With less exam pressure, fewer crowds and an entire school year ahead, the beginning of the academic year can be a great time to take pupils outside of the classroom and on a school trip.
Often, aligning a school trip with the curriculum and specific learning outcomes can help to improve buy-in from the school board and from parents. However, it can be difficult to know where is best to take pupils to get them away from the classroom, have an opportunity to learn and also have a good time.
At Horseman Coaches we have over 40 years’ experience in ensuring school groups have great, fun and educational experiences. We’re sharing some of our recommended destinations for autumn school trips with you below.
Autumn school trip ideas for key stage 1
School trips in autumn for the youngest learners are a great opportunity for introducing pupils to new and exciting experiences. English and maths form a core part of the curriculum, so aligning school trips with those subjects is a great idea and can support learning outside of a classroom environment which may not suit all pupils.
Drusillas Park in East Sussex allows groups of young pupils the opportunity to mix a visit to the zoo and rides with learning opportunities and workshops in classroom sessions that can be aligned with the curriculum.
Woodland walks across the region are a great low-cost option for key stage 1 school trips. The mild autumnal weather is perfect for a walk through trails that give learning opportunities of collecting leaves, looking at colours, understanding the changing seasons and counting (trees, birds or squirrels are good things to ask young pupils to count.) For specific trails, places like Ashdown Forest can provide an idyllic autumnal backdrop for a school trip.
Key stage 2 autumn school trip ideas
In key stage 2 the curriculum continues to focus on English and Maths, however building foundational skills across other subjects is key to keeping pupils engaged. School trips for this age group can involve more hands-on learning and exploration of larger attractions as they grow in independence.
Leeds Castle in Kent provides the perfect day out to allow key stage 2 pupils to bring history to life. You can choose from a self-guided visit, or a visit including an educational workshop that is tailored for your class and led by an experienced team member.
Fishbourne Roman Palace is a fantastic school trip destination for all ages, but it offers some brilliant workshops particularly for key stage 2 including Roman maths challenges and an introduction to archeology. A bonus of visiting during the quieter autumn months means that your school group has more time to explore the palace with less crowds.
Leeds Castle. Photo by Colin Watts on Unsplash
Key stage 3 autumn school trip ideas in the South East
For key stage 3 pupils the curriculum covers a much wider range of subjects, which allows you as a school trip organiser a larger choice of attractions and opportunity for deeper learning. Attractions that offer opportunities for critical thinking and give pupils an understanding of how school subjects connect with the real world can be a key focus.
For pupils studying geography as a GCSE subject, or potentially for science classes, a visit to Rye Nature Reserve in East Sussex can provide opportunities for the real-life study of coastal erosion and wildlife conservation. An autumnal visit at the beginning of the academic year allows for good geological visibility, fewer crowds and hopefully mild weather.
Specific school trips for physical education can surprisingly be few and far between. In school environments, PE lessons can be limited to what equipment you have access to. By taking pupils to one of the many outdoor activity centres located in and around the South East, such as Rock UK, pupils can be introduced to a wider variety of activities. This can also support pupils who do not enjoy typical PE activities to find something that they do enjoy such as bouldering or archery.
Key stage 4 autumn school trip ideas
Once pupils are in key stage 4, priority turns towards GCSE’s. With pupils’ learning focusing across the core subjects of English, Maths and Science plus their own learning choices, school trips should follow suit and provide very specific opportunities for pupils to gain deeper understanding of topics that will support them in their exams and beyond.
Dover Castle in Kent is home to a network of secret WWII tunnels that can provide pupils with a fascinating opportunity to learn more about the men and women who served in the war and were stationed in dover. This is a particularly interesting school trip for those GCSE pupils who are studying history and or literary works covering the social impact of the war.
For English literature students, Jane Austen’s house is a must-visit. The museum provides an authentic insight into the life of Jane Austen as well as supporting understanding of the social context of her novels; something of particular importance to GCSE pupils who will be covering her work. Jane Austen’s house is unsurprisingly a very popular school trip attraction, and it is frequently fully booked over the summer months meaning autumn is a quieter time to go with more opportunity for suitable dates for your school group.
Dover Castle. Photo by Ian Murphy on Unsplash
Booking coach hire for outdoor learning
Perhaps the most important part of booking a school trip is deciding how your pupils will get there and back home again. Booking a coach is usually the most cost-effective and reliable option for larger groups and ensures everyone can travel together.
At Horseman Coaches, we have over 40 years’ experience of transporting school groups of all ages to and from school trip attractions across the south east. Our coaches are modern, comfortable and come with all the expected safety features. Our drivers are DBS checked, reliable and trusted so you can have peace of mind that they will turn up where and when you expect them to.
We also offer a coach tracking service, giving parents extra peace of mind on the location of their child whilst travelling.
To book Horseman coaches to transport you on your next school trip, request a school trip transport quote.