We’re so excited about our upcoming residential trip to Vinci and Florence! It is right around the corner, and therefore, the time to pack suitcases is upon us!

IMPORTANT:

• If your child has any night time habits that we need to know about, please get in touch with Ms Maggie or Mr Owen before our departure day.
• Be sure you read and follow the indications below about medications and please adhere to the deadline for providing medications with written indications including timing and dosage amounts. NOTE: Students must not have medications (prescription or non-prescription) of any kind in their suitcase or backpack for security reasons.

Departure on Wednesday morning (May 27) at 8:00am
Return on Friday afternoon (May 28) at approximately 6:00pm

Departure/Arrival
Students (and parents) should wait at the meeting point (indicated with the X on the map below, at the far end of the parking lot) with their luggage. Please plan to arrive no earlier than 7:45 and no later than 8:00. The students will not be going inside the PYP building as a group before departing on the coach. The coach will leave on time to ensure there is enough time to make the most of the learning experiences after the bus journey.
Students must come to school dressed normally, no school uniform.

Our aim is to be back at school at approx 6:00pm on Friday, May 29th. There will be no school bus service when we arrive back, therefore all students must be collected from school at 6:00pm. We will notify class representatives and send a Toddle message when the group is one hour away from school. If your child is being collected by another parent you must inform the school ahead of time. Thank you.

Packing
Below is a list of personal items each child should bring in one small rolling suitcase and one small backpack.
Your child does not need to bring anything other than what is indicated below.

Please involve your child in packing her/his/their suitcase so he/she/they knows what is inside to ensure he/she/they can keep track of their personal belongings independently throughout the trip.

Please adhere to the following:
Students must be able to physically manage their suitcase and their belongings independently as there are stairs at the hotel.
All clothing needs to be comfortable and will likely get dirty.
All items (clothing, torches, etc.) must be clearly labelled with your child’s name.
Trousers/shorts only please as dresses might not be suitable for outdoor, physical activities.

Rolling suitcase (1)

• Pajamas
• A small torch
• 1 small soft toy (if desired)
• Hairbrush
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Shower gel
• Shampoo
• Underwear – 3 pairs
• Socks – 3 pairs
• Trousers – 2 pairs
• Shorts – 2 pairs
• T Shirts – 3
• Jumpers – 2
• Light, waterproof jacket with a hood – 1
• Pair of flip flops / crocs to wear in hotel if outdoor shoes are muddy and wet
• Walking shoes or sensible trainers that can get dirty/muddy (they should be wearing these when leaving)
• Suncream must be in your child’s rolling suitcase and not in their backpack.
• Mosquito repellent must be in your child’s rolling suitcase and not in their backpack.

Small backpack (1)

• 1 unbreakable water bottle (full with water)
• 1 book to read
• 1 small game/puzzle appropriate for use on the bus

What NOT to bring:

• Mobile phones and other electronic devices are not allowed, including watches and cameras. If your child really needs to speak with you during the trip, we will make arrangements to do so.
• First Aid Supplies: Your child does not need to bring first aid supplies. The school chaperones will have a fully equipped First Aid kit with them at all times. There are also First Aid kits located in the hotel.
• Food (sweets, gum, chocolates, candies, etc) of any kind: all meals and snacks will be provided for them
• Money: students will not need any money during this trip so they should leave their money at home.

ID and Health Cards
Please give your child their ID and health card in a sealed bag with their first and last name on it. They must give the bag with the ID and health card to their homeroom teachers upon arrival at the meeting point on Wednesday.
We kindly ask you to also complete this form before next Wednesday (May 13th) with the ID details from the document your child will bring with them on the trip. This information is needed to do a pre check-in at the hotel.

Medications
This is NOT a request for you to send medications for your child, but we understand that some students require regular medication.

All medications must be given to the Students Office (Corinna or Antonella) on Tuesday, May 26th. Mr Owen will keep them during the residential trip.
The morning of the departure will be very busy and this is NOT the time to try to hand over and explain medications.

Medications should only be given as per the instructions below, and only if your child actually needs them during their time away.

Students must not have medications (prescription or non-prescription) of any kind in their suitcase or backpack.

• All medications must be in a sealed bag, clearly labelled with your child’s first and last name.
• The sealed bag must also contain written permission for each medication, explicit written instructions for administering each medication, including clear dosage amounts and timings.
• Medications will not be administered without written permission and students will not be allowed to self-medicate.

