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.
In the heart of Hucknall, Nottinghamshire you will find Hucknall Leisure Centre which offers customers a wide range of activities and sports.
There is a large gym, a dedicated group cycling studio, a group exercise programme, a 25m swimming pool, sports hall and two squash courts.
Festival Hall Leisure Centre can be found in the heart of Kirkby-in-Ashfield town centre. This Nottinghamshire leisure centre offers a gym, group exercise studio, sports hall and squash courts.
In the gym the experience fitness motivators help our members to achieve their goals whilst the group exercise programme, which is varied, has new classes to increase the challenge.
Near the town of Eye you will find Stradbroke Swim and Fitness Centre which offers a gym, group exercise programme, swimming pool and tennis courts to the local community.
Set in Northolt, Middlesex, Northolt Leisure Centre offers an extensive range of activities and facilities to the local community.
There are two swimming pools, a large gym, two dance studios, a community hall, two treatment rooms, a library, café and meeting rooms.
Central Park Leisure Centre in Romford, Essex, provides local people with a wide range of facilities under one roof as well as an outdoor multi-use games area for Football, Tennis and Netball.
Inside you will find a group exercise studio, crèche, sports hall, health suite, gym and swimming pools.
Lodmoor Country Park is just a 15 minute stroll from Weymouth Esplanade and through Greenhill Gardens.
You'll discover a host of independent attractions providing something of interest to entertain everyone. Access to most of the park is free and you can enjoy the numerous sport and recreation areas, wander around the footpaths and nature reserve or enjoy a picnic or barbecue.
Loughton Leisure Centre offers the local community a gym, two swimming pools, a group exercise studio, crèche and a café.
Uttoxeter Leisure Centre closed its doors at the end of 2013 and is currently undergoing a large full site redevelopment.
A fantastic new leisure centre situated in the heart of historical St Albans in Hertfordshire, Westminster Lodge offers facilities that are second to none.
The newest leisure centre in Carshalton, Surrey, Westcroft Leisure Centre features a range of activities. There are two swimming pools, an 8 court sports hall, group exercise studios, a 160 station gym, a day spa, crèche, meeting facilities and café at Westcroft Leisure Centre.
Daventry Leisure Centre in Northamptonshire offers a huge selection of activities both in the leisure centre and in the sports park.
A previous winner of UK Active FLAME Leisure Centre of the Year, Fareham Leisure Centre offers facilities and service that are second to none.
This Hampshire leisure centre offers a gym, group exercise studios, swimming pools, sports hall, squash courts and Dance School as well as a crèche and award winning café.
Harrow Leisure Centre is a large facility that provides an extensive range of activities to the local community.
It offers a gym, two swimming pools, a large sports hall, multi-purpose halls, squash courts, dance studios, table tennis centre, crèche and café.
One of the largest leisure centres in the area, Eston Leisure Centre offers a range of sports and activities to the people of Eston in Cleveland.
The sports academy houses two swimming pools, a sauna and steamroom, group exercise studio, sports hall, gym, beauty salon, café, 3G indoor five-a-side football and meeting rooms.
Epping Sports Centre in Essex offers members a range of sports and activities under one roof.
This Essex leisure centre provides a gym, squash courts, sports hall and a crèche.
Situated close to the centre of Thrapston, The Nene Centre has a wide range of leisure facilities for all the family including a swimming pool, 2 fitness studios, a cafeteria and an air-conditioned gym.
In picturesque North Dorset sits the town of Blandford which is served by Blandford Leisure Centre.
The leisure centre features two swimming pools, a gym, a multi-use hall, sport hall, Nordic sauna, café and tennis courts.
Set in the Hertfordshire town of Sawbridgeworth, Leventhorpe Pool and Gym offers the local community the opportunity to get active both in and out of the water.
At Fanshawe Pool and Gym in Ware, Hertfordshire, you will find a new and improved gym, multi activity room and a swimming pool.
This Hertfordshire gym offers the very latest in fitness equipment and is staffed by our fully qualified gym staff. In the pool you will find our award winning swim school as well as a range of water based activities.
Escape city life and step into tropical paradise of an aquarium in the heart of the buzzing city of Birmingham. At the National SEA LIFE centre you can take an amazing marine voyage beneath the waves and experience so much more!
The National Maritime Museum (NMM) in Greenwich, is the leading maritime museum of the United Kingdom and may be the largest museum of its kind in the world.
Penydarren was the site where the World's first Steam Engine ran on rails. Designed by Richard Trevithick, in 1804 his steam locomotive hauled a train along the tramway of the Penydarren Ironworks in Merthyr Tydfil.
Echo Arena Liverpool is one of the the most prestigious venues in the UK, opened in 2008 with the launch event for Liverpool’s year as European Capital of Culture. Part of ACC Liverpool and purpose built as one of the next generation of event venues, Echo Arena has a track record of delivering high profile, world class events and creating unforgettable memories.
ExCeL London, the exhibition and international convention centre, is the host venue for a variety of events from award winning exhibitions and conferences to international association meetings, product launches, banquets, award ceremonies, sporting events and great days out.
Summit Centre,formerly known as the Welsh International Climbing Centre, is located south of Merthyr Tydfil in the South Wales Valleys just 10 minutes from the A470 and under an hour from the centre of Cardiff. It is built on the site of the former Trelewis drift mine which closed in 1989.
The Bushcraft Company offer residential school trips with a difference, taking students into the wild and giving them real back-to-nature experiences they will never forget.
A 15-year-old boy fell 60ft over the edge of a cliff whilst on a geography school trip, miraculously only suffering minor injuries.