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Design and Technology School Trips

Innovative problem solving

How can UK schools find design and technology trips to teach practical skills, materials, and innovation?

Design technology visits include maker spaces, engineering centres, and product design workshops - helping students prototype, evaluate, and create while linking to curriculum projects.

A recurring theme when teachers are asked what they are looking to get from their trip, is problem solving skills - a key aspect of the Design and Technology teaching at KS2 and KS3. Designed to feed children's creativity and imagination, Design and Technology draws on skills from a broad range of other curriculum subject, from maths and science to art and design.

Whatever your design and technology topic, we can help find a school visit that will complement your class activities and inspire your pupils' creativity and understanding. We have visits that focus on scientific inventions, modern architecture, pre-historic technology right through to the Age of Enlightenment. We have trips that will teach your class about how mining methods have changed through the years, and about how cutting edge design is helping to solve the energy problem.

If you need anything more ideas, please use the short form on this page to let us know your design and technology learning objective. Related topics include Cooking and Nutrition, Engineering and Art.

Find a school trip or workshop for the following Design Technology topics: 3D Printing, Architecture, Electronics, Fashion and textiles, Made to measure, Materials, Mechanics and engineering, Virtual Reality, and more.

Want to book Design Technology trips and workshops?

Let us find the perfect Design & Technology experience experience for your school trip




Popular school workshop July 2026 !

Beginner STEMbotics - Robotics & Coding KS1-KS2

location icon All UK Regions
apple iconScience, Physics, Computing, Design Technology, Engineering, SEN, Team Building, Maths


This workshop involves students building robots from instructions that can teach them about various mechanisms including cams, levers and pulleys, and gearing. If you would like us to focus the sessions on teaching a particular mechanism to link with your DT objectives please let us know in adva...

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Beginner STEMbotics - Robotics & Coding KS1-KS2 click hand icon
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Roman history workshop in a school hall
Roman Workshops
map pin in-school workshop

Construction Elements Included, where pupils have to follow instructions together to form the structure, so need to help and guide one another to ensure a successful build.
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London street scene
School Residentials in London
map pin London & South East

Head to the capital to bring learning alive with a huge variety of activities and sights - not forgetting 22 National Museums on offer. Discover Big Ben, Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace, along with the Eye, Madame Tussauds and London Dungeons.
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view of isambard kingdom brunels iron bridge
Iron Bridge
map pin West Midlands

Nestled in a spectacular wooded gorge stands a monument to British industry ' the world's first iron bridge. Crossing the River Severn, it was completed in 1779 and opened to traffic in 1781. It...
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KS1 child with a magnifying glass on a bug hunt
Day Visits
map pin London & South East

These programmes focus on the epic design of Lee Valley VeloPark and how the features of the giant in London's landscape help make the venue a success after the Olympics. Now including the new Lee...
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logo for education destination
Isle of Wight - The Island Classroom with Education Destination
map pin London & South East

The Isle of Wight is home to many fascinating and innovative companies who can impart real-life practical examples of the use of design and technology on visiting groups. From electronic products...
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school children learning about robotics
Intermediate OR Advanced STEMbotics Robotics & Coding Y4-Y11
map pin in-school workshop

This workshop involves students building robots from instructions that can teach them about various mechanisms including cams, levers and pulleys, and gearing. If you would like us to focus the...
> read

school children learning magnetic electronics
HYEN Magnetronics and Electricity Workshops
map pin in-school workshop

Our workshops deliver hands-on Design Technology skills taught by qualified engineers. Pupils work from circuit diagrams and design briefs to build functioning electrical systems - the same...
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models of space shuttle and moon
STEM Fairs
map pin online/in-school workshop

Immersive Experiences' VR programs cover the greatest variety of shows ' more than any planetarium in the world, with over 200 experiences to enjoy. Bring learning and entertainment together...
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Isle of Wight - The Island Classroom STEM Trips with Education Destination
Isle of Wight - The Island Classroom STEM Trips with Education Destination
map pin London & South East

The Isle of Wight is home to many fascinating and innovative companies who can impart real-life practical examples of the use of design and technology on visiting groups. From electronic products...
> read

WWII anderson shelter in a school hall made of sticks
WWII Anderson Shelter
map pin in-school workshop

Construction Elements Included, where pupils have to follow instructions together to form the structure, so need to help and guide one another to ensure a successful build.
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Tudor Galleon workshop in a school hall
Tudor Galleon Workshops
map pin in-school workshop