The school First Aid kit will contain paracetamol (tachipirina). Before administering paracetamol (tachipirina), one of the chaperones will contact you to get your permission and dosage amounts.

Room assignments
Students will be informed about room assignments when we arrive at the hotel. We want all of the students to feel comfortable during their time away from home.

We remind you that our itinerary was shared with you at this link.

Please let us know if you have any questions. Happy Packing!
Y4 team

We’re so excited about our upcoming residential trip to Vinci and Florence! It is right around the corner, and therefore, the time to pack suitcases is upon us!

IMPORTANT:

• If your child has any night time habits that we need to know about, please get in touch with Ms Maggie or Mr Owen before our departure day.
• Be sure you read and follow the indications below about medications and please adhere to the deadline for providing medications with written indications including timing and dosage amounts. NOTE: Students must not have medications (prescription or non-prescription) of any kind in their suitcase or backpack for security reasons.

Departure on Monday morning (April 14) at 8:00am
Return on Wednesday afternoon (April 16) at approximately 6:00pm

Departure/Arrival
Students (and parents) should wait at the meeting point (indicated with the X on the map below, at the far end of the parking lot) with their luggage. Please plan to arrive no earlier than 7:45 and no later than 8:00. The students will not be going inside the PYP building as a group before departing on the coach. The coach will leave on time to ensure there is enough time to make the most of the learning experiences after the bus journey.
Students must come to school dressed normally, no school uniform.

Our aim is to be back at school at approx 6:00pm on Wednesday, April 16th. There will be no school bus service when we arrive back, therefore all students must be collected from school at 6:00pm. We will notify class representatives when the group is one hour away from school. If your child is being collected by another parent you must inform the school ahead of time. Thank you.

Packing
Below is a list of personal items each child should bring in one small rolling suitcase and one small backpack.
Your child does not need to bring anything other than what is indicated below.

Please involve your child in packing her/his/their suitcase so he/she/they knows what is inside to ensure he/she/they can keep track of their personal belongings independently throughout the trip.

Please adhere to the following:
Students must be able to physically manage their suitcase and their belongings independently.
All clothing needs to be comfortable and will likely get dirty.
All items (clothing, torches, etc.) must be clearly labelled with your child’s name.
Trousers/shorts only please as dresses might not be suitable for outdoor, physical activities.

Rolling suitcase (1)

• Pajamas
• A small torch
• 1 small soft toy (if desired)
• Hairbrush
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Shower gel
• Shampoo
• Underwear – 3 pairs
• Socks – 3 pairs
• Trousers – 2 pairs
• Shorts – 2 pairs
• T Shirts – 3
• Jumpers – 2
• Light, waterproof jacket with a hood – 1
• Pair of flip flops / crocs to wear in hotel if outdoor shoes are muddy and wet
• Walking shoes or sensible trainers that can get dirty/muddy (they should be wearing these on Monday)
• Suncream must be in your child’s rolling suitcase and not in their backpack.
• Mosquito repellent must be in your child’s rolling suitcase and not in their backpack.

Small backpack (1)

• 1 unbreakable water bottle
• 1 book to read
• 1 small game/puzzle appropriate for use on the bus

What NOT to bring:

• Mobile phones and other electronic devices are not allowed, including watches and cameras. If your child really needs to speak with you during the trip, we will make arrangements to do so.
• First Aid Supplies: Your child does not need to bring first aid supplies. The school chaperones will have a fully equipped First Aid kit with them at all times. There are also First Aid kits located in the hotel.
• Food (sweets, gum, chocolates, candies, etc) of any kind: all meals and snacks will be provided for them
• Money: students will not need any money during this trip so they should leave their money at home.

ID and Health Cards
Please give your child their ID and health card in a sealed bag with their first and last name on it. They must give the bag with the ID and health card to their homeroom teachers upon arrival at the meeting point on Monday.
We kindly ask you to also complete this form before next Wednesday (April 9th) with the ID details from the document your child will bring with them on the trip. This information is needed to do a pre check-in at the hotel.

Medications
This is NOT a request for you to send medications for your child, but we understand that some students require regular medication.

All medications must be given to the Students Office (Corinna or Antonella) on Friday, April 11th. Mr Owen will keep them during the residential trip.
The morning of the departure will be very busy and this is NOT the time to try to hand over and explain medications.

Medications should only be given as per the instructions below, and only if your child actually needs them during their time away.

