At Orange Moon Training, we are passionate about expanding horizons and creating life-changing learning experiences. As part of our ongoing participation in the Turing Scheme and collaboration with Futura Learning Partnership, we are embarking on our latest international journey—a trip to India.
Following in the footsteps of our unforgettable visit to Seville in 2023, this exciting opportunity aims to continue our mission to provide learners with unique opportunities for growth, cultural exchange, and professional development.
Join us for updates as we explore the vibrant landscapes, rich traditions, and inspiring educational experiences that India has to offer!
Saturday 15th February 2025
We're off to India!
After a long flight, we finally landed in India. The sunshine and heat have been a welcome treat! It’s a fantastic group, full of interesting people from all backgrounds, and we’re already enjoying getting to know each other.
We arrived and will be staying on campus at Gokuldham School, where we’ve already received a warm welcome. Tomorrow, we’ll take a look around the impressive campus and get to know the place more before school starts on Monday. For now, we’re looking forward to some rest before the exciting days ahead!
Sunday 16th February 2025
Getting to Know the Campus
On Sunday, the group had the chance to explore the impressive Gokuldham School campus. We were shown around the stunning temple and took in the vast range of facilities, including sports pitches, accommodation areas, and the school itself. It was a great opportunity to get a feel for the surroundings and appreciate the scale and vibrancy of the campus before school starts on Monday!
Monday 17th & Tuesday 18th February 2025
First Days at School - Meetings, Tour and Observations
On Monday, we were introduced to the teacher we’ll be working with and had our first experience observing lessons. We saw the classroom in action and get a sense of the teaching style. We have a busy schedule lined up for the week, but everything is going really well so far, and we’re excited to get stuck in.
Tuesday gave us an even deeper insight into life at Gokuldham School. We met with the staff and the principal, who gave us a warm welcome and shared more about the school’s vision and approach to education. We also had a full tour of the school, giving us a chance to see the different learning spaces and resources available. Throughout the day, we observed classes, which helped us become familiar with the teaching methods, and understand how we can support during our time here.
After school, we had the chance to spend time with some of the children staying in the hostel, joining them for games of cricket and football. This quickly became a highlight of our evenings, as it was a fantastic way to bond and feel even more connected to the school community.
Wednesday 19th February 2025
A Day in Pre-School
Today, I have been working in pre-school with grade 1 and grade 3 children. The morning started with all the staff and children gathering in the main hall for prayers. It was a child’s birthday, so we all sang Happy Birthday before heading off to our individual classes.
The children had environmental studies, which is a mix of science and geography. In science, they learned about the water cycle, drawing and labelling a diagram to show the process. They also learned how a water pump pulls water from underground by watching a video and listening to the teacher’s explanation in Gujarati.
At 9:45, it was break time, a lovely part of the day when all the staff and children come together to share food and chat.
In geography, the children learned about the state of Gujarat. Using a globe and a map, they located India and talked about its neighbouring countries. They also answered questions about places to visit and what visitors can do near the school.
Thursday 20th February 2025
A visit to Manilaxmi Jain Tirth Temple
On Thursday, we visited the Manilaxmi Jain Tirth Temple, a breathtaking space. The temple had stunning architecture, detailed statues, and a peaceful atmosphere. We took some group photos to capture the moment and enjoyed the opportunity to explore the local culture and history.
Friday 21st February 2025
Rest and Recovery
On Friday, the group were feeling under the weather. We took the time to rest at our accommodation and get our energy back.
Saturday 22nd February 2025 - Morning
Leavers Ceremony
We were invited to attend the year 10 and 12 Farewell Ceremony alongside Panna, who was an honoured guest. With the Swami in attendance, as well as all the school leaders, it was a prestigious occasion for the young people, marking the end of their schooling and the beginning of their exam preparations.
The assembly included an address from the Swami and other guests, singing, dance performances, and a cake cutting. It was an incredibly positive and optimistic occasion, ending with traditional Indian line dancing. Some of us joined in (as best we could!), and for me, it will remain a highlight of my time in India.
I felt honoured to be invited to share in such an important moment in the students’ lives—and I loved the dancing!
Saturday 22nd February 2025 - Afternoon
Gokuldham School Activity Day – Preparation
In preparation for Monday’s activity, we spent Saturday afternoon rearranging three classrooms to create engaging learning-through-play environments. The rooms prepared were for nursery, junior kindergarten (reception age equivalent), and senior kindergarten (year one equivalent). We explored the available resources, chose themes, and designed activities accordingly.
Each room was based on a popular story: The Gingerbread Man for nursery, Three Billy Goats Gruff for reception, and The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr for year one.
Activities
Nursery – The Gingerbread Man
- Playdough with cookie cutters
- Sand tray with hidden objects
- Threading, puzzles, and shape sorting
- Counting activities and group floor mat work
Focus: Developing fine motor skills, problem-solving, and early writing skills through hands-on play.
Reception – Three Billy Goats Gruff
- Big/medium/small sorting with puzzles and bears
- Number activities on wipe-clean sheets and chalkboards
- Sand tray for tracing letters
- Peg board for pattern-making
- Soft play bridge for re-enacting the story
Focus: Understanding size order, strengthening early writing skills, and encouraging imaginative storytelling through play.
Year 1 – The Tiger Who Came to Tea
- Threading and sand tray activities for fine motor development
- Floor puzzle to encourage teamwork and problem-solving
- Tea set for imaginative play and story recall
- Jungle-themed class art project
Focus: Strengthening pencil control, fostering creativity, and encouraging group collaboration.
