Educational Trips – 2015/16

A unique and subsidised travel opportunity for Sixth Formers considering STEM careers

Dear Prospective STEM Adventurers…

• Are you studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects?
• Have you ever wondered how our future will look using sustainable energy? 
• Do you want to see it at first hand and learn how it can be done?
• Do you want to gain an accredited award whilst doing that? 

If so then this exciting opportunity to see and do all of this in a funded trip to Germany is for YOU!

Your school through the GDST has teamed up with School Energy Efficiency (SEE) and SASIE Ltd, one of the UK’s leading installers and trainers of renewable energy. Thanks to a successful European Union funding application, they are pleased to be able to offer 100 Year 12 students the opportunity to take part in a two-week sustainability trip to the area around Konstanz, Germany, specifically Wildpoldsried a typical Bavarian village that has a surprise. It is a hub of a sustainable living along with solar panel schemes, biomass installations and wind turbines. It also has a natural waste water system and a swimming pool with natural reed filtration and Ultraviolet light water treatment.

Details of the accommodation and village can be found in this link below:

 (http://www.wildpoldsried.de/index.shtml?homepage_en) 

The programme will give students a full and thorough understanding  of different renewable technologies, energy reduction methods, both physical measures and behavioural change. Students will gain an appreciation of effective energy audits of buildings, including their own school and home, and what energy saving measures may suit. There will be work with local colleges and visits to manufacturers, solar panel farms, and other local examples of sustainable energy solutions.

Nearly all costs for these trips shall be funded though ERASMUS (Education and student exchange programme) funding; this being a European body that promotes education throughout the European Union.

In addition to giving students a full and thorough understanding of different renewable technologies the students will be awarded a Level 3 Award in the Rational Use of Renewable Energy (currently awaiting accreditation by Ofqual) to show their competence in the topics and subjects covered. Students will also gain a Europass Mobility Document and a Europass CV to enhance their job prospects and university application forms.

The Trips

Two trips of 50 students each will take place on the following dates over the next academic years:

Trip one – 4-19 July 2015

Trip two – 24 Oct – 8 Nov 2015 (i.e. for students currently in Year 11 who will be in Year 12 next year) 

All GDST schools are being invited to send students on these trips. This is a unique opportunity to meet and work with pupils from across all of GDST schools throughout England.

 A risk assessment and site visit was undertaken in September 2014 by SASIE, SEE and GDST to ensure that health and safety issues have been considered in the hotel you will be staying in and the places being visited. Travel to Bavaria will be by luxury coach that will stay with the group for the duration of the entire trip.

How do I qualify?

In order to qualify for a place on the trip, you must meet the following criteria:

• Be aged 16 or over and be in Year 12 on the date of the trip
• Studying at least one STEM subject, specifically biology, chemistry, physics, computing, engineering or mathematics
• Studying German as well may increase your chances

What’s free?

All learning, accommodation, food and travel expenses will be covered by the EU funding.<span
A detailed itinerary has been drawn up with accommodation and transport already booked on the trip dates mentioned above to guarantee availability.

What isn’t free?

During the course of the two week trip, there will be several opportunities for you to break out from the busy programme to take part in recreational and weekend activities; such as trips to:

• Neuschwanstein (fairytale) Castle
• Deutsche Museum
• The beautiful Bavarian capital, Munich. 

In order to take advantage of our location base we are asking students (or rather parents) to contribute £300 to cover these recreational travel costs, entrance fees and associated food and drink expenses.

Where can I sign up?

You must get your parent’s permission and register your name with the school’s Educational Visit Coordinator by Friday 24th April.

Make sure you fulfil the qualifying criteria and have a think about why it should be you going on this exciting trip.

How and when will you decide who is going?

The school will work with the delivery team to identify the students best placed to go on the trip. If the trip is oversubscribed there may be a simple application process for students to participate in. Students will go in pairs on the trip: it may be one pair or several pairs, depending on how many students register across the GDST schools. Be assured you’ll always have someone you know from your school with you and possibly a member of your staff too.

Students will be selected early in May for the first trip in July.

If I’m picked what happens next?

Once all students have been identified the students and staff going on the July trip will be invited to an Induction Day where detailed information will be shared and team bonding activities. The time and venue will be identified after the tasks above are complete.

A final get together will be arranged for all participants at the SASIE offices in Nottingham after exams are complete, just before the trip, to ensure everything is ready, teams are bonded and the academic journey is begun.

What happens after the trip?

If you have successfully engaged on the trip, fulfilled all the academic tasks and passed the assessments then you will be awarded a Level 3 Award in the Rational Use of Renewable Energy.

Students will be encouraged to share their knowledge to the rest of the student body and will be assessed, with support from SASIE, on how well they achieve this.

Questions?

If you or your parents have questions at this stage please register them with the school’s Educational Visit Coordinator and they will collate them and contact the delivery team.

It’s time to see the future…join us!