Plenty of ideas for school days out at Excursions 2008

Teachers seeking fresh ideas for school days out and short breaks will find details from a huge variety of attractions, destinations and tour operators at Excursions 2008, the UK’s premier one-day group travel show to be held at Alexandra Palace, North London on Saturday 12th January (10.30am-4pm).

Over 200 exhibitors from across the UK, but with emphasis on London and the south and east of England, are expected to take part in the free entry show, as well as a small selection from mainland Europe. Exhibitors will include castles, museums, wild animal parks and zoos, botanical gardens, historic houses, art galleries and steam train and riverboat operators as well as heritage destinations, theatre agencies and tour operators that offer schools packages and tailor-made tours. Teachers will receive personal, on the spot advice from exhibitors with first hand knowledge of their destination or attraction enabling them to make an informed choice and plan their future school outings with confidence.

Many of the exhibitors produce education resource packs and run sessions for schools that tie in with the national curriculum.

Education resource packs

Amongst the exhibitors from London offering school visits is the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, which takes in the museum itself plus Queen’s House and the Royal Observatory. An added bonus is the beauty and grandeur of Maritime Greenwich with its fine buildings, Royal Park and historic associations with Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and the Stuarts; this diversity means it’s possible to cover a cross-curricular range in a day visit.

Using QCA Schemes of Work, in all key stages, most sessions at the National Maritime Museum take place in front of significant objects or art connected with science, history, literature and art. New programmes include art and design (KS4+), the marine environment (KS3), understanding slavery (KS3) and astronomy-related studies using the new Weller Astronomy Galleries and Peter Harrison Planetarium (all key stages to adult). There are also study days for teachers and they are encouraged to make familiarisation visits. All school sessions must be pre-booked; details can be found on the National Maritime Museum website at www.nmm.ac.uk/learning or telephone 020 8312 8575.

Other exhibitors at Excursions 2008 with ideas for school trips include the Bank of England Museum, which runs free presentations using role play and quizzes to explain the functions of currency in simple terms and the Hop Farm Country Park at Paddock Wood, Kent. An increasingly popular venue for school visits, its museums depict the history of Kentish life and hop picking providing a fascinating insight for key stages I and II pupils.

RAF Museum Cosford, near Shifnal, Shropshire uses its unique collection to produce programmes of activities, workshops and resource material for both subject specific and cross-curricular school visits. Hands-on interactive exhibits teach the principles of flight while a dynamic simulator provides an instant flying experience.

Free entry and travel to Excursions 2008

Entry to Excursions is FREE for teachers who are involved in planning school trips. Online visitor registration will be open in October. A coach service will provide FREE travel to the show as well as a FREE shuttle coach from the nearest railway and Underground stations with Excursions staff waiting on the platforms to greet visitors and guide them to the coach. There's also plenty of FREE parking if you prefer to drive to Alexandra Palace! There are more details on transport arrangements under How To Get There. Once inside, visitors to Excursions 2008 will be offerred a free cup of tea and a full programme of entertainment alongside all the stands.

Be informed about Excursions

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