Students must not have medications (prescription or non-prescription) of any kind in their suitcase or backpack.

• All medications must be in a sealed bag, clearly labelled with your child’s first and last name.
• The sealed bag must also contain written permission for each medication, explicit written instructions for administering each medication, including clear dosage amounts and timings.
• Medications will not be administered without written permission and students will not be allowed to self-medicate.

The school First Aid kit will contain paracetamol (tachipirina). Before administering paracetamol (tachipirina), one of the chaperones will contact you to get your permission and dosage amounts.

Room assignments
Students will be informed about room assignments when we arrive at the hotel. We want all of the students to feel comfortable during their time away from home.

Please find attached the Safety Measures on PYP Residential Trips protocol.

We remind you that our itinerary was shared with you at this link.

Please let us know if you have any questions. Happy Packing!
Y4 team

As part of their Unit of Inquiry on forces, (How the World Works: Central Idea: Understanding forces allows people to design and improve technology), we have planned an exciting two night residential experience for our Year 4 students. They will step into the shoes of one of the greatest innovators in history: Leonardo Da Vinci.

Before the trip our students will develop their understanding of forces through explorations of the concepts of forces viewed through the key concepts of form, function and connection. They will then use this learning to deepen their understanding of Da Vinci’s work as an engineer and as an artist. Our students will visit the home where Leonardo Da Vinci grew up. They will be inspired by the beauty of both Florence and the countryside around Vinci and they will take part in a series of workshops in two different museums, both dedicated to Da Vinci’s designs and innovative thinking – one in Florence and the other in Vinci.

This will be an exciting experience full of learning, inspiration and teamwork. The Year 4 students will begin to follow the design cycle: inquiring and analysing, developing ideas, creating the solution and evaluating, to imagine and then realize their ideas, just like Leonardo Da Vinci. Through experiments and tinkering opportunities before, during and after the trip, our students will develop their understanding of all three lines of inquiry: Understanding simple machines and why we use them (form), How forces work (function) and Application of the laws of physics to design and innovate (connection). Learning about Leonardo Da Vinci’s life and what inspired him and then exploring and understanding his prescient designs and engineering expertise will stimulate our students to innovate as they apply their understanding of forces and the design cycle to their own ideas.

The trip is scheduled for April 14-16 in Vinci and Florence and our students will be accompanied by Owen McComasky, Maggie Mann, Lauren Irwin, Margherita Bustaffa, Lucy Hermon and Anthony Hamblin. Please note the slight change from the dates that we have communicated in the School Office Notice n.11 on November 14th, where this trip was originally scheduled on April 15-17.
We are currently finalizing the schedule for the trip by working with local guides and the museums. The proposed itinerary will be:

Day 1 – Monday, April 14

• Depart from school for Vinci (8:00) – packed lunch along route
• Interactive workshops and museum visit: Museo Leonardiano in Vinci (FI)
• An inspirational walk through Vinci
• Dinner in hotel and evening activities (design challenges, tinkering, drawing like Da Vinci)
• Hotel Monna Lisa – NOTE: room assignments will be communicated to students upon arrival at the hotel

Day 2 – Tuesday, April 15

• Breakfast
• Travel to Florence
• Simultaneous experiences: Museo Leonardo Da Vinci Firenze (guided visit & laboratory exploration) and guided walking tour of Florence
• Lunch (Florence center: Ristorante Rubaconte)
• Return to Vinci
• Meet with the guide Matteo Tamburini for day 3 and knot workshop activity with him
• Dinner (in hotel) and evening activities (games night)

Day 3 – Wednesday, April 16

• Breakfast and pack up to leave hotel
• Morning/early afternoon with Matteo Tamburini: bridge building, nature walk, observational drawing at Parco Acquaria
• Lunch (packed lunch in the woods)
• Return to Campus – (arrival at school 18:00 approximately)

The cost of this trip, based on all students participating, is 380€ per student, including the private bus at our disposal for the whole time, accommodation at the hotel with all meals and snacks included, lunch at the restaurant in Florence, all activities related to our visit including all museums, workshops and guided visits in Vinci and Florence.

This trip is effectively part of the didactic programme, for this reason we expect all students to participate, but please let us know no later than Thursday, February 13th 2025 if your child can’t participate due to a scheduled family commitment: office.ve@h-is.com
We will confirm the final cost and send instructions for payment after February 14th.

We’re excited to be able to offer this opportunity to our PYP4 students. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Thank you for your support,
Year 4 team