Best Practice

A little perspective

The outdoor experiences on offer at Millbank Academy are a vital part of life at this inner city school. Principal Alyson Russen discusses why their residential visits are so important and how they go about organising them

I have been leading Millbank Academy for 20 years now. We are about as “inner city” as a school can be as we are based in central London behind the Tate Modern. Millbank has 450 students aged three to 11. We were previously a community school but in September 2012 joined Future Academies as a primary academy. We have no faith affiliation and 85 per cent of our students are bilingual, with 44 languages represented.

Despite being surrounded by prestigious London landmarks the majority of students are socially and economically deprived,with 52 per cent qualifying for free school meals. It’s an urban, tarmac environment with only two small areas of green space nearby, which in itself was a motivation for setting up and encouraging experiential outdoor learning. 

Register now, read forever

Thank you for visiting Headteacher Update and reading some of our content for professionals in primary education. Register now for free to get unlimited access to all content.

What's included:

  • Unlimited access to news, best practice articles and podcasts

  • New content and e-bulletins delivered straight to your inbox every Monday

Register

Already have an account? Sign in here