NWT Holme Dunes

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What will students see and do?

Learn about coastal management and marine ecosystems with a school trip to Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s Holme Dunes. Located where the Wash in Norfolk meets the North Sea, this outdoor learning venue is an important site for birds, toads, butterflies and other wildlife.

You’ll want to bring your binoculars and bird migration maps – because of Holme Dunes’ unique location, it attracts large numbers of migrating birds, including rare breeds such as wrynecks and yellow-browed warblers, as well as barn owls, which are often seen on still days in the late afternoon.

Walk along the Norfolk Coast Path to boost pupils’ appreciation for the local flora and fauna, including the important sea buckthorn plant, which helps to stabilise the dunes and provide food for migrating birds.

Group leaders can also take advantage of Holme Dunes’ links to the past. As well as holding a collection of military remains from the second world war, this NWT site can also complement lessons on the Bronze Age for KS2, as it is the site where a timber circle known as ‘Seahenge’ was discovered.

Primary school trips to Holme Dunes’ coastal habitat offer students the opportunity to study insects through hands-on minibeast activities and sea dipping. Secondary educational visits will focus on the changing Norfolk coastline, helping students become familiar with the processes that shape the coast and how it’s being protected today.

How does the trip link to the curriculum?

Holme Dunes offers a range of outdoor activities for kids that can be tailored to support Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 science, as well as GCSE and A-Level curriculums.

Through the site’s outdoor education programme, students will dive into the marine ecosystem and how it is affected by both natural and human activities. Other sessions introduce students to the reality of coastal erosion and how water impacts the land.

Primary educational trips will involve exciting environmental games and opportunities for kids to create works of art with the natural objects they find on site. By allowing children to indulge in outdoor play, they’ll learn to identify common plants and animals and experience nature through all of their senses.

With a host of engaging games and activities available for students, there is no doubt that they will come away with a greater appreciation for the wildlife of Norfolk and a few tips on how to protect the environment. Qualified by Learning Outside the Classroom, Holme Dunes offers a range of school trip ideas that groups can take advantage of, or the site can be used for self-guided tours.

Subjects covered

Geography

Science

Teaching resources provided

PowerPoints are available to help group leaders prepare for secondary and primary school trips to any Norfolk Wildlife trust site. These resources introduce the Trust, the reserve, key words and other useful information, including what children should wear and dining suggestions.

Minimum and maximum group size

Pupils will need to be split into groups and rotated around your chosen sessions.

Details of risk assessment

Contact the team to request a teachers’ pack. This includes risk assessments to support your planning.

PLANNING

Don't miss our downloadable A-Z guide on completing a risk assessment

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Facilities On-Site

The visitor centre and café sells gifts and refreshments. Outdoor seating and toilet facilities are available, including wheelchair-accessible toilets.

Opening Times

The reserve is open all year round from 10am to 5pm or dusk. The visitor centre and café are open 10am to 4pm.

Each workshop session lasts approximately one hour, so you can choose a range of sessions to fill your day.

Pricing

Activities cost £3 per pupil, per activity. For self-guided tours, Norfolk Wildlife Trust charges £1.31 + VAT per student.

For one NWT Education Officer, the trust charges a minimum of £120 + VAT for a half-day, or £200 + VAT for a full day.

For two NWT Education Officers, the trust charges a minimum of £220 + VAT for a half-day, or £295 + VAT for a full day.

Travel arrangements

From Hunstanton, head north along the A149. Look out for signs to the nature reserve on the left before Holme-next-the-Sea. When the road ends, turn right down the gravel track until you reach the car park opposite the visitor centre. Park on the left side of the track in the NWT car park.