Monday 27th April – Arsenal Football Club (select)
Thursday 21st May – Neasden Mandir (Years 6/7)
Tuesday 9th June – Sports Experience at St. Luke’s School, Redbourn (Years 6/7)
Tuesday 23rd June – Royal Gunpowder Mills (Year 6/7)
Thursday 25th June – Regent’s Park Mosque (Year 9)
Tuesday 30th June – Food & Farming Day – Herts County Showground (Years 6/7)
Wednesday 15th July – Hertfordshire Zoo (All years)
From the moment they arrived, our students threw themselves into every challenge, every activity and every opportunity to grow. This week has been packed with adventure, teamwork and so many moments of pure joy!
Friday rounded things off perfectly — students spent the morning taking on their final activities, pushing themselves to try new things and celebrate each other’s successes. And of course, the grand finale… the ultimate Leap of Faith! Watching them conquer their nerves and cheer each other on was truly inspiring.
They ended the day on Thursday gathered around a warm, glowing campfire a wonderful evening where friendships were strengthened, stories were shared and everyone reflected on just how far they’ve come. Old friendships deepened, new friendships blossomed and the sense of community was something really special.
What a brilliant week it has been . Our students have made so many fantastic memories — the kind that stay with you for life. We couldn’t be prouder of everything they’ve achieved.
And a huge thank you to our wonderful staff who accompanied our students and gave them all the support and encouragement they needed with a lovely sprinkle of independence and resilience along the way, leading to a week full of courage, connection, and experiences our students will never forget!
Year 9 had an incredible hands‑on experience learning about life and work in a WWI munitions factory during an interactive workshop at the Royal Gunpowder Mills, Waltham Abbey on Tuesday which is one of Europe’s most important historic sites for explosives!
Pupils discovered:
• How buildings were specially designed to withstand explosions
• Why the factories were positioned near trees and canals
• How the site operated during WWI
• What life was like for Peggy, a 1916 munitionette playing a vital role in the war effort
They even got to shovel coal to understand how the mills were powered — and experience the darkness and smells of the factory firsthand!
The guided tractor‑trailer tour around the 170‑acre heritage site was a huge highlight, complete with a sighting of the resident 60‑strong herd of deer. Pupils also had the rare chance to handle original artefacts from WWI, including photos, telegrams and registration documents donated by the family of a former worker.
To top it all off, they visited the armoury, where they could see and hold weapons used in both World Wars — many of which were manufactured nearby in Enfield.
A big thank you to the Royal Gunpowder Mills for such a fun, immersive and informative day that brilliantly supports our pupils’ learning about WWI and WWII in History.
Our Y9s, 10s and 11s kicked off the final week of the half term with a memorable visit to Sky Up Academy Studios in Elstree. It was an action-packed learning experience which opened the door to the creative world of film and TV. Students experienced the full process of “script to screen”. Each year group had already prepared for their Masterclass with Mrs Sylvester and put together their short film idea ahead of the visit to Elstree.
On the day students completed pre-production, Extended Reality (XR) production and Post-Production, bringing their film idea to life. They were also given an overview of the vast number of career pathways and job roles. Whilst they also got to tour some of the studios and sit in an actual vehicle used in Jurassic Park! Given it is National Apprenticeship week they also got to speak to some Sky employees for a Q&A whilst the day was wrapped up with a screening of their films, amazing!
Over the morning students gained understanding of XR technology, the importance of planning and decision-making ahead of entering film production whilst the day opened their eyes to the variety of film and TV job roles available. A truly memorable trip!
Our Year 11 students also visited the Fielder Centre as part of an Apprenticeships Careers Initiative.
The took part in a fantastic range of activities, met employers, and explored different apprenticeships routes first-hand. Students were fully engaged throughout and learnt so much about the exciting possibilities the future holds for them beyond school.
Our Knightsfield School students visited the BEAM Theatre in Hertford to watch an incredible production of ‘Hamlet by Shakespeare in a Suitcase’ – and what a performance it was!
The show was dynamic, engaging, and brilliantly crafted, tying in perfectly with our Theatre Week preparations for Macbeth. The talented actors brought Shakespeare’s world to life and went the extra mile by inviting our students to join them on stage, becoming part of the story with warmth, guidance, and encouragement.
We were so proud of how beautifully our students represented both themselves and the school. Their enthusiasm, confidence, and impeccable behaviour stone throughout the visit. They absolutely loved the performance and left feeling inspired, excited, and full of creative energy!
A huge thank you to the BEAM Theatre team for such a memorable experience – another wonderful enrichment opportunity for our students and a brilliant start to our week of theatrical learning!
Years 5-8 enjoyed this year’s production of Cinderella at Campus West, Welwyn Garden City. It was fantastic seeing our children fully engaged, singing, shouting and let’s not forget the booing!! A brilliant time was had by all.
Year 8 pupils visited the Sikh Gurdwara in Hitchin. They listened to a presentation about Sikhism, watched the religious leaders play a hymn to them on the drums and harmonium, looked at the resting place of the Guru Granth Sahib (holy book), had a snack in the langar (free kitchen), watched samosas being prepared and some male pupils volunteered to have a turban tied on them. We were made extremely welcome.
Our lovely Year 9 class enjoyed a fantastic trip to the cinema for their Film Afternoon prize after winning Best Form last term!
A huge thank you to INTOFILM for kindly sponsoring this special screening of the thrilling “How to Train Your Dragon”. The excitement was real – and yes, there was plenty of popcorn to go around!
What a brilliant way to celebrate teamwork and success, well done Year 9!
On Tuesday afternoon, our lovely Year 11 students visited GSK in Stevenage at their major R&D (Research & Development) site for a “Twilight Tour”. Students were given an insight to the tight security protocols of a pharmaceutical giant with them having to disembark the minibus on arrival to get ID badges. This was followed with a tour of the site with students commenting on the architecture of the buildings and the thoughtful, green and open outdoor space available for staff. The visit finished with some liquid handling in a working laboratory, where students donned lab coats, goggles and gloves. They looked quite the part when they finally got the gloves on!
Our amazing Year 11 Geographers braved the rainy weather on their trip to Walton-on-the-Naze to collect vital data for their GCSE fieldwork. They explored the impact of tourism and assessed the effectiveness of coastal management, showing real determination and curiosity throughout the day. From measuring longshore to confidently engaging with local residents, they truly made the most of the experience!
Huge well done to all the students for their enthusiasm and resilience – even the rain couldn’t dampen their spirits!
Our Y9s went to the @sergehillproject in Abbots Langley to experience a range of career roles in horticulture.
The day started with a welcome by our host @rachelrice_ who kicked off the day in the Apple House by giving us a presentation on the @sergehillproject, with our students engaged and asking good questions throughout.
Rachel followed this with a tour of some of the site and we spent time in a polytunnel where we looked at veggies including tomatoes, chard and chillis. It was one for the senses with students able to smell different herbs and spices, with some keen to taste too!
We were then welcomed into @sunnysiderural who have a designated area on the Serge Hill site. It was at this point that students were introduced to propagation and irrigation.
After a short break where students did some sketches of what they had seen in the morning, it was time to get gardening. Either side of lunch they either did some propagation or division which was a chance to get hands on and in some cases a bit muddy or sandy!
The day finished with a walk up to the offices where the creatives design landscapes and there were a few more amazing ones to witness before we left for the day.
https://www.tomstuartsmith.co.uk/
What a lovely way to spend hump day!
Knightsfield
Welwyn Garden City
Hertfordshire
AL8 7LW
01707 376874
admin@Knightsfield.herts.sch.uk
