An excellent example of a Neolithic long barrow, located on Salisbury Plain, a few miles from Stonehenge. This was our first purely archaeological purchase.
Science
Science
The teaching and learning of science can take many forms due to the large number of branches of the discipline, but all of them involve a large element of doing things, of experimenting, of making and breaking, of trying out new ideas, whether at primary or secondary level. This has been appreciated by museums and visitors centres, so that we now have a plethora of possibilities.
The Association for Science Education is the lead body helping schools to develop their teaching and learning. It offers support for primary and secondary science subject leaders, teachers and schools, and keeps schools abreast of curriculum and assessment changes and reforms. The Association aims to enrich science teaching and learning with free resources, which can be found at: www.schoolscience.co.uk
Some venues are obviously specifically suitable for science groups, but others, which are more cross-curricular, are less obvious. Below we give staff a pointer to these as well as making it easy to access the websites of the well known attractions.
CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, has long been popular with British school groups. It is celebrating 60 years this year and is encouraging teachers to look at its Cern Education website.
CAT, the Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth, is also celebrating a major birthday this year – its 40th. It is a very different experience from CERN, but fascinating nonetheless.
The announcement in April 2015 that the new SKA radiotelescope is to be built in the UK will also be a huge boost for scientists looking for projects to follow and then visit as the telescope is built in readiness for full operational capability in 2025.
We should draw your attention to the fact that farm visits are popular with primary schools and there is a growing number of farms offering excellent opportunities – from feeding animals to driving tanks. But there are some stringent health and safety rules to be observed. For advice and guidance please contact Handsam by calling 03332 070737 or emailing trips@handsam.co.uk.
Main organisations:
Association for Science Education
Membership through Handsam
Radiation Protection Officer services through Handsam
Inclusion: NASEN
Thought of visiting?
Centre for Alternative Technology
Michael Faraday Museum, London
National Conservation Centre, Liverpool
Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester
Techniquest (various locations in Wales including Cardiff, Wrexham and Pembrokeshire)
Venues for this Curriculum
Trees, hedges and shrubs planted in the form of a medieval cathedral
This incredible Tree Cathedral, made from trees, shrubs and plants, was created after the First World War in the spirit of 'faith, hope and reconciliation'.
Admission to the Tree Cathedral is free. Donations welcome to the Whipsnade Tree Cathedral Fund c/o The Trustees.
15th-century stone manor house
This beautiful small manor house, built over three centuries, has late Gothic and Jacobean windows, decorative plasterwork and two important keyboard instruments. There is some fine period furniture, 17th- and 18th-century tapestries and a modern topiary garden.
Intimate manor house with Arts and Crafts-style garden
Lytes Cary Manor is an intimate medieval manor house with a beautiful Arts and Crafts garden where you can imagine living.
Originally the family home of Henry Lyte, where he translated the unique Niewe Herbal book on herbal remedies, Lytes Cary was then lovingly restored in the 20th century by Sir Walter Jenner.
The Iford valley has been occupied since Roman times and the manor house sits idyllically by the Frome river in the steep-sided valley. Iford Manor is mediaeval in origin, the classical facade being added in the eighteenth century when the hanging woodlands above the garden were planted.
The elegant Palladian home of the Dashwood family and historic village
West Wycombe Park is one of the most theatrical and Italianate of all English country houses and the Dashwood family home for over 300 years. Set in 45 acres of landscaped park, the house as we see it today is the creation of the 2nd Baronet in the 18th century.
Dutch water garden - a rare and beautiful survival
Originally laid out between 1696 and 1705, this is the only restored Dutch style water garden in the country.
Visitors can explore canals, clipped hedges and working 17th-century vegetable plots and discover many old varieties of fruit trees.
Woods, heaths and the best coastal views
This is the perfect place for a breezy walk along, or up and down, the hills of north Norfolk.
Enjoy the sun on the heaths or shelter from the wind in the woods.
In a stroll of a couple of miles you can see eight species of trees and depending on the season, a variety of flowers, birds, bees and butterflies.
Celebrated garden with an intriguing collection of follies
A delightful series of walled gardens surrounds the charming 18th-century house.
The garden has many original features including a grand water staircase, created by Marylyn Abbott, providing the focal point to the Nymphaeum fountain designed by Quinlan Terry.
A 15 mile limestone escarpment
Wenlock Edge is a narrow limestone escarpment that runs for 15 miles from Craven Arms to Ironbridge, the National Trust owns 8 miles of this stretch. There is a mix of rich flowering grasslands and ancient woodland along with internationally important sites for geology, making the area an important Special Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI).
