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Physics School Trips and Workshops

Sound, Light, Forces and magnets, Earth and space

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What physics school trips in the UK best demonstrate forces, energy, motion, and electricity for secondary students?

Physics educational visits feature rocket launches, rollercoaster design challenges, and interactive exhibits on waves and magnetism, aligning directly with the secondary curriculum to help students visualise and experiment with core physics principles.

Physics, broadly speaking, looks at how matter moves through space and time and also the way energy and force has an effect on this movement. While the history of discovery and understanding through characters like Aristotle, Newton and Einstein, is an essential grounding for all students, especially as many of the discoveries are every bit as valid today as they were hundreds of years ago. Yet to teach a subject which for many is rather difficult to understand, in such a way as to engage students and help them make sense of it all, is the difference between being a physics teacher and being someone who really inspires.

Physics governs our very lives, so making this connection between those stuffy mathematical formulas that make your brain hurt, and the physics of the every day is really important. Chances are new technologies such as computers or nuclear energy will inspire your class. You could also look at physics in sport; how coaches and trainers looking to science to get the most of their athletes or why formula one teams spend millions researching and developing new technology to make their cars go faster. Or what about why athletes such as swimmers spend hours analysing their technique to ensure they move through the water with the greatest efficiency.

Space Week | October 2026

Space Week from 4-10 October 2026, with the theme 'The Rocket Revolution', is perfect for fuelling children's wonder about the universe. UK schools love booking trips to planetariums, science centres or observatories where children can find out more about rocket launches, and what it is like being an astronaut. From the National Space Centre in Leicester to Jodrell Bank in Cheshire, these science centres can tell you about the space race and moon landings, having the types of interactive exhibits that enthral primary school children. If you are looking for a Space Week school trip to boost your STEM learning, popular venues like the Science Museum's space shows book up months ahead.

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You might be surprised how many physics school trips there are out there, from a short day trip to take part in hands-on experiments and demonstrations at a science centre in the UK, to a week long visit studying particle physics with 8,000 of the worlds leading scientists at CERN (see our European trips section), The European Organisation for Nuclear research in Switzerland, the opportunities to get your students learning about Earth and space outside the classroom are plentiful. For in-school see our space workshops page. Alternatively, study physics during British Science Week

Find a school trip or workshop for the following Physics topics: Aviation and Flight, Earth and space, Electricity and circuits, Forces, Forces and magnets, Fuels and Energy, Gears and Pulleys, Light, Planetarium, Rollercoasters, Seasonal change, Sound, Time, Weather, and more.

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Popular school workshop June 2026 !

Beginner STEMbotics - Robotics & Coding KS1-KS2

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


Many of our robotics challenges have cross-curricular links (i.e. building Lunar and Mars rovers). The challenges linked to these robot designs require students to grasp scientific concepts in physics in order to achieve their goals. Students will learn about the impact of friction by experimenting ...

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Beginner STEMbotics - Robotics & Coding KS1-KS2 click hand icon
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child on climbing wall at hangloose adventure eden
Hangloose Adventure Eden
map pin South West

At Hangloose Adventure, students will experience the key concepts of physics through hands-on activities. From understanding forces, motion, and energy on the Zip Line and Gravity Swing, every...
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Image showing VR school workshops for KS2 KS3 tailored experiences fro schools.
Custom VR Adventures: Tailored Virtual Reality Experiences
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Our Earth and space VR workshop is one of our most popular and a fantastic use of VR. Students will experience a rocket blasting off, then join astronauts aboard the ISS in a stunning 360 video before...
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KS2 school children building a structure during a STEM workshop
Hands-On In-Person STEM Workshops & Clubs
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We produce dedicated KS1 and KS2 workshops for British Science Week every year and our full range of workshops covers a variety of topics including aviation and rollercoasters, linking closely to the...
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school science lesson with test tube
Xplore! Science Outreach
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Sound, Light, Forces and magnets, Earth and space, Forces, Electricity and circuits, Fuels and Energy, Describing motion (KS3/4), Forces (KS3/4), Forces and motion (KS3/4), Static electricity (KS3/4),...
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school of noise logo
School Of Noise online
map pin online/in-school workshop

The workshops can help start or end a topic relating to sound and music. Our cross-curricular activities will help pupils to see links between subjects. For example, medical stethoscopes would also...
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big school camp trailer and camping equipment
Big School Camp South
map pin London & South East, East of England, South West

1. Feral Science deliver curriculum physics from Upper KS2 to GCSE outdoors 2. We use bushcraft, navigation and other outdoor skills to reveal the principles that underpin curriculum physics 3. All...
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School children wearing VR headsets and high vis jackets
VR Careers Workshop: Virtual Work Experience for Schools
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The workshop helps students see how physics is used in real technical and workplace settings. Through simulations linked to construction, engineering and manufacturing, learners can explore ideas such...
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school group doing an escape room exercise
Science School Escape Rooms
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Primary Schools - We deliver a generic Science Escape with a mix of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Secondary Schools - We deliver a generic Science Escape with a specifically design Physics Escape for GCSE years.
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VR view from the ISS space station
Experience STEM in Zero-Gravity: VR Space Workshop
map pin in-school workshop

