Trips & Travel

We believe in the value of learning outside of the classroom and organise a wide range of trips and visits locally, nationally and internationally. These trips may be to support studies or simply to broaden minds.

There are different trips every year and students can find out more during induction and in their subjects. The following trips are listed as a guide but may change on an annual basis and are subject to demand.

For general enquiries about Enrichment programmes, please contact kelley.dawson@aquinas.ac.uk.

The information on this page updated shortly for the 2025-26 academic year. All trips and events are subject to change.

Compulsory Curriculum Trips

These trips are compulsory when studying specific subjects

North Wales – Environmental Science A level

Students will take part in activities based around ecological practical techniques. Students will learn how to sample different wild populations in various environments including terrestrial, fresh water aquatic and marine. They will also spend some time in the evening in class analysing their data using statistics and planning activities where they will learn how to standardise and problem solve. We will be visiting Anglesey, Harlech National Nature Reserve, and local farmland and forests around Betws y Coed.

We will be staying in a Field Studies Centre near Betws y coed and students will have access to Wi-Fi, tv and various games in their free time. The price includes all transport, food and outdoor kit (waterproofs, wellingtons, boots etc).

It is the equivalent to coursework and is therefore a compulsory part of the course.

Lake District – Geography A level

It is a compulsory residential trip to the Lake District and part of the four days fieldwork requirement.
We stay at the FSC centre Castle Head in Grange over Sands and partake in regeneration, coasts, carbon and water fieldwork techniques. All students will have a set of data that they can use for their NEA (20% of their A level) upon their return from the trip.

All equipment, including waterproofs, wellies and walking boots are provided by the FSC.

Enrichment Curriculum Trips

These trips are designed to compliment specific courses but are not essential

India – Lower 6

The focus of the trip is the workshops that students carry out with underprivileged children. The trip also offers a cultural experience where students take part in a variety of activities including; yoga, Bollywood dancing, visits to temples, Indian food and many other aspects of Indian culture. The cost (£2300 in 20024) includes all travel, tourist visa, all food and water and accommodation.

Geneva – Upper 6 – Physics A level

On this trip students visit the Swiss city of Geneva to tour the world’s largest ever science experiment – the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. Students will be able to visit exhibits explaining the science that tells us how we gain insights into the history of the Universe from observations of tiny particles which are being smashed together at incredibly high speeds. There will also be a tour of some of the facilities at CERN led by one of the Scientists that work there. We will also have time to visit many of the attractions in Geneva itself.

San Francisco – Upper 6 – Computer Science A level/IT BTEC

This is an educational trip visiting some of the leading technology companies in the world (Apple, Google, Intel, HP etc.). The aim of the trip is to provide the students with the opportunity to gain an insight into the latest developments in computing technology from companies that are changing how we live our lives. We also visit the Computer History Museum and Technology Museum of Innovation to learn about the development of computing over the last 70 years. An extra visit on the trip lets the students experience life on a US university campus with a tour of Stanford University.

As most Silicon Valley professionals live in San Francisco we will also base ourselves there and enjoy the attractions of the city such as visiting Alcatraz Prison, cycling over the Golden Gate Bridge and walking through the many different neighbourhoods of this fascinating city.

The cost (£1650 apx 2024) includes return flights from Manchester to San Francisco, accommodation (B&B), coach tour and guide, all entrance fees.

New York – Upper 6 – Media Courses – fix link

We have run this trip for 9 years and the students who are able to go find it greatly beneficial; from discovering new talents and career paths to travelling alone for the first time, every student enjoys and is changed for the better by this trip. The students develop academically and personally and return energised, more focused and aspirational to meet their future goals.

Washington – Upper 6 – Politics A level

To support students’ understanding of their A Level US Politics course we run an annual trip to Washington DC in February. We will be visiting all of the main points of political interest in the US capital and hope to include other excursions and walking tours in order to experience many other aspects of US history and culture. We expect to visit Arlington Cemetery, the National Archives, the Museum of African American History, the U.S. Capitol (Senate and House of Representatives), the Library of Congress, the US Supreme Court, and the Pentagon.

Poland (Kraków) – Upper 6 – Theology A level

To support students in their understanding of the A-level Theology course we will be running an enrichment trip to Kraków, Poland in February 2024. We will visit important historical, religious and cultural sites including Auschwitz-Birkenau, Schindler’s Museum, the Galicia Jewish Museum and the UNESCO heritage Wieliczka Salt Mines (which is home to one of Poland’s most breath-taking Catholic Cathedrals).

Cross College Trips

Chaplaincy’s Autumn Retreat

As a Contribution to students’ wellbeing, our Autumn Retreat is one of the steps we take as part of our Catholic Life, to support the personal and spiritual development of our students. It offers our young people an opportunity to take time out to reflect on their life, relationships and future among the beautiful surroundings at Hyning Hall in the Lake District, with opportunity to engage in fun group activities and inspirational games, time for meditation and walks in the beautiful surroundings.