art unit of work on self-portraits, Year 2 explored the National Portrait Gallery.
Year 1 – Platform Promenade
Year 1 visit the London Transport Museum and take part in the ‘Platform Promeade’ workshop, to deepen their understanding of their History unit of work on transport and also their DT curriculum (understanding mechanisms).
Workshops
Alongside our educational visits, we also ensure our children have access to a wide range of workshops. These workshops both deepen their understanding of our curriculum and also expose our children to new experiences from the arts and sciences. Alongside external providers such as ZooLab and Dance Days, we make use of our Local Authority Community Music Service.