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London Cultural School Day Trips & Tours

An exciting cultural day trip to London tour offers pupils the opportunity to cover many aspects of their curriculum in a short space of time. Over 400 groups travel to London with NST every year.

By choosing NST, you’ll receive valuable advice and expertise on hundreds of visits, as well as excellent prices at top attractions and West End shows.

Prices start from£79pp

Price Shown includes

  • Executive coach transport from & to school & throughout your stay
  • Group travel insurance
  • 1 in 8 free place ratio

Price shown is based on 40 paying passengers departing selected departure points in February 2023 and is subject to availability.


On-tour support

On-tour support inlcudes...

  • Pre-booked meals at great group prices
  • Pre-booked and pre-paid London Underground tickets

Top visits

Highlights of London Blue Badge Guided Tour

See the major sights of the city. An expert Blue Badge Guide will join you on your coach and bring the Capital to life for your group. Sights may include Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s Cathedral.

The lastminute.com London Eye

A classroom with a moving view! Standing 135m tall on the South Bank of the River Thames, nothing says iconic like The lastminute.com London Eye.

Since 2000, this world-famous structure has taken over 75 million people on a journey into London’s skyline. Be inspired with our Skyline Workshops. At an additional cost, these enhanced in-pod experiences are delivered by our education hosts and include interactive activities and interesting facts on London's iconic skyline.

Developed in collaboration with education specialists, teachers can book either a KS2/KS3 version.

Thames River Cruise

Take in London’s best-loved sights on this enjoyable cruise. Your students will gain an insight into the many layers of history that have built up along the river, from the Houses of Parliament and Tower Bridge to the 'lastminute.com' London Eye.

West End Shows

A West End show is a magical and unforgettable experience and a must for groups visiting the city! Catch a show at one of the capital's famous theatres with tickets to an array of award-winning plays and spectacular musicals, including the Lion King and Wicked! 

There are so many popular options to choose from and we can book any show for your group. Plus, our dedicated in-house theatre team and our links with the best ticket providers means we’ll be able to reserve your first choice tickets.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter

Step on to authentic sets, discover the magic behind spellbinding special effects and explore the behind-the-scenes secrets of the Harry Potter film series. Tread the original stone floor of the iconic Hogwarts Great Hall, encounter animatronic creatures and wander down Diagon Alley. Your Harry Potter World school trip is located at the Studios where all 8 films were produced.

45 minute workshops are also available, covering Art and Design, Business Studies, English and Drama, Film and Media and STEM subjects, as well as Primary.

 

Science Museum

The Science Museum is packed with awe-inspiring galleries, interactive resources and inspirational exhibitions. Your students can explore the hands-on galleries which cover a wide range of subject areas.

The museum also offers a great selection of curriculum-linked schools events and shows, and stunning 3D films in their IMAX Cinema.

Science Museum resources are also available and free to download.

New in 2022 - Technicians: The David Sainsbury Gallery:

Aimed at KS3 & KS4 levels, students will get to explore this gallery and get hands on with interactive exhibits which simulate job-related tasks. Students can experience what it's like to create visual effects on a film set, analyse blood samples in a lab, fix a fault on a wind turbine and plenty more.

Natural History Museum

On a Natural History Museum school trip, your students can explore the natural world and discover the amazing diversity of life that has evolved on our planet. Study a range of themes including climate change, evolution and the natural environment, helping to give your students an understanding of the impact that science has on their lives.

Exploring the human biology gallery, which covers memory and how our memory functions and an insight into the human body.

Stage School Theatre Workshop – Stage Combat

Your group will learn about the relationship between acting and fight choreography. Discover how fights are choreographed and hone your collaboration skills whilst creating your own combat.

Stage School Workshops are delivered by qualified teaching artists (so you can get involved too) and can be tailored to your chosen show, as well as your curriculum requirements.

Stage School Theatre Workshop – West End 101

A popular and versatile interactive workshop designed to enhance the participants’ night in the West End. In a fun and relaxed environment, students are taught skills and techniques used by professional actors inspired by the themes of the show they see. 

