Dear Parents/Guardians
I hope your child is looking forward to an exciting year at the College with several enriching educational visits planned for students in all year groups. Each year group will have a minimum of three trips planned for them that will enrich their learning in the curriculum as well as provide memorable experiences during their time at St Joseph’s College. Trip packages also provide parents with an upfront detail of the costings involved. We believe this provides transparency and enough notice for parents to understand the costs involved for trips across the academic year. Trips will be billed in your half term extras invoice, and you will receive one per term. Please see below for brief summaries of the educational visits planned for your child. Information regarding departure and arrival times or specific equipment needed will be communicated closer to the date of the trip. These trips are a compulsory aspect to the educational provision we provide at the College, and we are confident that they will provide an enriching experience for all our students.
Museum of English Rural Life
The children will be visiting the museum of English Rural life and see what life was like in Reading and the surrounding areas in the past. Children will take part in several workshops looking at the different land use and farming.
Venue: 6 Redlands Rd, Reading RG1 5EX
Date(s): Tuesday 23 September 2025
Method of travel: Walk
Dress: School Uniform
Winchester Science Museum
We will be visiting the amazing interactive exhibitions and planetarium. Then we will be learning about forces and combustion in our workshop. We’ll do an awesome whoosh bottle experiment. After, we will design and build our very own rockets to maximise their flying potential with aerodynamics.
Venue: Telegraph Way, Winchester SO21 1HZ
Date(s): Monday 2 February 2026
Method of travel: Coach
Dress: School Uniform
Sustainability Centre
The Sustainability Centre is an independent learning and study Centre set in 55 acres of woodland in Hampshire. It helps young people become immersed in ecology, sustainability, and climate change in an outdoor learning environment.
The children will spend one night and two days staying in a lodge which has 14 bedrooms, each sleeping 2-3 children. All the food is homemade by the chef on site using locally sourced ingredients where possible.
Year 4 will be taking part in a Green Guardians experience, which includes, a farm tour, map reading and orienteering, investigating different energy sources on a walk to Salt Hill Wind turbine Site along with Art and design activities.
The evening session will culminate with a Storyteller called ‘Bluebird’ who recites traditional tales from around the world.
Venue: The Sustainability Centre, Droxford Rd, Petersfield GU32 1HR
Date(s): Tuesday 2 – Wednesday 3 June 2026
Method of travel: Coach
Dress: Casual
Ufton Court History Day
Year 4 will be taking part in three activities: learning Roman skills, such as carding, spinning, and wattling a fence panel; taking part in and learning about Roman Military manoeuvres to be ready for any potential battle; and learning how Romans were entertained by presenting the classic tale of Romulus and Remus.
Venue: Ufton Court Green Lane Ufton Nervet Reading Berkshire RG7 4HD
Date(s): Tuesday 30 June 2026
Method of travel: Coach
Dress: School Uniform
Total Cost of Year 4 Trip Package: £276
Consent and Payment
Please note that for any educational visits that require any personal data to be provided to third party companies (such as tour companies, Airline companies), the College will ensure that the necessary checks are made to conform with the GDPR prior to any data being disseminated.
Invoicing
The cost of your trip package will be split into three equal instalments as follows:
October Half Term Extras: £92
February Half Term Extras Invoice: £92
May Half Term Extras Invoice: £92
Please do not hesitate to contact me, should you have any questions about your child’s trip package.
Yours sincerely,
Mr Mathew Jones
Assistant Head (Enrichment & Extension)
