Trip ideas for schools across London and the South East this Autumn
09-06-2025
Autumn school trip ideas in the South East
Autumn marks the beginning of the new academic year, and taking pupils out of the classroom for a school trip early on can have many benefits for the year ahead.
At Readybus, we have over 20 years’ experience in supporting educators to organise school trips at all times across the academic year. Read on as we’re sharing some of our recommended destinations for memorable autumn school trips in London and the South East.
The benefits of booking a school trip in Autumn
Whilst school trips at any time are beneficial for learners, planning one at the beginning of the academic year has many benefits. Not only for the pupils attending but for you as the organiser:
Less competition and more choice: with summer typically being the most popular time for school trips, it can mean that many popular destinations book up well in advance. By taking advantage of a less popular time of year, you will have more choice of times, days and activities for your school trip.
Early subject immersion: rather than learning in a classroom setting, a school trip early in the academic year means pupils are immediately experiencing a different way of learning, bolstering learning opportunities and aiding understanding of topics.
More cost-effective: being outside of peak school trip season can mean that entrance fees are less expensive. This will help to make the school trip accessible for more pupils to attend.
Boosting class confidence: Particularly for new classroom groups, a school trip early in the year can help both teachers and pupils bond and build rapport.
Autumn South East school trip ideas: aligning with the curriculum
At any time of year, it can often be easier to get buy-in for school trips if the location and activities for the day are geared towards the curriculum. We’ve split our autumn school trip ideas in London and the South East into the core academic subjects, so you can easily get school trip inspiration for your desired subject.
English and humanities autumn school trip ideas
The South East of England is full of historical and literary sites and attractions that have many educational benefits for pupils including providing context for literary works and gaining understanding of life in the past.
Historical sites:
Hever Castle in Kent, which was once home to Anne Boleyn, provides a variety of learning opportunities for school groups including historic castle tours and workshops. School trips here will help pupils to understand Tudor history, royal life and architecture.
Weald & Downland Living Museum
For some, the best way to learn is to do, which is exactly what pupils can experience at the Weald & Downland Living Museum in West Sussex. Providing attendees with a unique and immersive opportunity to see what rural life was like in the past. The museum provides various learning programmes depending on the age range of your group.
Literary destinations:
Dedicated to the life, works and legacy of Jane Austen is the house where she spent the last eight years of her life. A visit to Jane Austen’s House in Hampshire allows pupils studying her works an immersive insight into her life and the Georgian era. Unsurprisingly this is a very popular school trip destination that is often booked far in advance over the summer months, so it is a great place to visit in those quieter Autumn months, however you still need to book your visit in advance.
Located in London, the Charles Dickens Museum is a must visit for any English, history or drama classes who will be studying his famous works. The museum delivers a variety of sessions and tours that span age groups and key stages.
Creative venues:
Help bring Shakespeare to life and increase understanding of the Bard’s works. A school trip to Shakespeare’s Globe can be particularly useful for English and drama classes and a variety of workshops and learning opportunities for all ages can be provided.
Inspire classes with discussions on art, art history and creative expression at Pallant House Gallery in Chichester. The gallery offers self-led visits as well as workshops aligned with key curriculum themes.
Maths autumn school trip ideas
When it comes to maths focused school trip destinations, you might need to get a little more creative as dedicated maths attractions are not as common as historical or literary sites. That being said, many school trip locations allow the opportunity for pupils to apply mathematical principles and practice basic and advanced skills outside of the classroom.
With a bit of thought a school trip to a large National Trust property such as Sheffield Park and Garden can be used as an immersive maths class for calculating distances, measuring tree heights or studying patterns. We’re suggesting Sheffield Park and Garden in particular for an autumnal visit as it provides a beautiful red and gold backdrop thanks to strategic planting at the beginning of the 20th century by Arthur Soames.
Dover Castle has a range of programmes that aim to bring learning to life and get you and your pupils out of the classroom. Aimed at maths learners in KS2 and KS3, they provide a ‘breaking codes in WW2’ activity, which helps to enrich mathematical understanding in an interesting way.
Science and discovery autumn school trip ideas
Autumn is an ideal time for getting classes outdoors to provide a different perspective on natural sciences.
A school trip to the Winchester Science Centre comes complete with a discovery workshop of your choice, a bespoke planetarium show and two floors of interactive exhibits. It is the perfect school trip for a drizzly autumnal day.
The Arundel Wetland Centre provides hands-on learning sessions to help classes bring the curriculum to life. A school trip here offers multiple opportunities for improving the understanding of ecosystems, conservation and learning about the animals who inhabit the centre.
The Observatory Science Centre
Allowing visitors to experience science through interactive activities, The Observatory Science Centre is located in Herstmonceux and allows hands-on learning for all key stages. For rainy autumn days, The Centre has over 90 educationally designed indoor exhibits for pupils to interact, have fun and learn with.
School coach hire for autumn trips
Once you’ve decided on the destination for your school trip, it’s time to consider transport options. Travelling by coach is often the most cost-effective option, and it means that your entire group can travel together.
At Readybus, we pride ourselves on providing school trip transport that you can trust. Our coaches are modern, comfortable and well-maintained with each having essential safety features to ensure safety on school trips and our drivers are all experienced and DBS-checked. Giving you peace of mind as a school trip organiser that your transport needs are taken care of is our top priority.
Learn more about our fleet of coaches and minibuses and book your autumn school trip transport with us today.
