Over February half-term, a group of Year 11 and 13 students went on the trip of a lifetime, spending 4 days in New York City! Almost two years in the planning, this was a cultural and enrichment trip aimed at broadening students' horizons, and acting as a reward for exemplary behaviour and attitude to learning over a long period of time.

The trip was organised and led by Mr Batty, with expert support from Mr Harrison, Mrs Edwards and Mrs Kirk-Bradshaw (whose previous job as a flight attendant came in very handy as we made our way to JFK from Manchester, via Amsterdam!).

In our brief time in the Big Apple we crammed so many things in! Highlights included:

• Visits to the Top of the Rock and Empire State Building observation decks

• Walking the Brooklyn Bridge

• A reflective and respectful visit to the 9/11 Museum and Memorial

• Ice Skating at Bryant Park

• A walking tour of Central Park

• Lots of shopping and eating experiences

• A trip on the Staten Island Ferry, where we finally got a brilliant view of the Statue of Liberty

The trip was a massive success, and hopefully one that students will remember forever. Feedback from students and families has been overwhelmingly positive, and we are already thinking about planning the next one!

Every single student on the trip was a pleasure to spend half-term with: they were a credit to themselves, their families and the school.

Mr Batty