Record numbers for UK school trips to Hever Castle

February 27 2020 | Castle Groups

More and more children are visiting Hever Castle as part of school trips.

Visits from UK schools to Hever Castle were up by 15% from 10,237 in 2018 to 11,798 last year – the highest number since records were taken.

And it is not just UK school children that are flocking to the historic attraction as school trips generally were up 7.5% from 20,359 in 2018 to 21,879 last year.

Overall visitor numbers were up in 2019 with 415,274 people visiting Hever Castle, an increase of 6% on the previous year.

This rise in popularity for school trips can be put down to increased advertising but also enhancements to the schools offering including improved play areas (Tudor Towers adventure playground and Acorn Dell natural play area), the Think Tank classroom facility, better workshops and the revamped Long Gallery in the Castle.

The childhood home of Anne Boleyn, second wife of Henry VIII and mother of Elizabeth I, is popular with students wanting to learn about the Tudor period but a wide range of workshops and resources are also available to schools wishing to visit.

Hever Castle has an impressive collection of Tudor portraits, many of which are showcased in the Long Gallery, which was guest curated by historian Dr David Starkey in 2018. This tells the story of the Tudors and depicts the saga from the Wars of the Roses to the Reformation through the paintings.

Schools trips have the option of a self-guided visit, a private guided tour of the Castle or a workshop. School packs include a host of classroom resources, teaching aids, maps and health and safety information.

Costs for school trips start from £5.65 per pupil (5-15) with interactive audio guides now included with Castle entry. The newly updated guides include fun games like Feed the King in the Castle’s Dining Hall.

Lucky dip goodie bags are also available for an extra £4 per bag.

The Think Tank classroom is available for school trips to book for workshops and lunches (subject to availability).