Students broaden their horizons during residential week
The annual Brooke Weston residential week saw our students attend a variety of cultural, educational and sporting trips that provided them with a broad experience of the world around them.
Time spent away from home with other students and with members of staff is an important way of building relationships that make the Academy a good place to study and work.
Year 8 spent five days in London, in exceptionally high temperatures, experiencing some of the capital cities' main tourist attractions. The first port of call was the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where they began their tour in Europe’s largest club supporter shop 
before viewing the club facilities.
Students visited the central financial district of London, taking in the views of the city’s most famous modern buildings before joining a Harry Potter guided walking tour. They also experienced breathtaking views on the iconic London Eye and afterwards embarked on a captivating Thames River Cruise tour.
Students also experienced the world of fame at Madame Tussauds, as well as discovering a magical underwater world at the Sea Life Aquarium before taking their seats at the theatre to watch the award-winning musical ‘Back to the Future.’
The eagerly awaited visit to Thorpe Park took place on the final full day with a drop in the temperature providing the ideal weather for students to comfortably explore the rides. The final morning of the residential included a visit to the Natural History Museum before staff and students headed safely back to BWA.
Students in Years 9, 10 and 12 visited either Costa Brava, or Sorrento.
Students arrived in Costa Brava to a cooler and cloudier climate than expected, but with an active itinerary planned, students headed to the beach to play traditional beach games and to take part in water sports activities, including sea snorkelling and kayaking, which was followed by an evening of competitive ten-pin bowling.
The group enjoyed a fun-filled oasis when they visited AquaBrava waterpark for adrenaline-fuelled action with staff and students competing in a competitive flume race! They also tested their balance on the eagerly anticipated banana boat ride followed by a trip into town for some retail therapy and concluded with a miniature golf tournament.
Thank you to Lady Whistledown aka Mr Clarke, who managed to keep parents and carers updated with his humorous daily ‘gossip’ sheets!
Sorrento provided our students with a wide range of cultural and historical experiences. The unexpected rain on day two, didn’t distract from the beauty of Capri though, as students were still able to enjoy a boat trip to and around the island. The day was rounded off with a visit to David’s Gelateria with a live demonstration of sorbet making with assistance provided by some of our students and, of course, the opportunity to sample the gelato on offer.
Day three took the students to Pompeii with students exploring the streets of the town buried by the 79AD eruption of Versuvius and then continuing the journey by taking a drive to the flanks of the volcano and climbing to its crater – an incredible achievement for everyone to make it!
Students also had a pizza making experience where they learnt the art of making their own Italian pizza dough and were rewarded with a pizza and entertainment in the form of local and traditional music and dance.
Day four saw the sun shining again and a two-hour boat trip to Almalfi where students explored all the town had to offer, from architecture and culture to gelato and souvenir shops. The final day included one last stop in Sorrento before visiting the ancient Roman town of Herculaneum.
Thank you to all the BWA staff who attended a residential with our students and ensured that they were well looked after and were able to experience all the opportunities on offer to them.
See more photos from the residential here