Construction Elements Included, where pupils have to follow instructions together to form the structure, so need to help and guide one another to ensure a successful build.
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school children working with cryptography puzzle
Cybersecurity & Cryptography Workshop - Y5-Y9
map pin in-school workshop

This workshop involves students building robots from instructions that can teach them about various mechanisms including cams, levers and pulleys, and gearing. If you would like us to focus the...
> read

Orford Castle
Orford Castle
map pin East of England

Discover one of England's most complete and unusual keeps, at this fascinating visitor attraction in Suffolk. The unique polygonal tower keep of Orford Castle stands beside the pretty town and former port, which Henry II also developed here.
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Victorian history workshop in a school hall
Victorian Workshop
map pin in-school workshop

Construction Elements Included, where pupils have to follow instructions together to form the structure, so need to help and guide one another to ensure a successful build
> read

school group learning about computers
Inventors & Makers Computing Workshops
map pin in-school workshop

We believe in inspiring every child to see themselves as an inventor and engineer, so they grow up knowing they can shape their world. Research shows that children form stereotypes about STEM and...
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View of Cleeve Abbey gateway
Cleeve Abbey
map pin South West

Use a school trip to Cleeve Abbey to expand your pupils' learning of history of art, craft, design and architecture, including periods, styles and major movements from ancient times up to the present day.
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recycled maps
Up-cycling and Recycling
map pin in-school workshop

Currently only 13% of our electronic waste is being recycled. The technological revolution has changed how we live and communicate, but at the same time has created new challenges environmentally....
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Mayan workshop in a school hall
Mayan Workshops
map pin in-school workshop

Construction Elements Included, where pupils have to follow instructions together to form the structure, so need to help and guide one another to ensure a successful build.
> read

3D design technology workshop
Early Engineers Express
map pin in-school workshop

Designing and making; building structures; exploring mechanisms Our workshop focuses on hands-on exploration, enabling children to make sense of the "made world" through construction and material...
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pendennis castle
Pendennis Castle
map pin South West

Use the 'Build me a Fortress!' activity in the Teachers' Kit, available from the English Heritage website, to understand how the castle was built and the materials used, and then create your own model fortress back in the classroom.
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Design Technology School Trips FAQ: Workshops, Factory Visits and SEND Tips for Teachers

7 January 2026

Design Technology School Trips FAQ: Workshops, Factory Visits and SEND Tips for Teachers

Why take Design Technology classes on trips?
Design Technology trips allow pupils to see how products are designed and made in real settings such as factories, museums, or maker spaces. Students learn about materials, manufacturing processes, and product design beyond the classroom workshop. These visits often inspire more creative project ideas and support practical curriculum work.

DT workshop at school or visit out - which works best?
Workshops bring tools and materials directly to school (£200-£500) and allow pupils to build or prototype products. Visits to design museums or manufacturing sites provide real world inspiration. Many schools use workshops for developing practical skills and visits to show how design works in industry.

Free Design Technology places schools can visit?
Yes. The V and A Museum design galleries in London offer free entry. Some maker markets and design exhibitions are also free for school groups. Many museums allow educational group bookings without entry fees, though travel costs still apply.

Top 10 Design Technology school trips teachers recommend (2026 check):

1. V and A Museum, London (design galleries, free)
2. Science Museum, London (inventions and engineering)
3. Ironbridge Gorge, Shropshire (historic engineering)
4. In-school maker workshops (prototyping and product design)
5. Thinktank, Birmingham (technology and product design)
6. Eden Project, Cornwall (sustainable design ideas)
7. National Railway Museum, York (train engineering and design)
8. Glasgow Science Centre (technology and innovation)
9. Local manufacturing factories (product tours)
10. Kew Gardens, London (nature inspired design)

Design Technology trips for SEND pupils - what helps?
Museums such as the V and A provide tactile exhibits and accessible displays. Workshops can adapt tools and materials for different motor abilities. Larger construction pieces and simplified instructions often work well. Checking accessibility and planning extra adult support helps ensure all pupils can participate.

Typical cost for Design Technology trips:
- Free museums plus travel: £5-£15 per child
- Visitor centres: £8-£18 entry
- Workshops: £200-£500
- Residential design or maker camps: £150-£280 per child

Schools can sometimes apply for grants or industry sponsorship to support Design Technology learning activities.


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