School Trip Ideas in Herts / Essex / North London

[Extremewife]

Hi - I am a school governor and we have just had a chat about boosting morale in school - we are working out of a requires improvement Ofsted inspection and the whole school community is feeling a bit 'internal'.

We are making good progress and feel the need to have something(s) to look forward too so I thought I would pick your brains - can you give me a few ideas of some great school trips you have done in Herts / Essex / London (we could get into London for a trip for the day)
We are not in the most affluent of areas so any good ideas we don't have to ask the parents for ££££ would be great but we think the governors could swing the money for the coaches so an entry ticket to somewhere isn't out of the question

Also would love to know how many trips you do in your schools - one a year / term / ???

Thanks

We take our classes out once a term. I teach nursery so it's been pretty simple so far. Trip to local shop and postbox. We had a mobile farm visit us, that was fab! Essesx has a great parks website. We are planning to do the Gruffolo trail at thorndon park soon. There's loads around herts and Essex. How about Colchester zoo, great knotley, Hatfield forest and paradise wildlife park. I'd be interested in any other good places too.

I know two Essex schools that have run Tudor themed trips to Layer Marney Tower near Colchester with great success.

We are in the same boat demographically and do everything possible to keep cost to parents low. If we go into London we go on the train - the train companies offer spectacular discounts for large groups and then museums are free. We've also done trips to the seaside on the train.

English Heritage were offering free transport as well as free entry to their sites for school trips (don't know if that's still happening)

The best value trips we have done are to the local Essex Wildlife Trust reserve where they will run pond dipping/bug hunting expeditions for a pound or two per child. As it is very local we have parents drop off/pick up where possible and teachers drive those whose parents can't take them, to keep cost down.

We have one "big" trip that costs around £10-£12 per year group per year and maybe 1/2 others that cost next to nothing. e.g. walk to the Library, go trampolining at the local secondary school, visit the local historic church (walking)

The Epping Forest field centre (exit 26 off M25) has excellent programs for school children and they are free! They can even lend welly boots to kids who need them, and they will need them:-)
The William Morris Museum, in Walthamstow, has been done up and looks great. It's free too with a large park for picnicking behind it.

Thanks for these keep them coming and I will do a summary at the end for everyone

William Morris gallery in walthamstow , museum of London, Tate modern, city farms etc.

Can you let us know areas in your SDP/SEF that are priorities for your school and groups? I.e science at ks1 for boys etc

Maths is a priority throughout the school particularly Ks2 and progress for p premium children in Reading
We would like to use the trips as an opportunity to make science interesting as we'll

Thanks

I am assuming that you are the governor of a primary school. I am going to give you the hypercritical parent view here:
Why go on a jolly when the school requires improvement?
I think a "get the school community together" day would be much better to boost everybody's morale. Have a school wide circus day, get professionals in and parents to help, have a performance at the end of the day. Much better in my opinion.

The Gunpowder Mills at Waltham Abbey.
RSPB bird sanctuary in Rye House
Forty Hall

Hmm, I know what you are saying Kat but IME, after KS1 it's very hard to get parents to attend events during the school day.

We do sometimes do events in school rather than trips either with or without parents but the response from Junior aged parents (in our school with high FSM demographic) is 3-4 parents per class turn up.

Royal Gunpowder Mills

Waltham Abbey Church, the Abbey Gardens and Cornmill Meadows

Lee Valley Park Farms

All cheap and worth visiting, and situated in the area you're after.

Hence the circus day, Mojang. Parents can either join in or just come to the performance at the end and watch, or anything inbetween.

In any case, I would make sure to make it crystal clear to those parents who are interested (like me) why you think this trip is the right answer to a "requires improvement". yes, I am THAT parent

Braintree Museum is a good value day out at £5 per pupil. They do a Victorian day, a WWII Evacuees day & a natural world day.

DCs have both loved the Victorian day complete with a classroom experience with scary Victorian teacher.

www.braintreemuseum.co.uk/schools/

Rainham Marshes
Hadleigh Castle rare breed farm
Hylands Park

Victorian school in Hitchen.

DC school visited when they were doing about Victorian times. They get to dress up and have lesson as in a victorian school.

I think it's Free as well.

Hatfield Forest near Great Dunmow is great for an outdoorsy day.

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hatfield-forest/learning/

Hatfield House was great..complete with audience with Henry VIII..explanations of longbows..banquet food prep etc.

Audley End House near Saffron Walden is free to self led groups. Huge house & grounds plus Victorian kitchens, laundry & stables to explore.

www.educationalvisitsuk.com/attractions/attraction/audley_end_house_gardens_english_heritage

Science museum
Whipsnade zoo or london zoo
London eye + river cruise
Leeds castle in kent
Globe theatre

When I was at primary school we went on a very memorable trip to Mountfitchet Castle

And the Ragged School Museum

Thanks for all the replies - for what its worth I think if everthing we did at school was to make the Ofsted inspectors happy then school would be a very glum place to be and if used within curriculum a trip can be a great way of bringing the classroom to life

Thanks for all the ideas I will put them in a list and post!

A list of suggestions so far (with a couple of my own added at the end)

www.english-heritage.org.uk/education/free-entry/free-school-bus-scheme/ - Free bus and entry for English Heritage

Also a list of other places which may be of interest.....

The Epping Forest field centre (exit 26 off M25) has excellent programs for school children and they are free! They can even lend welly boots to kids who need them, and they will need them:-)

The William Morris Museum, in Walthamstow, has been done up and looks great. It's free too with a large park for picnicking

The Gunpowder Mills at Waltham Abbey.

RSPB bird sanctuary in Rye House

Forty Hall

Lee Valley Park Farms

Braintree Museum is a good value day out at £5 per pupil. They do a Victorian day, a WWII Evacuees day & a natural world day

Rainham Marshes
Hadleigh Castle rare breed farm
Hylands Park

Victorian school in Hitchin.

Discovery Centre Stockwood Park Luton

Hendon Airplane museum

Whipsnade zoo

Willows farm

St Albans museum

Welwyn Roman Baths

Roald Dahl Museum

Tring Natural History Museum (or the Dead Zoo in our house!!)

The Paper Mill in Hemel www.thepapertrail.org.uk

Hertwood Forest

Dunstable Downs Visitors centre

Have been to many of these. whereabouts are you?

Saint Albans Cathedral offers a wide variety of activities ranging from Romans, Victorians, Tudors, Maths Trails etc. All activities are interactive with a hands on approach to learning. Cater for EYFS through to KS 3.
www.saintalbanscathedral.org/education-centre.
Some schools may qualify for funding.