At KS4, there has been a gradually burgeoning number of types of educational visits – foreign language school exchanges, cultural visits all over Europe and further afield, sports competitions, youth conferences, winter sports and adventurous activities in more extreme environments. The Duke of Edinburgh Award becomes available at 14 years old and continues to be offered for those up to 24 years of age, and pupils of many ages start work on specialist awards in areas such as mountaineering, sailing and river sports. This increase in venue variety has led to a proliferation of specialist companies catering for these activities.
The aims of history trips tend to be more focused in KS4, with study trips to the 1940 Dunkirk evacuation and the 1944 Normandy Landings often proving popular along with the 1815 Waterloo battlefield. Venues of this type are often catered for by specialist travel companies to ensure participants get the best experience available.
A lot of schools have a tradition of school trips with their choirs, orchestras and musical/theatre students. There are specialist companies that can help any school wishing to explore this possibility, and many venues have tailored activities for groups that can help improve performers’ confidence and motivation.
British schools have been the forerunners in Europe for undertaking challenging outdoor activities both at home and abroad (you can visit here for good list of activities and gateway sites) but there is a notable increase of interest at KS4 in science-based trips – most notably the Science and National History museums in London, the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, the National Railway Museum in York, Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre in Macclesfield, Techniquest in Cardiff, and the Bristol Science Centre, all of which have reported an increase in visitors in recent years.
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle located on the north bank of the River Thames in central London.
The Tower of London was constructed in 1066 immediately after the Norman Invasion led by William the Conqueror, with the White Tower being built in 1078. It was then expanded under Kings Richard I, Edward III and Edward I.
Moulin Kirk is situated in the centre of the conservation village of Moulin, near Pitlochry, Perthshire.
The present Kirk was rebuilt in 1875 after a devastating fire.
Its main features were an aisle which approached the Pulpit and Communion table from both sides, plus a superb area of galleried pews accessed from staircases by each of the two side entrances.
With more than half a million local, national and international objects, we have a Recognised Collection of National Significance to Scotland divided into Social History, Natural History and Art.
The Fergusson Gallery celebrates the life and work of the great pioneers of modern art and dance, John Duncan Fergusson and Margaret Morris.
The museum, run on a voluntary basis by Friends of the Cathedral, incorporates a small visual exhibition and a separate History Centre Reading Room. A church and social history collection contains church, community and family memorabilia and records including The Scottish Horse regimental records. An audio guided tour of the museum and cathedral precincts is available.
Sir Malcolm Drummond fought by Robert the Bruce’s side at Bannockburn in 1314 and was granted lands in Strathearn.
Located in the city of Perth, The Black Watch Castle & Museum is one of the top visitor attractions in Perthshire and includes the Copper Beech Cafe, the Museum Shop and the Regimental Museum.
Scotland's Black Watch is an elite military regiment whose history stretches back almost three centuries.
Here in the Atholl Country Life Museum, once the village school, you are able to capture that life of the past and learn about the great characters of the area, their skills and achievements, not only in the community but far beyond.
Alyth is a small rural Perthshire village overlooking the countryside of Strathmore. This is an area rich in farming, which is an inspiration and resource for the museum collection.
Enjoy a wealth of pictures and objects reflecting life as it was in and around Alyth.
The Museum of Abernethy was opened in May 2000. The building, which stands within the lands of the old Culdees monastery, dates from the 18th century. Originally consisting of a byre, stable and cattle rede, it was renovated during the 1990s to house the Museum.
Founded in 1837 by The Orkney Natural History Society, this museum mainly portrays the maritime and natural history of the islands. It has also ethnographic and archaeological collections. An extensive refurbishment of the 1858 building reflects the character of the Victorian museum while providing modern environmental standards.
The Scapa Flow Visitor Centre and Museum houses an important record of the role the Royal Navy played in Orkney during both World Wars.
The Pier Arts Centre was established in 1979 to provide a home for an important collection of British art donated to ‘be held in trust for Orkney’ by the author, peace activist and philanthropist Margaret Gardiner (1904 – 2005).
The museum was founded in 1983. Orkney’s wartime history is strongly represented in the collection which covers the development of wireless in Orkney from the start of the last century to the present day.
The Orkney Museum tells the story of Orkney, from the Stone Age, to the Picts and Vikings, right through to the present day. There is a large collection of old photos and activities to amuse younger visitors. The Museum’s collection is of international importance and it has a changing temporary exhibition programme.
Kirbuster Museum was opened to the public in 1986. It is the last un-restored example of a traditional ‘firehoose’ in Northern Europe. The house has a central hearth and a stone neuk bed, a unique survival. Kirbuster was occupied up until the 1960s and was once the home of the Spence and Hay families.
Corrigall Farm Museum is a traditional ‘but and ben’ house. It portrays a typical Orkney farmhouse and steading in Victorian times - late 19th Century. The working barn and grain kiln, horse-drawn machinery and livestock make for an interesting visit for children and adults.
The Writers’ Museum celebrates the lives of three great Scottish writers – Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson.
The permanent exhibition tells the story of Whitburn and its industrial and social past. Coal mining was very important in Whitburn but other industries from hand loom weaving to the manufacture of Levi’s jeans also feature. Aspects of social history from the Baillie family on Polkemmet Estate to the leisure pursuits of miners are also covered.
West Lothian Council Museums Service has three stores, a workshop and an office at Connolly House in Blackburn. The role of the service is threefold. First we care for the Council’s collections and record them using manual and computerised systems.
Above all, the Royal Yacht Britannia was home for the British Royal Family. Now permanently berthed in Edinburgh’s historic port of Leith, you can step aboard and experience this floating palace for yourself.
This small museum is the only one in Scotland dedicated to Freemasonry. The collection consists of ceramics, glassware and assorted artefacts relating to Freemasonry as well as the oldest Masonic records in the world, dating from 1598.
An outstanding centre for art and ideas, the public art gallery of The University of Edinburgh, Talbot Rice Gallery presents original and relevant exhibitions within a unique historical context. The exhibitions exemplify creativity and ambition, seen through a distinctive programme of Scottish and International artists, with informed interpretation and lively educational events.
Antur Ltd is set at the heart of Wales' adventurous wilderness. We believe anywhere outdoors has an adventure to offer and more importantly FUN!
Surgeons' Hall Museum is the major medical museum in Scotland, and one of Edinburgh's many tourist attractions. The museum is recognised as a collection of national significance by the Scottish Government.
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.
A 15-year-old boy fell 60ft over the edge of a cliff whilst on a geography school trip, miraculously only suffering minor injuries.