1066 Battle of Hastings, Abbey and Battlefield School Trip

English Heritage

Battle TN33 0AE

What better way to learn about 1066 and the Battle of Hastings than by walking in the footsteps of William the Conqueror and King Harold at Battle Abbey? Standing where history was made, your students will better understand the events leading up to the Battle of Hastings and beyond.

Cover a range of topics across the key stages:

KS1 History: Events beyond living memory that are significant nationally. Significant historical events, people and places in the locality

KS2 History: A local history study. Edward the Confessor and his death in 1066. A study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066

KS2 Geography: Human geography: types of settlement and land use, why did the battle take place here?

KS2 Religious Studies: Religion in daily life, why was an abbey built on the site and who lived there?

KS3 History: A local history study. The Norman Conquest. Development of Church, state and society in Medieval Britain 1066-1509

KS3 Geography: Human geography: understand how human and physical processes interact to influence and change landscapes

KS4 History: OCR History A: Study of the historic environment; OCR History B: History around us, British depth study, The Norman Conquest 1060 - 1087; AQA Section B: British depth study including the historic environment, Norman England; Edexcel Paper2B1: Anglo Saxon and Norman England 1060 - 1088

KS5 History: OCR Unit Y102/Y132: Anglo Saxon England and the Norman Conquest 1035 - 1107; AQA Unit HIS2A: Conqueror and Conquest c 1060 - 1087; Edexcel Paper 2, Option 2A.1: Anglo Saxon England and the Anglo-Norman Kingdom c1053 - 1106

1066 Battle of Hastings, Abbey and Battlefield photograph

school trip at 1066 Battle of Hastings, Abbey and Battlefield

school groups 1066 Battle of Hastings, Abbey and Battlefield

Teacher Checklist

Risk Assessments
Inspection Visits
Free Places for Teachers
Free Places for Students
Resource Packs

What activities are available during educational visits?

Enjoy a free self-led visit to Battle Abbey and design your day to suit your curriculum needs. The activities in our Teachers' Kit will help your students imagine what it was like to be a Norman charging across the battlefield, how it felt to be part of the Anglo-Saxon shield wall, or how the Norman cavalry helped them to victory. Find out more about the daily life of the Benedictine Monks who lived at the Abbey with our free bookable Discovery Chest. Inside are activity bags containing challenges and replica objects representing different monastic buildings, such as the abbey church, which pupils can then explore.

For a hands-on, immersive experience, book a Discovery Visit workshop led by one of the site experts at 1066 Battle of Hastings, Abbey and Battlefield. At just £100 per session for up to 30 pupils these workshops offer quality learning experiences outside of the classroom:
• CONQUEST TOUR AND TALES (KS2-3): meet an Anglo-Saxon story-teller and hear tales of Norman power and English rebellion. See the site of the battlefield, re-enact the action, and learn how the dramatic events of 14 October 1066 had such an impact on England.£100 per class, session lasts 1 hour.
• 1066 BATTLEFIELD GCSE TOUR (KS4): give your students a more in-depth knowledge and understanding of the Battle of Hastings.100 per class, session lasts 1½ hours.

You can also download our free teaching resources to help support learning before, during and after your visit.

Which curriculum topics do we cater for?

Performing Arts School Trip

Bring the action of the Battle of Hastings to life on the site of the Battlefield. Use the script in the downloadable Teachers’ Kit available from the English Heritage website, divide your class into Normans and Saxons, and let the battle commence!

Religious Education School Trip

Christianity

Established after the Norman Conquest, Battle Abbey was a symbol of Norman Christianity, and a penance for the bloodshed of the Conquest. Use the on-site handling collection to investigate the lives of the monks who would have lived and worshipped at Battle Abbey.

Saxons School Trip

Edward the Confessor

Discover the story of Harold Godwinson, last Anglo Saxon king of England, and the events leading up to his defeat at the Battle of Hastings. Enhance learning with an expert-led Discovery Visit Workshop, and hear the story of 1006 from an Anglo-Saxon story-teller in CONQUEST TOUR AND TALES (KS2-3).

Medieval School Trip

Norman Conquest

Follow William the Conqueror’s journey leading to the Battle of Hastings, and discover what he did after winning the battle. Enhance learning with an expert-led Discovery Visit Workshop: tour the battlefield and learn about the events of the Norman Conquest in CONQUEST TOUR AND TALES (KS2-3). For older students, book a 1066 BATTLEFIELD GCSE TOUR (KS4) to give your students a more in-depth knowledge and understanding of the Battle of Hastings.

Human Geography School Trip

Settlement and land use

Explore the reasons why the Battle of Hastings took place here, and investigate key geographical features of the site that might have influenced the location of the battle and its outcome.

Monarchs School Trip

Follow William the Conqueror's journey leading to the Battle of Hastings, and discover what he did after the winning the battle as the first Norman King of England. Enhance learning with an expert-led Discovery Visit Workshop: tour the battlefield and learn about the events of the Norman Conquest in CONQUEST TOUR AND TALES (KS2-3). For older students, book a 1066 BATTLEFIELD GCSE TOUR (KS4) to give your students a more in-depth knowledge and understanding of the Battle of Hastings.

What size groups do we cater for?

There are generally no limits to the size of education group, provided the group meets our ratios for leaders to learners. Our Discovery Visit workshops are suitable for groups of up to 30. Please see our school visit terms and conditions on our website for further details.

On-site classroom facilities?

Many of our sites have education rooms that can be booked. Please check the relevant schools property page before making a booking.

Is there first aid on site?

Yes

Access for visitors with disabilities

Yes – please see our website for further details.

Visitors with Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Our facilities have been designed to be as accessible as possible in order to meet the different needs of our visitors. A summary of the facilities provided can be found on our schools property pages.
If you or anyone in your group has particular access needs, please let us know at the point of booking or get in touch with our bookings team before you visit. Please note that some facilities may require booking in advance.

Who are English Heritage?

English Heritage cares for over 400 historic buildings, monuments and sites - from world-famous prehistoric sites to grand medieval castles, from Roman forts on the edges of the empire to a Cold War bunker. Through these, we bring the story of England to life for over 10 million people each year, over 300,000 of whom are education visitors.
We’re the largest heritage provider of school trips and provide a wealth of free educational resources, alongside expert-led, paid-for workshops for KS1-4. The high-quality of our education provision has been recognised most recently with a number of Sandford awards. Caring for our places and their collections, for the benefit of this and future generations is a cornerstone of everything we do.
We are a charity, no. 1140351, and a company, no. 07447221, registered in England.