Students explore physics through an immersive journey into space. Using VR, they observe a moving model of the solar system and see how the planets orbit the Sun, helping them understand key ideas...
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three children with virtual reality headsets
Science VR Day
map pin in-school workshop

PrimeVR can bring your science topic to life by blasting your pupils into space! Using virtual reality headsets, we'll introduce your class to the different planets in our Solar System, their respective sizes, the Milky Way Galaxy and we'll even get to see the International Space Station!
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models of planets
Hands on Space
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Students will gain a better understanding of the Solar System, its size, scale and inhabitants with this practical workshop. By the end of the workshop, students will be able to tell the difference...
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Image for a school trip at Leighton Hall in Lancashire KS2 KS3 KS4 History School Trips Victorians Bushcraft Wildlife and Art school trips
Leighton Hall
map pin North West

Seasonal change, sound and light: The woodland walk with its deciduous and evergreen trees, bulbs, ferns, mosses and undergrowth, offers the chance to explore change throughout the seasons....
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Viking longboat workshop in a school hall
Viking Workshops
map pin in-school workshop

As with Design & Technology it is the engineering contained in STEM that applies to Physics within our workshops and the importance of triangulation in structures
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Image for a school workshop for Augmented Reality workshops KS2
Augmented Reality
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Bring learning to life with Augmented Reality experiences that blend the real world with interactive digital content. Students explore science, space, wildlife, history, and STEM through exciting hands-on AR activities that boost engagement
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magnet logo
Forces & Magnets
map pin in-school workshop

During the course of the workshop day, our drama facilitator will guide your class through the scientific concepts including push/pull forces, gravity, resistance, floating, sinking and magnets.
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A VR headset and controllers
VRXtra Kingston
map pin London & South East

At VRXtra Kingston, students can experience the principles of physics in action through immersive virtual reality simulations. Our VR programs allow learners to experiment with the space, forces,...
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secondary students with biology work sheets at the royal parks
The Royal Parks
map pin London & South East

Sunny? Windy? Rainy? Venture outside and discover how to measure the weather and relate it to seasonal patterns, learn about different clouds and record your own weather forecast!
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Image showing a STEM school workshop. KS2 KS3
STEM
map pin in-school workshop

Watch a black hole spin, or Saturn appear with its rings... find out more about the elements and their structures... Our Augmented Reality software will do all this and more, right in front of your students' eyes!
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children in a classroom being show how toys are made
Toy Making Experience Days
map pin in-school workshop

When discovering the toys at the beginning of the day we explore how the toys work through forces, focusing mainly on push, pull and gravity. We look at about 30 different toys that all work very...
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school child wearing a VR headset in the classroom
Virtual Reality Day
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PrimeVR can bring your science topics to life using virtual reality! Imagine blasting off into space to see the planets and the Milky Way Galaxy. We can even take your class to see the International Space Station!
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Physics School Trips - Frequently Asked Questions

1 March 2026

Why bother with physics trips?
Seeing forces in action makes concepts real - like dropping things from towers or riding rollercoasters to feel acceleration. It turns dry stuff (equations, waves) into something exciting, and for GCSE/A-level, it helps with practical requirements for exams.

Workshop in school or trip to a physics site?
Workshops are handy for controlled demos (magnets, electricity circuits) at £200-£500, especially if weather is bad. Trips to observatories or theme parks show real-world applications. We do workshops for Year 8 basics and trips for Year 11 when they need motivation.

Free physics options?
Yes - Science Museum's free physics galleries in London, local parks for gravity experiments, and university open days with telescopes or labs. Travel costs may apply.

Top 10 physics school trips (2026 check):

1. Science Museum, London (forces, energy exhibits, free)
2. National Space Centre, Leicester (rockets, gravity)
3. Jodrell Bank Observatory, Cheshire (waves, astronomy)
4. Alton Towers or Thorpe Park (rollercoasters for motion)
5. Glasgow Science Centre (electricity, light shows)
6. Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh (earth forces, volcanoes)
7. In-school Physics Buskers workshops (demos, experiments)
8. Royal Observatory, Greenwich (time, space)
9. Catalyst Centre, Widnes (materials, energy)
10. Local wind farms (renewable energy tours)

Physics trips for SEND:
Ask venues upfront - National Space Centre has accessible planetarium; theme parks have quiet zones. Workshops can use tactile demos like magnets. Small groups at observatories work well with extra planning.

Budget guide:
- Free museums + transport: £5-£14 per kid
- Space centres: £8-£18 entry
- Workshops: £200-£500
- Theme park days: £15-£30 (with education packs)

Look for school rates and book in bulk for savings.


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Florida: The Place for Space

Florida is a premier destination for space education, blending a rich spaceflight legacy with cutting-edge innovation and hands-on learning. Home to Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral, the state offers students direct...

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360° Digital Domes Cover ALL Subjects

Digital planetariums now offer more than just astronomy and Space. Our extensive immersive show catalogue also covers under the sea, geography, history, dinosaurs, evolution, maths, geology, human biology, environmental science, art and...

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