Sunday 23rd February 2025
A Visit to Ahmedabad: Temples, History, and Gandhi’s Legacy
Today, we visited Ahmedabad, a 1.5-hour drive from our Gokuldham campus. As we drove through the city, we watched rickshaws and mopeds whizz past, often carrying more people than seemed possible.
Our first stop was the Akshardham Temple, a Swaminarayan temple with beliefs similar to those at Gokuldham. Akshardham translates to “divine abode of God.” The temple was stunning, surrounded by formal gardens, topiary hedges, and a central water feature.
After removing our shoes, we climbed a grand marble and stone staircase, which was scorching in the midday sun. Inside, the lower floor featured statues of deities, with a striking gold statue of Swaminarayan Bhagwan at the center. Upstairs, we learned about Swaminarayan Bhagwan’s life (1781-1830), his journey to leadership, and how he came to be seen as a manifestation of the supreme God.
Photograpy is not allowed at the temple, but a photo gallery can be viewed on the official website.
Next, we visited the Mahatma Gandhi Ashram, where Gandhi lived for around 13 years. The ashram offers a wealth of information about his life through letters, speeches, and newspaper articles, answering fascinating questions about his choices and beliefs. One of the most interesting aspects for me was learning about his efforts to revive the cotton industry in Gujarat, helping to restore work and self-reliance to the local people. We even watched a demonstration of someone using a spinning wheel to make thread from cotton, just as Gandhi once did.
After a long but fascinating day, we ended our trip with a pizza stop on the way home, which we all really enjoyed!
Monday 24th February 2025
Gokuldham School Activity Day - Part One
The children were very excited to come to school and find their classrooms transformed, eager to get stuck in. They threw themselves into the activities, as did the teachers, and it was lovely to see the children expressing themselves through play while learning, with the teachers enjoying the activities alongside them.
They loved doing whole class input while sitting together on the floor mat, excitedly sharing their ideas. The children were keen to engage with all the activities—some were more popular than others, which was to be expected—but each group had a go at every station. Their enthusiasm was wonderful to see, and their happiness was clear from the huge smiles on their faces.
Tuesday 25th February
Visit to Vedant International School
Today, we took a trip to Vedant International School in Surat, a four-hour drive away—and what a fantastic day it was! From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with drums playing, dances from children, welcome banners, and the whole Senior Leadership Team outside to greet us.
We were guided to an outdoor lesson about the seasons and encouraged to talk with the children. The school later told us that whenever the lesson content is about nature, children come outside to learn in nature.
Next, we were taken to another outdoor lesson where children were telling a story about Two Silly Goats. This linked nicely with our goat story in class on Monday, so Panna retold the story of Three Billy Goats Gruff. Bek and I then acted out the concept of small, medium, and big.
Moving indoors, a lesson was taking place about opposites. I was handed the microphone and led the class using pictures and props that were already prepared. The resources throughout the school were all beautifully handmade. This was an inspiration to me, and I took lots of photos to show colleagues at school.
For the rest of the day, we moved from classroom to classroom, sometimes leading part of a lesson, other times talking to students, and sometimes listening to the lesson.
We also took part in a student conference, a teacher conference and had the opportunity to meet parents of the school. There were a few questions from students and teachers for us, and we had the opportunity to give feedback on Vedant International School.
Finally, we had the chance to be part of a small ceremony ahead of the religious day Maha Shivaratri, made offerings to the gods, and had a blessing. It was a huge honour to take part in this!
Wednesday 26th & Thursday 27th February
Gokuldham School Activity Days - Part Two
We continued delivering the activities we had prepared for the children at Gokuldham. Given how different this was from their usual learning experience, the children managed their behaviour beautifully, and I think the teacher was surprised by how well they self-regulated. The teacher was incredibly supportive, encouraging the children throughout the session.
The two youngest classes also spent 15 minutes each in the soft playroom. The children were delighted to have this opportunity, and they handled it well. Throughout the morning, it was amazing to see them relaxed and at play, fully immersing themselves in their environment.
The children were so excited to share their work with us and were very proud of what they’d accomplished. We felt proud of ourselves for rising to the challenge and proud of the children for their fearless approach to something entirely new.
Friday 28th February
Class Activities and Goodbyes
On Friday, we had our final day in class with the children, continuing to both lead and observe learning. We also took the opportunity to say goodbye—we’re going to miss them!
Throughout the day, we joined in with lessons, supporting the children and their teachers just as we had all week. It felt bittersweet knowing it was our last time in the classroom with them.
We also took lots of photos and had the chance to chat with the children one last time.
Saturday 1st March
Last Day - Farewell Assembly
Today was our last day at Gokuldham. We were met at the school by the principal and led to the auditorium, where the primary school children were playing drums and singing songs for us. This gave me a sense of accomplishment, but also made me feel a little upset—I had really enjoyed my time with the children and knew I would miss spending time with them.
The assembly began, and we were presented with a certificate and lots of gifts from the school. This was completely unexpected, and we were all very grateful for our time on the campus.
Afterwards, we returned to the school during the children’s break. We took lots of photos together, and the children were just as thankful for us as we were for them. I learned so much from Gokuldham and feel very happy to have visited.
The teacher I was paired with worked incredibly hard to make the children smile and enjoy school, making lessons as interactive as possible despite a lack of resources. I am grateful to have worked with her and to have spent time at Gokuldham Campus.
Before heading to the airport, we had one last trip to Atal Bridge in Ahmedabad, taking in the views one final time. We also enjoyed a last meal together—a delicious South Indian dish called dosa, a crispy pancake served with chutneys and sambhar. It was the perfect way to end an unforgettable trip.
