History School Trip to London

With the abundance of hotels and hostels in London, we have a superb range of accommodation to choose from, both centrally and on the outskirts, with facilities and prices to suit all needs and budgets.

Premier Inn Wembley & Hangar Lane

Both of these hotels have a high standard of accommodation at a good price. They are located just outside the busy city centre but have public transport routes to all the major sites and attractions.

Premier Inn Harrow

This hotel is ideal for those looking to stay in a quieter part of London. It is located in North London but you can access the city centre by coach in approximately an hour. This hotel is recommended for groups with a smaller budget and is in a great location for those that are including the Harry Potter Studio tour as part of their trip.

Meininger Hotel London Hyde Park 

Situated in the Kensington area of London, the Meininger is in the ideal location for school groups. It is only a few hundred metres from the Natural History, Science and Victoria and Albert Museums. In terms of quality and location, this hotel offers great value for money.

YHA Thameside

This youth hostel is located in the Docklands and is ideal for younger student groups that are travelling by coach.

Royal National Hotel

This is the most central hotel that WST offer. It is located in the heart of the city and is within walking distance of the West End. It is a large hotel that offers comfortable and affordable accommodation in an excellent location.

Wembley International Hotel

This is a large hotel, located just outside the city centre, yet close to public transport. Rooms for students are all 3 - 4 bedded and the hotel has good meeting room facilities. 

Download our Location Guide for more detailed information on school history trips to London 

BRITAIN IN WWI & WWII

Bletchley Park

Bletchley Park is the ideal place to learn about GCHQ's contribution to WWII and Bletchley's place in World History in general. Exhibits and collections are also available that cover aspects of life in general for people during the War. Guides with specialist knowledge take tours around the park with a specific focus on History and includes the Bletchley Park Story exhibition. 

Churchill’s War Rooms

Discover the original Cabinet War Room and the wartime bunker that sheltered Churchill and his government during the Blitz. Explore the historic rooms to experience the secret history that lives on underground. Discover the stories of those who worked underground as London was being bombed above them, and then find out more about the life and legacy of Winston Churchill in the interactive Churchill Museum. 

HMS Belfast

Film, photographs, objects and veteran testimonies tell the story of what life was like living and working on board HMS Belfast during her duties in the Second World War, the Cold War, Korea and beyond.

Imperial War Museum

The Imperial War Museum covers conflicts involving Britain from the First World War through to the present day. The new First World War galleries have two permanent exhibitions to support the Centenary; Fighting Fronts and Life at Home. In addition there will be temporary exhibitions over the 4 years commemorating WWI. 

WWI & WWII LESSONS AT THE IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM

We can arrange these sessions at the new Imperial War Museum on top of your self guided visit. They are typically 1hr to 90 mins in duration with a maximum of 30 students per lesson.

First World War Creative Responses: Film (KS3-4): Students work with The Battle of the Somme (1916), analysing the techniques used to make the film, the impact on audiences during the First World War, and how the film is useful as an historical source.

First World War: New Perspectives (KS3-5): Students investigate a lesser known aspect of the First World War through IWM's Collections. They then apply their research by selecting material to produce a mini exhibition on the topic.

First World War: Personal Perspectives (KS3): Students use material from IWM's collections to lead their own investigation into one person's experience of the First World War. They then share their findings and reflect on the range of experiences represented.

Second World War: Life in Nazi Germany (KS3-5):  Students investigate documents, film and sound to learn about the life of Werner Lehmann between 1933 and 1939, and the wider context of life in Nazi Germany for a teenage boy.

Second World War: Meet an Evacuee (KS3): Students have the opportunity to meet a Second World War eyewitness who can answer students' questions and share their memories of evacuation and life on the home front.

Second World War: Personal Perspectives (KS3-4): Students use material from IWM's collections to lead their own investigation into one person's experience of the Home Front. These include paid and voluntary work, the role of women, the Home Guard and children’s experiences. They then share their findings and reflect on the range of experiences represented.