A world beneath the waves
Wembury in South Devon is a wildlife magnet. Its rocky cliffs are home to nesting sea birds, while a rocky shore, slate reefs and massive wave-cut platforms provide one of the UK's best spots for marine life.
Dramatic river gorge, ancient woodlands, tea garden and shop in stunning surroundings
Take a stroll around the 2,000 acres of Watersmeet and Countisbury, a haven for wildlife and breathtaking views.
On Exmoor, Watersmeet is the meeting place of the East Lyn river and Hoar Oak Water.
Explore the rich woodlands of the Lyn Valley and stroll along the riverside at Lynmouth, Combe Park and Rockford.
Working water-powered mill used in the manufacture of linen
Nestling in an idyllic wooded glen offering lovely walks and picnic spots this, the last working water-powered linen beetling mill, offers a unique experience for all the family.
Try some scutching, hackling and weaving as you take part in hands-on demonstrations, against the thundering cacophony of beetling engines.
Manor house associated with the family of George Washington, first president of the USA
At the heart of historic Washington village this picturesque stone manor house and its gardens provide a tranquil oasis, reflecting gentry life following the turbulence of the English Civil War.
The building incorporates parts of the original medieval home of George Washington's direct ancestors, and it is from here that the family took their surname of 'Washington'.
Towering mountains and England's deepest lake
Wasdale is a remote farming hamlet surrounded by spectacular fells and dramatic wilderness. The fells have been an inspiration for mountaineers, climbers and poets for decades and remain a magnificent setting for an adventure to suit everyone.
Discover Wallington, much-loved home to generations of the unconventional Trevelyan family
Gifted to you by Sir Charles Philips Trevelyan, Socialist MP and ‘illogical Englishman’, our 13,000-acre estate has something for everyone.
Botanical garden with the world's largest seed conservation project
Open throughout the year, Wakehurst is the country estate of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
The varied landscape is of international significance for its beautiful botanic gardens and tree collections, as well as for its science-based plant conservation and research.
Magnificent house and grounds in the style of a 19th-century French chateau
Waddesdon Manor has so much to offer young people: beautiful, safe grounds and space to explore, living history, opportunities for learning and fun both outdoors and in. Highlights include the Woodland Playground, Explorer Trails around the gardens, the Children's shop, and the Aviary.
Country home of the Victorian statesman Benjamin Disraeli
Hughenden offers a vivid insight into the charismatic personality and colourful private life of the most unlikely Victorian Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli, who lived here from 1848 to 1881. You can browse among an extraordinary collection of personal memorabilia, and there's even a Victorian playroom for younger visitors.
Area of classic Yorkshire Dales countryside
Along the Upper Wharfe Valley the characteristic dry-stone walls and barns of the Dales, important flower-rich hay meadows, beautiful riverside and valleyside woodland combine to create a wonderful place to relax and explore the great outdoors.
Uppark: a tranquil and intimate 18th-century house
Perched on its vantage point high on the South Downs ridge, Uppark commands views as far south as the English Channel. Outside, the intimate gardens are being gradually restored to their original 18th-century design, with plenty of space in the adjacent meadow to play and relax with a picnic. The nearby woodland is great for exploring and den-building.
Reserve in the care of the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust
Part of the ancient forest of Charnwood, Ulverscroft is especially beautiful during the spring bluebell season. Includes heathland and woodland habitats.
Please note: access to Ulverscroft is by permit only from the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.
Elizabethan manor house with fine interiors and delightful garden
An intimate Elizabethan manor and a Cornish gem, Trerice remains little changed by the advances in building fashions over the centuries, thanks to long periods under absentee owners.
Today the renowned stillness and tranquillity of Trerice is much prized by visitors.
Tranquil varied garden in fabulous position, with a superb collection of tender and exotic plants
Explore Trengwainton’s 25 acres and discover special plants nurtured for generations by those with a passion for their beauty and extraordinary story.
Spring comes early here with champion magnolias flowering from February onwards. Peer skywards to see their huge waxy blooms outlined against the sky, or look down to spot snowdrops lining the winding wooded paths.
Symonds Yat is famous for its natural river scenery.
Join the river wending its way through Symonds Yat gorge and village, dividing it into East and West for a 40 minute boat trip with informed history and nature commentary.
Pages
Featured Provider
The Bushcraft Company offer residential school trips with a difference, taking students into the wild and giving them real back-to-nature experiences they will never forget.
Login/Sign Up
Latest News
Schoolboy Falls From 60ft Cliff on School Trip
A 15-year-old boy fell 60ft over the edge of a cliff whilst on a geography school trip, miraculously only suffering minor injuries.