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From the laboratories of CERN to the ancient ruins of Greece, the political heart of Washington DC and community partnerships in South Africa, October Exeat saw Wellington students embark on an extraordinary range of international experiences.
While the College enjoyed a well-earned break from the classroom, students and staff travelled across Europe, Africa and the United States, taking their learning into the wider world.
Each trip offered something unique, whether exploring future university opportunities, encountering history first-hand, engaging with cutting-edge scientific research or making meaningful connections through service. Together, they demonstrated the breadth of opportunities available to Wellingtonians and the importance of developing curiosity, independence and an understanding of the world beyond their own experiences.
Politics | Washington DC, USA
For students studying Politics, a visit to Washington DC offered an opportunity to experience American democracy at its very heart.
The group explored some of the country’s most significant political institutions and landmarks, including the US Capitol, Supreme Court, White House and National Archives, developing a deeper understanding of the institutions, history and debates that shape American politics.
For Politics teacher Georgie Hartley, the motivation behind organising the trip was simple: to make the subject tangible.
“So much of what students study can feel quite abstract, particularly when looking at the US political system, its institutions and the relationship between its branches of government. Visiting Washington gives students the opportunity to see these institutions first-hand and develop a much deeper understanding of how American democracy works in practice.”
Beyond the institutions themselves, the experience encouraged students to consider different perspectives, challenge assumptions and appreciate the influence of politics on everyday life.
As Georgie reflected, the ambition was to offer an experience that would stay with students long after they returned to the classroom, encouraging independent thinking and perhaps inspiring the next generation of political thinkers.
Higher Education | USA
Wellingtonians explored the possibilities of studying across the Atlantic during the College’s annual US Universities Trip, visiting some of America’s leading universities across the Mid-Atlantic states.
Alternating each year between New England and the Mid-Atlantic region, the trip introduces students to the distinctive American model of higher education, with its emphasis on breadth of study, campus culture and opportunities beyond the classroom.
This year’s itinerary included Duke University, Georgetown University, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Virginia, where students explored campuses, met admissions officers and spoke with current students and Old Wellingtonians about their experiences of university life.
For Tim Rothwell, Wellington’s Director of Higher Education, the trip is about much more than visiting prestigious institutions. It offers students the opportunity to broaden their horizons, challenge their assumptions and consider possibilities they might not previously have imagined.
“For many students, visiting institutions such as Duke, Georgetown, UPenn and the University of Virginia transforms the idea of studying in the United States from something distant and abstract into a realistic possibility.”
These first-hand experiences and conversations help students develop a clearer understanding of the opportunities available to them and make informed decisions about their futures.
Whether they ultimately choose to study in the UK or overseas, the ambition is for students to return with greater clarity, confidence and excitement about the possibilities that lie ahead.
Classics | Greece
Travelling considerably further back in time, students on the Classics Department’s expedition to Greece explored some of the most remarkable archaeological sites in the world.
Their itinerary incorporated five UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Delphi, Olympia, Mycenae, Epidauros and Athens, offering an extraordinary journey through the history, mythology and culture of ancient Greece.
From the landscapes of Delphi to the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games, students had the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of the people and civilisations they study, experiencing the scale and significance of these historic places for themselves.
The trip encouraged students to look critically at the past, make connections between ancient and modern societies and develop a greater appreciation of how the ideas, achievements and traditions of the ancient Greeks continue to influence the world today.
Science | CERN, Switzerland
For Wellington’s aspiring scientists, October Exeat offered the opportunity to visit one of the world’s most important centres of scientific research: CERN, near Geneva.
Home to some of the most ambitious experiments in modern physics, CERN provided a remarkable setting for students studying Chemistry and Physics to encounter scientific discovery on an extraordinary scale.
The programme combined a visit to CERN’s facilities with academic enrichment activities in Geneva, encouraging students to explore the questions and discoveries that continue to transform our understanding of the universe.
For Julian O’Loughlin, Director of Digital Learning and teacher of Chemistry, the opportunity to introduce students to such an influential centre of research was particularly exciting.
“From Nobel Prize-winning discoveries to talking to scientists about the cutting-edge research they are doing, it is simply at the top of most physicists’ bucket lists of places to visit.”
Meeting researchers and encountering the scale of international scientific collaboration offered students an opportunity to appreciate the curiosity, creativity and perseverance behind scientific progress, connecting classroom theory with the discoveries shaping our understanding of the world.
Service | Tiger Kloof, South Africa
In South Africa, students from the Blücher continued their House’s longstanding relationship with Tiger Kloof School through its biennial service trip.
At the heart of the visit was a partnership built around working alongside and learning from the Tiger Kloof community.
The programme brought Wellingtonians together with local students through community service, educational activities and cultural exchange, including opportunities to support a township soup kitchen, work with younger students and experience local traditions such as marimba music and gumboot dancing.
Beyond the practical work, the trip was about building relationships, sharing experiences and developing a greater understanding of different communities and cultures.
Working alongside their South African counterparts encouraged students to listen, collaborate and approach unfamiliar experiences with openness and empathy. The partnership reflects an important aspect of Wellington’s approach to service: recognising that meaningful engagement is as much about learning from others as it is about offering support.
Service | Calais, France
Perhaps one of the most thought-provoking experiences of October Exeat took place much closer to home, as students travelled to Calais to work alongside humanitarian charity Care4Calais.
Through the Wellington College Peace and Conflict Institute (WCPCI), students supported the charity’s work with displaced people living in Calais and Dunkirk, helping to sort donations and distribute essential supplies while spending time speaking with members of the refugee community.
For Izzy, a Sixth Form student in the Combermere, the experience challenged preconceptions and brought a deeply human perspective to an issue so often discussed through headlines and statistics.
“Amidst this argument and behind every statistic, there are real people with their own stories.”
Reflecting on conversations with people who had fled conflict and endured extraordinary hardship, Izzy described the experience as both humbling and eye-opening.
“What struck me most was, despite months, sometimes years, living in miserable conditions, there was an incredible sense of hope and joy among the entire community.”
Her reflection captured the profound impact of an experience that encouraged students to question established narratives, approach complex global issues with empathy and recognise the importance of understanding experiences different from their own.
“I left Calais feeling deeply connected on a human level, and the desire to share how little headlines can tell you about a person’s experience.”
Across continents, disciplines and communities, this year’s October Exeat trips demonstrated the remarkable breadth of experiences that form part of life at Wellington.
Whether encountering the realities of humanitarian work, engaging with scientific discovery, exploring ancient civilisations or considering their futures at universities overseas, students returned with new knowledge, different perspectives and experiences that will continue to shape their thinking.
These opportunities do more than enrich academic learning. They encourage students to question, collaborate, adapt and engage thoughtfully with the world around them, developing the skills, character and confidence to flourish in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.
None of this would be possible without the enthusiasm, expertise and commitment of the staff who organise and lead these trips, often dedicating their own time during the holidays to create experiences that simply cannot be replicated in a classroom.
Our thanks go to everyone involved in making this year’s October Exeat trips possible, and to the students who embraced the opportunities to explore, question, contribute and learn from the world around them.
