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Design and Technology School Trips

Innovative problem solving

PlanMySchoolTrip

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




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poster of school toys from the past
ToysInSchool
map pin in-school workshop

The children will use (with one-on-one supervision) a range of tools such as "a hand drill" and "hammer" to build their own wooden toy and use glue and string to join materials and components.
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The MAD Museum
The MAD Museum
map pin West Midlands

Covering Year 1-11+. MAD covers mechanics, engineering, electronics and different materials. Get to grips with the wonderfully inquisitive world of engineering and purposeful beauty. We help pupils...
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KS2 school children building a structure during a STEM workshop
Hands-On In-Person STEM Workshops & Clubs
map pin in-school workshop

Our workshops for KS1 and KS2 are linked to many areas of the Design & Technology curriculum, including engineering structures, mechanisms and the design process itself. We'll help your pupils...
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inside view of ely cathedral
Ely Cathedral
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 class building a ferris wheel out of wooden canes
Ferris Wheel
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 class making a bridge during a stem workshop
Bridge Building / Bridges, Maths & Design
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 workshop showing children building a bridge
Bridge Building For KS1
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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Experience STEM in Zero-Gravity: VR Space Workshop
Experience STEM in Zero-Gravity: VR Space Workshop
map pin in-school workshop

Students experience Design Technology through a design challenge in space!. After exploring the International Space Station in VR, they must design an extra feature to improve life or work on board....
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children reconstructing a windrush era boat
Empire Windrush
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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environmentally friendly project using a bike and recycling
Arts, Crafts & Planet Friendly Projects
map pin in-school workshop

Our arts workshops align with the Design & Technology curriculum by engaging students in the full creative process-from research and idea development to design, making, and evaluation. Projects like...
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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
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STEM science workshop in a school hall
STEM Workshop
map pin in-school workshop

We only use two materials in the majority of our workshops; dowel and rubber bands. Using these simple materials pupils can easily grasp the importance of triangulation and strong bond in structures, both made made and natural.
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3D design technology workshop
Early Engineers Express
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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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school hall workshop for anglo saxon building
Anglo Saxon 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.
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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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Prehistory workshop in a school hall
Pre History 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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child wearing safety goggles for a school science workshop
Fab Science In-school Workshops
map pin in-school workshop

The Big STEM Challenge: work as a team to build a HUGE pyramid in your school hall. Find out about the varied roles in construction, from structural engineers to demolition experts! The structure is 4M tall and a whole class and fit inside it. Also works well for an engineering topic.
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art and fashion creations in a classroom
Business & Enterprise Workshops - Dragons Den & Fashion
map pin in-school workshop

ur workshops bring Design & Technology learning objectives to life through hands-on, practical activities that develop creativity, problem-solving, and technical skills: Designing & Developing...
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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 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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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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Outdoor Education at Bore Place
Design Technology Day Trips

Fantastic venue to get your pupils outdoors learning about the countryside, food, farming and the environment

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Organic Farming and Healthy Eating at Bore Place
Design Technology Residential

Bore Place in Kent use the national curriculum to teach school groups about organic farming, food chains and learning outside the classroom.

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New Educational Programmes at Cotswold Farm Park
Design Technology Day Trips

Beth, the new education officer at Adam Henson's Cotswold Farm Park, shares exciting changes that are happening at the farm this year.

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Class Trip to an Airport
Design Technology Day Trips

Let your class climb aboard a real aircraft, whilst learning about the different job roles that help ensure the airport runs smoothly.

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