London Transport Museum

St Paul’s Cathedral

The Cathedral offers a 1 hour themed tour based on the ‘Cathedral at War’. Students will discuss the effects of the Blitz, evacuation and rationing on Londoners, see where bombs fell on the Cathedral and how it rose from the ashes of the city.

THE HOLOCAUST

Jewish Museum

The Jewish Museum offers a wide range of workshops which can be tailored to your needs and include resource materials and activities. Holocaust workshop themes available for KS3 and KS4 are: 

• Faith and the Holocaust – Using evidence, art and witness testimonials, students will review the opinions of those who gained, kept, questioned or lost their faith.
• Never Again Auschwitz: the Story of Leon Greenman – The workshop draws on the life story of a Holocaust survivor through evaluation of his personal artefacts, film and photographs. Through this workshop students are encouraged to reflect on and empathise with individuals.
• Witness the Witness – A unique opportunity for students to meet and hear the personal testimony of a Holocaust survivor or Kindertransport refugee.

The Holocaust at the Imperial War Museum

The Holocaust Exhibition- Self Guided (KS4-5): This award-winning exhibition traces the Nazi persecution and murder of Europe’s Jews from 1933 to 1945. Photographs, diaries, toys and film tell the stories of the people who lived through this period. Testimonies from survivors bring a moving perspective to these objects.  Over 14 years old only.

Pre- Holocaust Exhibition Discussion Session and Audio Guided visit (KS4-5): Through discussion and reflection students will prepare to visit The Holocaust Exhibition before being given an audio guide to navigate their way through the chronological narrative of the Holocaust and deepen their understanding of events in Nazi-occupied Europe and beyond.

The Holocaust: Personal Perspectives Session (KS3-4): Using a range of material from IWM's collections, students lead their own enquiry into the lives of people affected by the Holocaust. Afterwards students will be able to visit The Holocaust Exhibition.

The Holocaust Exhibition: Touching the Past Session (KS4-5): How do historians and exhibition curators construct a narrative of the past? Using objects related to The Holocaust Exhibition, students explore how we study history and how objects can enrich our understanding of the past. After the session your group may visit The Holocaust Exhibition.

Wiener Library

The Wiener Library is Britain’s largest and most extensive library and archive on the Holocaust and the Nazi Era. During the week, workshops are available for schools which are designed to help students get the most out of the collections.

MIGRATION

Migration Museum

The Migration Museum explores how the movement of people to and from Britain across the ages has made us who we are today, both as individuals and as a nation. Migration is a pressing contemporary issue and is at the centre of polarised political and online debate. But there’s an underlying story of comings and goings stretching back many centuries.

The Migration Museum offers educational workshops and tours of their exhibitions in their current home in the heart of Lewisham Shopping Centre. They also have bespoke migration history walking tours that explore the hidden histories of London from the East End to Notting Hill and everything in between.

Jewish Museum

The Jewish Museum offers a wide range of workshops which can be tailored to your needs and include resource materials and activities. Migration workshop themes available are: 

• Jewish East End: Discover the stories of real people and communities who migrated to London’s changing East End in the early 20^th century and the challenges they faced embarking on their new lives in Britain. Explore changing identities by looking closely at key objects to discover the impact of living in a new and diverse environment.
• Migration: Discover some of the reasons why many Jewish people left their homes to create new lives in Britain between 1850 and 1950. Consider the ways in which we formulate our ideas about migration. Explore the experiences of Jewish migrants in Britain and the challenges and rewards of making difficult journeys. Reflect on Britain’s past reactions to Jewish immigration and discuss what message students would like to send to people moving to Britain today.

Museum of London Docklands

The ‘London, Sugar and Slavery’ Exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands will help your students discover how the trade in enslaved Africans and sugar shaped London. The museum’s building is central to this story. It was built at the time of the transatlantic slave trade, to store the sugar from the West Indian plantations where enslaved men, women and children worked.

