Chester Zoo
Photos of Chester Zoo
What will students see and do?
Situated in the North West, just outside of Chester, Chester Zoo is the UK’s most visited wildlife attraction. With over 37,000 animals and plants and 128 acres to explore and discover, it’s the perfect location for a curriculum-linked school trip.
Chester Zoo is an all-weather attraction, with lots of wide open spaces to explore as well as large indoor animal habitats and plant houses if the weather isn’t the best. There’s still plenty to see and do in the comfort and the warmth.
Self-directed trips, supported by a huge range of free learning resources, are one way to explore the zoo, but the way to make the most of your school trip is to book one of the curriculum-linked workshops.
These workshops span the key stages and cover topics across the curriculum, from geography and science to business and visitor studies.
You can book a guided tour workshop with one of the zoo’s education experts, an escape room in the immersive projection space, Sumba House Digital Theatre, or a more traditional classroom workshop in the newly built Conservation Education Hub, which includes three purpose-built classrooms and a digital studio to deliver virtual workshops and create video resources and podcasts.
How does the trip link to the curriculum?
With biodiversity, conservation and sustainability traditionally sitting within science-based subjects such as geography and science, trips looking to support these subjects will get the most out of a visit to Chester Zoo.
However, as the planet changes and species continue to decline, the passion of the next generation to make a change and protect our planet and the species within it for future generations grows ever stronger.
A visit to the zoo can connect young children with wildlife and the world around them. It links to citizenship, PHSE and philosophy and can form the basis of pieces of writing in English and performance in drama.
The programme of workshops, in conjunction with the comprehensive platform of learning resources, is designed to support cross-curriculum learning.
Subjects covered
Teaching resources provided
To really make the most of their trip to the zoo, schools can take advantage of the extensive platform of free learning resources available before, during, and after a visit.
The resources platform, which is available here, includes over 250 individual resources that support learning across the curriculum.
You can search by age, subject, resource type and topic. Resources include videos, infographics, fact files, images and games.
There are activities your group can take part in while on their visit to the zoo, as pre-work to build interest before the trip, or as additional work back at school.
The platform grew during the pandemic to support self-directed learning at home, and through Chester Zoo’s resource packages, young people can spend several hours on a guided programme of work.
The platform also provides topic-based curriculum toolkits. Generously supported by Ferrero, these contain everything you need to embed conservation and sustainability messaging across the curriculum and include knowledge organisers, slide decks, printable resources and lesson plans.
Minimum and maximum group size
There is no minimum number of students for educational rates.
The site recommends schools visit in groups of no more than 300; if you do wish to bring more than this, the recommendation is to visit over multiple days to ensure the best experience.
Details of risk assessment
This is no single risk assessment provided, as these will vary according to the individual nature of visiting groups. Comprehensive health and safety information provided for groups can be found here.
Don't miss our downloadable A-Z guide on completing a risk assessment
Facilities on-site
Chester Zoo’s facilities include:
- Wheelchair and mobility scooter hire (no charge for schools)
- An indoor picnic lodge and picnic facilities around the site
- Four café/restaurants
- Numerous food and drink kiosks
- Three gift shops
- Pop-up retail outlets
- Toilets, including changing facilities
- The Conservation Education Hub
- An immersive digital theatre
Opening times
Chester Zoo is typically open 10am–5pm, though closing times vary throughout the year.
Pricing
Off peak: September–May
Child: £10
Adults within ratios: Free
Additional adults outside of ratios: £13
Peak: June–July
Child: £13.75
Adults within ratios: Free
Additional adults outside of ratios: £17.75
Travel arrangements
There is a large coach park at the zoo’s main entrance.
For those arriving via public transport, the X1 bus service stops outside the main entrance. There is also a park-and-ride outside, which stops at Chester Railway Station.
Address
Chester Zoo
Upton-by-Chester
Chester
CH2 1EU
Book your school trip to Chester Zoo
For information on booking your school trip to this venue, click below.
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