29 April 2025
The Easter holidays saw students practising their Spanish in the beautiful setting of the Gredos Mountains, honing their skiing skills in the Laurentian Mountains in Canada, and exploring where the study of maths might take them on a visit to New York, including Wall Street. Zarina, Rosie and Sophia tell us more below.
Spanish trip to the Gredos Mountains, Spain - Zarina, Year 9
Our six-day trip to Spain began in Madrid, where had a fun time shopping and exploring the lively streets before heading to the Gredos Language Centre, a couple of hours away in the beautiful Gredos Mountains.
Here, we took part in a full schedule of activities from morning to evening! We cooked Spanish tortillas, painted t-shirts, and held a fashion show, where we showcased our designs. We learned about the constellations and stars at an astronomy session, did archery and hiked to Gredos town, which we explored in teams, following clues to find specific landmarks. We tackled a ropes course, an outdoor challenge that tested our teamwork and balance, with platforms and obstacles high up in the trees. We had a wonderful time on a day trip to Segovia, visiting the Roman aqueduct and Segovia Castle and doing plenty of souvenir shopping, picking up lots of unique finds along the way.
The food at Gredos was delicious, and we looked forward to every meal. The beautiful setting and scenery overlooking the mountains made everything even more special, and talking to the staff really helped with our fluency in Spanish.
It was an unforgettable trip full of adventure and new experiences. A huge thank you to all the staff who made it such a fun and memorable time!
Ski Trip to Mont Tremblant, Canada - Rosie, Lower Sixth
Over the Easter holidays, around 30 students from Year 8 to Lower Sixth had the incredible opportunity to travel to Mont Tremblant, Canada, for a week of skiing. It was my first time on the slopes – and the same for many others – so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. But the moment we arrived and saw the snow-covered mountains, I couldn’t have been more excited.
On the first day, we woke up bright and early to get geared up and meet our instructors. We were grouped by ability, so I found myself in the beginner group. After a few rather embarrassing falls on the bunny slopes, I finally started to find my balance – and within just three hours, I was skiing my first green run on the mountain! We then spent the rest of the day learning new techniques like how to parallel ski – and how to actually stop yourself from flying down the run!
Each afternoon after ski school we had a couple of hours of free time to explore the resort in groups. We quickly became regulars at a local bubble tea shop and tried out lots of different restaurants. There was a huge range of food on offer – from Italian and Thai to Chinese – including, of course, some classic Canadian dishes like poutine, which became a personal favourite. In the evenings there were fun activities such as laser tag and an escape room which gave us a great chance to mix with students from different year groups and enjoy a well-earned break from the slopes.
Although the activities and food were amazing, the best part of each day was the award of “Duck of the Day” to the person with the funniest fall or story from that day. The lucky winner had to wear a bright yellow duck helmet cover while skiing the next day. The day I won the award, I definitely felt like the most fashionable skier on the slopes!
Maths trip to New York - Sophia, Year 11
Within minutes of arriving at our hotel just off Times Square we spotted Jake Gyllenhaal and Denzel Washington, who are both starring in a Broadway production of Othello. After this star-studded start to our trip, we explored the area and enjoyed dinner at the Hard Rock Café.
The next day, we visited the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, followed by bagels in Brooklyn and a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. Our visit to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum was deeply moving and our day ended with magical views from the Empire State Building.
Friday included a visit to Morgan Stanley, which was so interesting. We toured the trading floor and learnt about the many career options for which the study of maths is a great basis. After lunch at Raising Cane’s and a tour of Wall Street, we visited the Oculus before heading to Planet Hollywood and watching an incredible Broadway performance of Hamilton.
On Saturday, we tried Crumbl Cookies, walked through Central Park and spent some time shopping on Fifth Avenue. We ended the day visiting Grand Central Terminal, which was so beautiful.
On our final day we explored many fascinating exhibits at the Museum of Mathematics, with a final meal in Times Square before heading to JFK to fly home.
Thank you to Mrs McKenna and the maths team for organising the trip and taking care of us in New York. This was my first school trip and I don't think anything will beat it!