Stage School Workshops are delivered by qualified teaching artists (so you can get involved too) and can be tailored to your chosen show, as well as your curriculum requirements.

V&A Museum

The world’s largest collection of decorative and applied arts. Some areas focus on the history of costume and are of particular interest to pupils studying textiles. The holdings of ceramics, glass, costumes, jewellery, furniture, sculpture, prints and photographs are among the largest and most comprehensive in the world.

Art Galleries

Appreciate works of art, both old and new, at the fantastic galleries on offer in the city.

The Tower of London

Help to develop pupils’ understanding on the nature of authority and attitudes to crime and punishment in the early modern period on their school trip to Tower of London. An ideal opportunity for a more in-depth study of Guy Fawkes and his  attempt to destroy the Houses of Parliament in 1605.

Imperial War Museum

After a major redevelopment, the museum features groundbreaking WWI Galleries which will present the story - how it started, why it continued and its global impact - through the lives of those who experienced it on both the front line and the home front. The Witness to War atrium displays iconic larger objects including a Harrier, Spitfire and V2 rocket suspended from above.

3D Printing Workshops

Take a 21st century approach to embedding technology learning in school, and introduce your students to the world of 3D printing where a solid object of virtually any shape can be created from a digital model. 

In our Introduction to 3D Printing workshop, students will get hands on with 3D computer modelling and see designs turned into real life on a 3D printer. All students will receive a certificate of attendance and will take away a 3D printed item too.

Other workshops include:

Understanding 2D and 3D
Create 2D and 3D shapes through designing a house in Sketchup. Look at the difference between a 2D representation of the shape and the 3D model itself. What is a plan and how would an architect use 2D and 3D shapes to represent their project?

Natural Geometries 
Create simple shapes like triangles, squares and arcs. And through learning simple ideas such as angles and rotation, turn these shapes into amazing nature-like structures such as snowflakes and shells.

For maths groups, we can also offer full day workshops at The National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park combining a tour of Bletchley Park, a visit to Colossus (the first electronic computer) and a hands-on processing or 3D printing workshop.

The Royal Courts of Justice - Court In Session

Suitable for KS3-5, this exciting visit to the historic Royal Courts of Justice will have your group talking for weeks! You can choose from a wide range of quality learning experiences. 

This two-hour session takes place in a working court room and around the courts. 

Students will:

  • Be introduced to the Royal Courts of Justice and what happens there
  • Prepare and enact a trial based on an ex-offender’s experiences
  • Explore roles in a court room and meet a legal professional where possible
  • Discuss and debate real sentencing options

Jack the Ripper Walking Tour

Discover firsthand the historical context of Whitechapel in the late 19th century as well as in-depth historical knowledge on Jack the Ripper.

This informative evening activity led by expert guides provides an insight into the crimes including what they reveal about the history and social conditions in the East End of London at the time. The site is also near Cable Street so the study visit can include work on 20th century protest.

London Dungeons

The London Dungeon has been delighting audiences for over 40 years and brings together an amazing cast of theatrical actors, special effects, scenes and rides in an exciting walk-through experience that lets you see, hear and smell historic London and its perilous past. Get pupils thinking about spoken language and stage directions as they review script writing and explore the physical creation of a show as they look at the design process, including room layout, make-up and costume design and highlight the importance of historical accuracy in relation to topic, characters and set design. 

St Paul’s Cathedral - themed tours

At St Paul’s Cathedral, students can study an iconic Christian place of worship and learn about the beliefs and practices of the Church of England through a number of themed tours suitable for KS3-KS5, including: The World of Worship, The Bible: Is it Relevant in Today’s World?, The Big Issues, ‘Jesus’ Fact or Fiction for Today’s Society and Christianity Through Art & Design. General guided tours suitable for different age groups can also be provided.

Madame Tussauds

The world of the Media is a creative and inspiring one, where ideas combine with drama, excitement and humour to keep us entertained and engaged. A fully interactive experience, Madame Tussauds will inspire, enthuse and immerse pupils in celebrity culture and modern media as they walk among the stars!

