Key Stage 4 (15-16)

Key Stage 4 (15-16)

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.

Suitable Venues

The Blencathra Centre occupies a dramatic setting at 300m on a south facing slope of Blencathra in The Lake District National Park and offers an unparalleled panorama across the Keswick, Helvellyn and Skiddaw areas.

Occurring on 6th July 1685, the Battle of Sedgemoor lasted barely 5 hours yet it had far-reaching consequences. Why did it occur, who was involved, what happened afterwards? The answers to these and other questions are provided through a series of displays and an interactive kiosk that shows a short film of a Battle re-enactment performed by the Sealed Knot. 

Experience learning in the great outdoors with Magdalen. Magdalen Farm with its diverse landscape, animals and purpose-built residential centre provides a safe and secure environment to learn about organic farming, sustainability and nature.

Specialists in customised educational school tours

TCBC (The City Break Company) are a specialist educational travel company renowned for visiting some of the more challenging locations across the planet such as Moscow and St Petersburg, Beijing, Istanbul, Krakow (for Auschwitz) and the Baltics.

Outdoor Activities & Outdoor Training throughout Derbyshire & Yorkshire

As an alternative education provider we deliver vocational programmes and courses at all levels.

We use learning outside of the classroom to help achieve successful outcomes. We have a range of programmes that are focused on qualifications as well as courses aimed at personal development and re-engagement. All of these courses prove popular with secondary schools across the region.

Our Vision is to make Padel tennis accessible to everyone throughout the UK. 

British cartoon & comic art from the 18th century to the present day

This exhibition is focused on promoting British cartoon and comic art. With a collection that dates from the 18th century to the present, visitors of all ages will find something exciting here. If you’re an avid fan of the Bash Street Kids, Billy Whizz, or Dennis the Menace, or if you’re looking for something a little bit more politically minded, this is a place for you!

We make sure your pupils get right up close to the amazing creatures in our themed displays. After all, the more they see the more they'll learn.

Here are just some of the highlights:

For school trips, excursions and European school tours for UK and overseas school groups

Ardmore Educational Travel, part of The Ardmore Group, offer over 100 educational school tours in 32 countries. We partner with schools to provide one-off tours, multiple tours or total extra curricular solutions for schools and students aged 11-18.

Explore. Discover. Become.

WorldStrides, formerly Casterbridge Tours, are an educational travel company specialising in customised educational group tours. 

A Collection of Royal Airforce Jewels

The Museum gives a great flavour of the atmosphere during the birth, life and death of this World War II RAF station. Our aim is to show a little of the station life, the aircrews, ground crews, administrators, WAAFS and medical staff who lived, loved, flew, serviced, played, worked and sometimes died at RAF Moreton-in-Marsh.

A wide range of natural and social history exhibits, the more exciting of which include the interactive dinosaur gallery and gardens, and the special family drop in sessions.

The Tolpuddle Martyrs Museum tells the harrowing tale of the Martyrs' arrest, trial and punishment, which led to the foundation of modern day trade unionism.

The English School of Falconry Bird of Prey and Conservation Centre is one of the largest bird of prey centres in the UK, home to over 200 birds of prey, varying in species of owls, hawks, eagles, falcons, hawks,kites and vultures. The centre is committed to the conservation of birds of prey and their habitats.

Hatfield House is the home of the 7th Marquess and Marchioness of Salisbury and their family. The Estate has been in the Cecil family for 400 years. It is an incredible building with a vast estate to explore.

If you are looking for somewhere that is more like a home from home, with outdoor education programmes that are crafted with care, delivered by quality people, driven by our values of Education, Inspiration and Play; a place rooted in the rich heritage and tradition of learning outside  – Great News! You have just found it.

If you are looking for somewhere that is more like a home from home, with outdoor education programmes that are crafted with care, delivered by quality people, driven by our values of Education, Inspiration and Play, then Allnatt Centres are for you.

Highly realistic models recall the landscape of the period and trains provide a fascinating record of the railways of the time and how they operated. Enjoy an informative and interactive 90 minute tour covering three indoor galleries.

Baylands Equestrian Centre is an Outreach Centre for the College of West Anglia providing recognised in-house equine training and qualifications.

Would you like a career in equine?

The Woodside Animal Welfare Trust is an animal rehoming charity based on the outskirts of Plymouth in Devon. The foundation of Woodside's broad field of work was begun in 1974 by Carole Bowles. Her significant contribution to animal welfare was finally recognised in 2000 when she was made an MBE by Her Majesty, The Queen.

20 Maresfield Gardens in Hampstead was the home of Sigmund Freud and his family when they escaped the Nazi annexation of Austria in 1938. The centrepiece of the museum is Freud's library and study, preserved as it was in his lifetime. It contains his working library, his desk and the famous couch.

Education

York Museums Trust’s award-winning* museums and art gallery offer inspiring, interactive and hands-on learning opportunities that directly support the National Curriculum.

We welcome school groups to York Art Gallery, York Castle Museum and the Yorkshire Museum & Gardens and offer help and advice to parties who wish to visit.

Unlock your students imaginations with the trip of a lifetime, as only Topflight can do it.

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