MEDICINE THROUGH TIME

Florence Nightingale Museum

Through artefacts and pictures the collection here spans the life of Florence Nightingale. School groups can have a guided tour around the museum to support the Medicine Through Time syllabus.

Hunterian Museum

This museum at the Royal College of Surgeons has renowned collections of human anatomy and pathology, natural history and works of art from the last 200 years. Visitors can discover how these diverse objects have informed the medical world.

Old Operating Theatre Museum; Herb Garret

A museum of surgical history and one of the oldest operating theatres. This visit gives a great insight into operating conditions before the introduction of antiseptic surgery. Along with viewing the operating theatre itself and the herb garret used by the hospital apothecary, a collection of artefacts revealing the horrors of surgery is exhibited.

Science Museum

The Science Museum has 3 exhibitions that support KS4 study of Medicine Through Time:

• Glimpses of Medical History – This gallery depicts the work of doctors, dentists, opticians and surgeons through models and life size constructions which illustrate developments in medical practices through time.
• Health Matters – Explores the impact of medical technology through the 20^th Century
• The Science and Art of Medicine – One of the finest collections of medical objects from all over the world.

The Wellcome Collection 

Explores the connections between medicine, life and art in the past, present and future. The venue provides insight to anyone seeking to understand medicine and its role in society - past and present.

CRIME & PUNISHMENT / POLITICS

The Postal Museum 

The Great Train Robbery: Crime and The Post exhibition, open until April 2020, examines the role of the Post Office’s own investigation department. Led by the Schools team, take an interactive tour of the exhibition to examine this famous robbery and other crimes through human stories, personal accounts and never before seen artefacts and objects. Explore the museum and take an underground ride on London's hidden postal railway’ 

City of London Police Museum

For London history trips, the museum offers a schools programme which focusses on KS4 Policing from 1000 to the present day. Over 90 minutes students will handle museum objects and get a guided tour of the museum to explore how policing has changed over the centuries. Learn more about the last hours of Catherine Eddowes, one of Jack the Ripper’s victims; bomb damage during the Blitz; being at the forefront of technology to counter terrorism and the current work against economic crime and cybercrime.

Walking Tour Of Political Sites

A Blue Badge Guide will take you around Westminster to see the iconic government buildings and political sites past and present. This is a perfect overview to start your visit to London. 

Houses Of Parliament

The Houses of Parliament free guided tours are available throughout the year by requesting a place through your MP or applying directly. Please note that tours are very popular and places are limited so generally have to be booked about six months in advance.

Jack The Ripper Walking Tour 

Always in the evening and at its best when London is cold and misty, this eerie tour takes students back in time to follow in the footsteps of the London Metropolitan Police as they try to catch a killer.

London Dungeon

The London Dungeon combines real history, horror and humour to bring gruesome goings-on back to life in the 21st century. A thrilling and exciting trip that students will love, with actors recreating events such as the Great Fire of London, Sweeney Todd, Jack the Ripper and an 18^th Century courtroom.

Royal Courts Of Justice 

For London history tours, education sessions developed by the National Centre for Citizenship & The Law are available here, which focus on educating young people to be responsible citizens. Sessions include Courtroom workshops, Post Courtroom Debates and a guided tour of the Royal Courts of Justice.

The Old Bailey Talk & Court Sessions  

The visit begins with a talk, where your groups are shown where the public hangings took place, and other historical points of interest. After discussing the court’s history, the group are then given the day’s programme of the 18 courts with advice of the more interesting trials and any top criminal barristers in action.   

The Supreme Court

School and colleague groups can visit here Monday to Thursday for a guided tour. Teachers must complete an online form which allows you to tell the visit co-ordinator more about what you are studying so that the tour can be tailored to your students’ learning. A usual guided tour covers a tour of the building, time in the exhibition space and if court is sitting you may get the chance to see a case in progress.

