Day-by-Day Itinerary

Join fellow educators and school leaders for a week of professional exchange, collaboration, and cultural discovery. Through visits to five schools, explore different approaches to deeper learning and consider how their practices could inform your own school’s work.

Each school visit will include approximately three to four hours of professional learning, with a proposed combination of classroom observations, conversations with educators and leaders, student perspectives, and collaborative discussion. Cultural experiences and facilitated reflections will help participants build connections and translate observations into practical next steps.

Day 1: Depart the United States

Your professional learning journey begins as you board your overnight flight to London. Prepare for a week of fresh perspectives, meaningful conversations, and opportunities to connect with fellow educators and school leaders.

Day 2: Welcome to London

Arrive in London and meet your Global Citizen Program Director. Transfer to your hotel and settle in, with time to rest or take an introductory walk depending on your arrival schedule.

This evening, gather for a welcome dinner and program briefing. Meet your fellow participants, share your school contexts, and identify the questions you hope to explore throughout the week. Establish a shared framework for observing deeper learning, considering student agency, authentic work, collaboration, assessment, and school culture.

Overnight: London

Day 3: School 21 & Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Spend the morning at School 21, exploring its approach to oracy, project-based learning, and purposeful student work. Investigate how speaking, listening, and discussion support deeper understanding across subjects. Exchange ideas about building a culture in which students develop confidence, refine their thinking, and communicate to audiences beyond the classroom.

After lunch, explore Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Consider how the legacy of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games has shaped the surrounding community, providing a setting for conversations about place-based learning and connections between schools and their neighborhoods.

Overnight: London

Day 4: London Design & Engineering UTC, Westminster & the West End

Visit London Design & Engineering UTC for a morning focused on employer-connected learning and the relationship between academic knowledge and practical application. Explore how industry partnerships and authentic projects help students understand the purpose of their learning and envision future pathways. Discuss opportunities to develop similar connections within your own communities.

This afternoon, visit the Churchill War Rooms to explore wartime leadership and decision-making. Continue with a guided walk through Westminster, taking in exterior views of the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey.

After dinner, enjoy a West End performance, experiencing London’s theater culture and time together beyond the professional learning sessions.

Overnight: London

Day 5: The King Alfred School & Journey to Manchester

Spend the morning at The King Alfred School, exploring its progressive educational approach and emphasis on curiosity, student ownership, and interdisciplinary enquiry. Discuss how curriculum design, relationships, and school structures can support meaningful learning while maintaining academic ambition.

Following the visit, board your private motorcoach for Manchester. Use part of the journey for a structured debrief, comparing the three London schools and considering how their different contexts influence their approaches. Allow time for individual reflection, informal conversation, and rest.

Arrive in Manchester, check into your hotel, and enjoy dinner.

Overnight: Manchester

Day 6: Ladybridge High School & Manchester’s Cultural Heritage

Travel to Bolton for a morning visit to Ladybridge High School. Explore its Project Trivium approach and discuss how knowledge, dialogue, and meaningful application support high-quality project-based learning. Consider how school leaders help teachers develop these practices and make deeper learning accessible to a broad range of learners.

Return to Manchester for lunch and a guided exploration of Castlefield and the city’s industrial heritage. Discover how canals, railways, and industry shaped Manchester, and consider how local history can become a resource for authentic enquiry.

This evening, attend a football match (subject to schedule and ticket availability), or enjoy an alternative cultural event. Experience local culture while continuing conversations with your fellow educators.

Overnight: Manchester

Day 7: XP School & Bringing the Learning Home

Depart Manchester early and travel to XP School in Doncaster for your final school visit. Explore its approach to cross-subject learning expeditions and discuss how meaningful questions, student work, and a strong learning community connect academic study with the world beyond school.

After the visit, board your private motorcoach for the return journey to London. During a facilitated synthesis session, identify the practices most relevant to your school and outline a realistic next step. Share ideas with a colleague, consider potential challenges, and discuss how to continue collaborating after the program.

This evening, gather for a farewell dinner to celebrate new professional connections and share the insights you will bring home.

Overnight: London

Day 8: Departure from London

Following breakfast, transfer to the airport for your return flight to the United States. Depart with fresh perspectives, a network of colleagues, and practical ideas to explore with your school community.

Pleaset note, school visits and their formats are subject to host confirmation, term calendars, and staff availability.