ClueQuest - The Live Escape Room

The escape rooms at clueQuest provide an array of unique, cooperative and intuitive logic-based tasks. These are designed to ensure that no prior knowledge is required, making them perfect for all age groups. Which are nonetheless challenging and therefore make for a rewarding work-out of the following crucial soft-skills: Communication, teamwork, problem-solving, attitude and leadership.

ITV Daytime Studios Tour

As one of the busiest working studios in the UK, producing over 2,000 hours of much talked about TV a year, guests have unprecedented access into the day-to-day operations of a live studio with stories and filming insights from the studio floors shared with them along the way.

With the promise of plenty of picture and selfie opportunities on the well-loved and instantly recognisable sets, a wander down the production corridors where the green rooms, wardrobe departments, make-up areas and production offices are housed, as well as walking amongst industry producers and crew, each tour will be full of TV magic.

 

Harry Potter London Walking Tour

Take a Harry Potter Walking Tour into the magical world of wizardry in London! Learn about London’s rich muggle and wizarding history, amazing facts about the books and films and see many of the Harry Potter film locations used in London, including the Ministry of Magic and the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron. The tour features familiar Harry Potter film locations as well as iconic London landmarks and attractions including St Paul’s Cathedral, Millennium Bridge, Tate Modern, Borough and Leadenhall Markets and Monument.

London Film Locations Walking Tour

This guided London film locations walking tour is action-packed with sites from Comic Book movies. You will follow on screen heroes such as Batman, Wonder Woman, Jack Ryan and the Thunderbirds as they fight to protect London and defeat the forces of evil.  You’ll see how London has been used by movie makers from all over the world to represent both the British capital – home to on screen heroes such as James Bond and Sherlock Holmes, but can also stand in for numerous other locations from across the globe including St Petersburg, Switzerland and even Gotham City!

Museum of London

Discover the history of London and its people. The Museum of London overlooks the Roman remains of the City wall and reveals the history of the capital from prehistoric and Roman times through to medieval, Tudor and 18th century expansion, and the bustling multicultural London of today. Spectacular collections, immersive spaces and interactive exhibits transport you through the capital's tumultuous past, rich with drama, triumph and near-disaster!

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Tour

Step behind the scenes at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on this immersive, self-guided experience and learn about how the stadium has been designed to create one of the best matchday experiences in the world. Gain exclusive access to First Team areas, as well as the custom-designed NFL facilities. Gain an insight into how the players prepare on a matchday and follow their journey by walking out of the first-team changing rooms, through the tunnel, and into the dugouts - you can almost hear the crowd!

My Neighbour Totoro

A landmark new adaption of Studio Ghibli's classic coming-of-age film, My Neighbour Totoro explores the magical world of childhood and the power of imagination. The story follows an extraordinary summer in the lives of two sisters as they are transported to a long-forgotten realm of sprite, spirits and natural wonder. A must-see for anime fans!

On show at: Barbican Theatre
Times: 21st November 2023 - 23rd March 2024. Evening performances Monday - Saturday at 7pm. Matinee performances Thursday & Saturday at 2pm.
Running time: To be confirmed.
 


Transport

Available from any location in the UK, our executive coaches are fitted with seatbelts, toilet facilities, air conditioning, DVD and reclining seats.

Coach

Rail is a convenient travel option for small groups, ideal for connections to Eurostar, major airports and travel to many city destinations.

Train


Giving you full support throughout

Before your tour

  • Your own dedicated NST contact
  • Bespoke tour itineraries
  • Unrivalled local knowledge & expertise
  • Curriculum linked visit programmes
  • Great value for money - no hidden costs
  • Free group leader inspection visits
  • Risk assessment guidance
  • Safety assured, transport, accommodation and visits

Whilst you're away

  • Free educational resources
  • Group-friendly accommodation
  • Exceptional standards of coaching
  • On-tour support from our reps on the ground
  • Support & assistance from our specialists throughout your tour
  • 24/7 support just a call away
  • Extensive group travel insurance

On your return

  • Priority rebooking services
  • Rewarding your loyalty with our reward scheme
  • You say, we listen - we're committed to continuously improving our tours
  • School travel company of choice since 1967