Tower Of London

See where numerous individuals lost their heads and visit the Prisoners Exhibition which looks at some of the Tower’s more notorious convicts including Anne Boleyn, Edward V, Guy Fawkes and Sir Thomas More.

The Clink Prison Museum Tour

Dating back to 1144, this site is one of England’s oldest and most notorious prisons. In this this guided educational experience, view archaeological artefacts, handle torture devices, and hear all about the misfortunes of the inmates.  

London offers a great choice of museums and attractions, many of which are an ideal complement to their learning and can be free for students

Highlights Of London Guided Tour

For history school trips to London, a half day guided tour of the city on board your coach is a perfect way to see all the major sites. Highly recommended if this is a first time visit to London for many of your students.

Guided tour of the London 2012 Olympic Sites

Following the outstanding success of the world’s greatest sporting event, there is now huge interest in seeing the area where our athletes won their medals.  This 2 – 2½ hour walk begins at Pudding Mill Lane and takes in the exteriors of the Aquatic Centre, the Stadium, Handball Arena (The Copper Box), the Velodrome and also the new I-City (formerly the International Press Centre). For an additional fee we can pre-book visits inside the Copper Box, the Aquatics Centre and the Orbit within your walking tour. 

Art Galleries Of London

For history tours London has a great range of art galleries, which have free entrance and all offer downloadable resources and education programmes. The most popular galleries are:

• National Gallery
• National Portrait Gallery
• Tate Britain
• Tate Modern
• Victoria & Albert

British Museum

With more than 7 million objects within its collections, the British Museum illustrates and documents the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present. Famous objects include the Rosetta Stone, sculptures from the Parthenon, the Sutton Hoo and Mildenhall treasures and the Portland Vase making it one of the greatest museums in the world.

London Eye

Breath-taking sights make the London Eye a highlight of the city which you should not miss!

Madame Tussauds

A thrilling and exciting visit containing inspiring wax works of some of the world’s most influential and famous people. Galleries include Sport, World Leaders, The Royal Family and Music along with the Spirit of London ride and Marvel Super Heroes 4D experience.

Museum Of London

Step inside Museum of London for a memorable journey through London’s unsettled history. Telling London's story students can enjoy the prehistoric, Roman and medieval London galleries through to the present day.

Natural History Museum

Hundreds of exciting, interactive exhibits including the ultimate dinosaur exhibition, a human biology section or visit 'Investigate' -an exciting new hands-on science centre perfect for engaging students.

Thames River Cruise

This cruise along the Thames is a great way to see some of the major sites of the city. We recommend groups take the 40 minute cruise from Westminster to Tower which takes in Westminster, Big Ben, Somerset House, London Eye, Oxo Tower, The Tate Modern, St Paul’s Cathedral, London Bridge, Tower Bridge and the Tower.

West End Theatre Performance

Whatever your London trip aims, a West End show is a great opportunity to reward those on school trips to London with a thrilling night at the theatre.  Current top West End Shows include:

• Lion King
• Wicked
• Frozen
• Matilda The Musical
• Mrs Doubtfire The Musical
• Les Misérables
• Back To The Future
• Harry Potter & The Cursed Child
• Six
• We Will Rock You
• Phantom of the Opera 
• Mamma Mia

Whatever show you are interested in seeing, we can advise you on the best time to go and arrange your group seating.

Walk Eat Talk Eat 3-hour Food & Drink Walking Tour

What better way could there be to explore the diverse cultures and communities which make up London than taking walking tour through the streets of the city where you get to sample the great range of cuisines on offer. You can try both modern and traditional dishes, British treats and foods from across the world. There are three different tours to choose from all of which centre around a few different food and drink stops where you may sit down and dine at the venue, pick up the food and taste it outside, or just walk and talk with the food. It really is a fantastic experience!

Restaurants

Make your evening meal a night out with a restaurant visit. We can book tables at an exciting range of restaurants offering pre-theatre dinner packages to suit all budgets.