Rocket Science and Forces School Trip
Royal Gunpowder Mills
Waltham Abbey EN9 1JY
This school trip to The Royal Gunpowder Mills offers students a fun, curriculum-linked learning experience that blends hands-on scientific investigation and explosive experiments with historical insight. Designed for upper Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 learners, the day aims to deepen students’ understanding of forces and motion through practical application in an inspiring historical setting.About the Site
The Royal Gunpowder Mills is a 170-acre site in Waltham Abbey, Essex, that played a key role in British scientific and military history. Originally an industrial production site, it became a top-secret research facility after the Second World War, specialising in explosives and propellants until the late 1990s. Chemists, physicists, engineers, and lab technicians worked here on advanced scientific projects, making it a significant location for students to explore both science and history.
British Science Week 2026
Our trip exploring forces perfectly connects to the British Science Week theme of curiosity because it encouraged us to ask questions about how and why things move. From testing gravity and friction to experimenting with pushes and pulls, we used curiosity to explore the invisible forces that shape our everyday world. It was a hands-on way to discover science through wondering, exploring, and learning.
We can visit your school in: London & South East
What activities are available during educational visits?
About the Day
Visits run from 10:30 AM – 2:00 PM
(Arrival from 10:00 AM | Departure by 2:30 PM)
Morning Activities: Interactive Science Show and Exhibition Visit
Students will be welcomed by an educator in character as Professor Gaunt, a scientist who once worked at the Mills conducting top-secret explosives research. In a fun and interactive one-hour science show, the Professor will explore key concepts from the national curriculum—specifically forces, Newton’s laws of motion, and energy transfer—through engaging demonstrations and practical activities. There may even be some gunpowder involved!
Following the show, students will visit the Main Exhibition, where they will learn more about the history of the Royal Gunpowder Mills as an industrial and scientific site. Exhibits explain the materials and chemistry behind gunpowder, nitroglycerin, cordite, and more. Students can also watch video interviews with former scientists who worked at the site, alongside footage of some of their more dangerous and exciting experiments.
Afternoon Activities: Rocket-Making Workshop and Rocket Vault Visit
In this hands-on session, students will design, build, and launch their own air-powered rockets. As they construct their rockets, they’ll be encouraged to think critically about how each design feature affects motion and how air pressure can be used to create thrust.
Using their understanding from the science show, KS3 students will be guided to:
Make predictions based on scientific reasoning
Identify variables and construct fair tests
Record data and measure outcomes (e.g. flight distance)
Upper KS2 students will develop foundational skills in observation, prediction, and reflection.
If time allows, students will also explore the Rocket Vault, featuring a display of British rocket design from the 20th century and beyond. With models, prototypes, and real rocket remnants, the exhibition sparks curiosity about the scale, speed, and technological advancement of rockets used in both military and satellite applications.
Visits run from 10:30 AM – 2:00 PM
(Arrival from 10:00 AM | Departure by 2:30 PM)
Morning Activities: Interactive Science Show and Exhibition Visit
Students will be welcomed by an educator in character as Professor Gaunt, a scientist who once worked at the Mills conducting top-secret explosives research. In a fun and interactive one-hour science show, the Professor will explore key concepts from the national curriculum—specifically forces, Newton’s laws of motion, and energy transfer—through engaging demonstrations and practical activities. There may even be some gunpowder involved!
Following the show, students will visit the Main Exhibition, where they will learn more about the history of the Royal Gunpowder Mills as an industrial and scientific site. Exhibits explain the materials and chemistry behind gunpowder, nitroglycerin, cordite, and more. Students can also watch video interviews with former scientists who worked at the site, alongside footage of some of their more dangerous and exciting experiments.
Afternoon Activities: Rocket-Making Workshop and Rocket Vault Visit
In this hands-on session, students will design, build, and launch their own air-powered rockets. As they construct their rockets, they’ll be encouraged to think critically about how each design feature affects motion and how air pressure can be used to create thrust.
Using their understanding from the science show, KS3 students will be guided to:
Make predictions based on scientific reasoning
Identify variables and construct fair tests
Record data and measure outcomes (e.g. flight distance)
Upper KS2 students will develop foundational skills in observation, prediction, and reflection.
If time allows, students will also explore the Rocket Vault, featuring a display of British rocket design from the 20th century and beyond. With models, prototypes, and real rocket remnants, the exhibition sparks curiosity about the scale, speed, and technological advancement of rockets used in both military and satellite applications.
Which curriculum topics do we cater for?
Physics School Trip
Forces and magnets Fuels and Energy Energy changes and transfers (KS3/4) Forces (KS3/4) Balanced forces (KS3/4) Forces and motion (KS3/4) Earth and space Forces Forces Forces Describing motion (KS3/4) Aviation and Flight
Students see Newton’s laws of motion brought to life in the interactive science show and through the hands on activity of rocket making and launching. Through these they will explore concepts such as forces and motion, gravity and air resistance, energy transfer and conservation, and pressure and thrust.
Chemistry School Trip
Chemical Reactions Scientists and inventors
At the Royal Gunpowder Mills, students are introduced to the chemistry of explosives and propellants such as gunpowder, nitroglycerin, and cordite. This sparks curiosity by demonstrating how chemical reactions can have powerful real-world effects. During the science show, students observe experiments that showcase exothermic reactions—chemical changes that release heat and gas.
Learning is further deepened during a visit to the Rocket Vault, where students explore the real-world applications of chemistry in military history, the development of explosives, and space science, including the role of propellants in rocket launches.
Engineering School Trip
Students learn about engineering through the hands-on process of building their own air-powered rockets, considering how air pressure, shape, and stability affect flight—just like real engineers. By exploring our Rocket Vault display, they also reflect on how the design of both rockets and rocket fuel changes depending on flight conditions and the speed at which the rocket is designed to travel.
What size groups do we cater for?
We welcome groups of all sizes; however, please note that pricing is based on a class size of up to 30 students. For larger school groups, we are happy to arrange visits across multiple consecutive days.
On-site classroom facilities?
Yes We do have the ability to provide a classroom-like environment. You can tell us your group size and any specific requirements in the form below.
Is there first aid on site?
Yes
Access for visitors with disabilities
All our education spaces are wheelchair accessible.
Visitors with Special Educational Needs (SEN)
When booking your trip with us, you will have a discussion with our Learning and Outreach Officer about the needs of your group and how Royal Gunpowder Mills can best adapt our sessions.
Who are Royal Gunpowder Mills?
Royal Gunpowder Mills is a charitable organization dedicated to preserving, protecting, and sharing the rich history and natural heritage of 175 acres of historic buildings, wildlife, and archaeological sites. Situated in Waltham Abbey, Essex, we are home to 21 listed buildings and much of the site is designated as a Scheduled Monument and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Schools and education groups have been visiting our site for over 20 years and those who know about us visit every year. Check out this testimonial from one of our recent trips:
'We visited the Royal Gunpowder Mills in June. Our year 2 classes took part in the Rockets workshop and the Habitats workshop. Both sessions were extremely engaging and well-organised. The resources were excellent and completely suitable for the age group. Both sessions supported and were relevant to Science topics that we had covered (Animals and Habitats and Forces).
The staff were so friendly and helpful in every aspect, from meeting us from the coach and guiding us throughout the day and then escorting us back to the coach at the end. '
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