[email protected] Parkside, Highcliffe, www.highcliffeschool.com Christchurch, Twitter: @highcliffesch Dorset, Tel: 01425 273381 BH23 4QD Letters/BattlefieldsOctober2020/HSN/ERS November 2019 Dear Parent Year 8 History and French First World War Battlefields Trip – 1st – 4th October 2020 The school is delighted to announce that we will once again be running a four-day trip to the Battlefields of France and Belgium. We have run this trip very successfully over the past three years, and students enjoyed the unforgettable and emotional experience. There are 52 places available on the trip and places are secured on a first come-first-served basis. In the event the trip is over-subscribed a reserve list will be operated. This will be a two-centre trip. Our intended itinerary is as follows: Day Itinerary Thursday Arrive at the SOMME - BEAUMONT HAMEL, SUNKEN LANE, HAWTHORN RIDGE, HAWTHORN MINE CRATER THIEPVAL MEMORIAL TO THE MISSING Avrils Team Rooms – Students to try German and British WW1 rations LOCHNAGAR MINE CRATER A CEMETERY LOST IN TIME, COURCELETTE: CHECK INTO POPPIES HOSTEL, ALBERT Friday HOOGE CRATER MUSEUM AND TRENCH. DIKSMUIDE, YSER TOWER MUSEUM, DODENGANG / DEAD MAN’S TRENCH VLADSLO GERMAN MILITARY CEMETERY AND FOREST Check in at PEACE VILLAGE HOSTEL / DINNER Saturday HOLDING THE RIDGE, MESSINES AND WIJTSCHATE, BAYERNWALD TRENCH TYNE COT MILITARY CEMETERY (CWGC) . PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL OF THE MISSING AND HYDE PARK CORNER CEMETERY. YPRES, RELAXATION TIME, CHOCOLATE SHOP, Dinner at the YPERLEY RESTAURANT LAST POST CEREMONY – MENIN GATE Wreath laying Return to PEACE VILLAGE HOSTEL Sunday Arrive in BRUGES – Free time Depart BRUGES 16.30 Arrive at EUROTUNNEL CALAIS 17.00 Arrive EUROTUNNEL FOLKESTONE 20.00 Return to SCHOOL Throughout the trip we will make every reasonable effort to visit the nearby graves or memorial plaques of any direct ancestors of Highcliffe students which families have identified with us before the trip. More information about this will be shared at the information evening for those who sign-up for the trip. Accompanying the students and staff will be Robin Schäfer: German military historian, publisher and co- author of “Fritz & Tommy Across the Barbed Wire”, Rob will bring history alive using first hand accounts from the combatants who fought in the places we visit, as well as period equipment. For the full duration of the tour, students get the benefit of having their very own authentically dressed British Tommy/officer of the Great War to accompany them and answer all of their questions about what it was like to be a soldier in the trenches at the time. A wealth of period British uniform and equipment is available for handling and trying out. Former combat medic Christoph Höpfer will accompany the group, dressed in authentic German uniform and kit, in order to provide the German perspective and the medical knowledge. Many of the Year 8 students have also been studying Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo as part of their English course this year and thus the trip will add even greater meaning to this book. World War One is studied in Year 9 History and the battlefields trip is a great starting point to bring that topic to life in the classroom. Travel will be by coach, which is available for our exclusive use throughout the stay, crossing from Folkestone to Calais by Eurotunnel. We will be leaving early on Thursday 1st October 2020 and returning to school in the evening of Sunday 4th October 2020. The cost of the trip is currently £425 per student for 52 students. This price will include all accommodation and meals abroad, entrance fees and coach travel to and from Highcliffe. However, as the trip is going after 29th March there will also be a per-person entry fee into the EU the final cost of which is not yet confirmed by the government but is likely to be around £9. In the event of a No Deal Brexit, major movements in the exchange rate or unexpected new charges may raise the cost of the trip. Students will need a small amount of money for spending at the chocolate shop, on souvenirs and additional drinks or snacks. A meal in the UK on the return journey is included in the cost already. If your son/daughter is interested in this trip, please complete and return the permission slip and pay a non- refundable deposit of £40 by Thursday November 28th 2019. There will then be two further instalments of £170 due on Sunday 23rd February 2020 and Sunday 24th May 2020, with a final payment of £45 on Wednesday 1st of July. Payment should be made using the school’s on-line WisePay facility. The trip will be bookable from Friday 15th November 2019 at 3:00pm. Please make a note of your Wisepay receipt reference, as you will need to provide this on the attached slip/consent form. Receipts are generated automatically on WisePay and sent to the email address you supply when making the payment. Yours faithfully, Mrs Stedmon Head of History PLEASE RETURN TO STUDENT SUPPORT BY THURSDAY 28th NOVEMBER AT THE LATEST. I would be interested in my son/daughter (name) …………………………..…………………………………………………. Tutor Group ………………………………... going on the Year 8 Battlefields Trip in October 2020. I have paid a non-refundable deposit via WisePay, reference number …………………………………… Parent signature ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. .