RHS Garden Hyde Hall

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What will students see and do?

RHS Hyde Hall in Essex offers outdoor education opportunities for students from Early Years Foundation Stage to Key Stage 4, as well as children with SEN of all ages.

Pupils will have the chance to explore the varied habitats of Hyde Hall’s numerous gardens, including the tranquil, natural styles of Clover Hill, the Dry Garden, which showcases brilliant drought-tolerant plants, and the Global Growth Vegetable Garden, which hosts crops from around the world throughout the year.

Students will explore formal gardens, vegetable plots and insects through a self-guided visit or free workshops for schools. However group leaders plan their day, children will enjoy exploring the immersive world of plants through hands-on learning activities in this vibrant and stimulating environment.

As well as exploring the various habitats contained within the site, RHS school gardening workshops are held by qualified teachers in the purpose-built Clore Learning Centre. Here, pupils will study plants in raised beds to learn how they have adapted and grown over time.

Situated just 30 minutes away from North London, Hyde Hill is like a secret garden for visitors. The expansive site offers something for everyone, from meadows to woodlands to ornamental gardens and veg plots.

How does the trip link to the curriculum?

Hyde Hall gardens offer free school visits to enrich science, art and maths lessons through creative activities and engaging workshops. Group leaders can choose from an array of interactive RHS gardening courses for their students to take part in.

For EYFS and Key Stage 1, workshops include sensory awareness games and activities that adapt the teachings of Andy Goldsworthy for kids by encouraging them to get creative with found objects.

Hyde Hall also offers garden crafts for kids in Key Stage 2, as well as lessons on how to grow plants from seed. Students learn to look with a scientist’s eye at the diverse range of habitats on the site and the different plants and animals that call them home.

Pupils in Key Stages 3 and 4 will delve deeper into topics of food production and sustainability, as well as learning more about the importance of biodiversity. All ages and abilities can be catered for at Hyde Hall, and teachers are free to choose the garden activities that will best suit their students.

Subjects covered

Maths

Science

Teaching resources provided

Hyde Hall offers a number of resources for self-guided visits for EYFS curriculum, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, including games for outdoor learning and educational worksheets.

Visit the website to view the full list of self-guided school trip ideas.

Minimum and maximum group size

The Clore Learning Centre can hold a maximum of 90 students.

Details of risk assessment

You will receive supporting information for school trip risk assessments with your booking form. Children will be required to wear a high-visibility vest throughout their visit.

PLANNING

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Facilities On-Site

The Clore Learning Centre and Garden is an education building that offers a large indoor classroom and enclosed courtyard garden specifically designed with primary school trips in mind, though the centre can cater for all ages, from EYFS to adult workshops. Those on a guided visit can store coats, bags and packed lunches here.

Picnic tables are available for eating packed lunches, and grass areas are open for outdoor play. Students on educational visits to this Learning Outside the Classroom-qualified site are encouraged to dress for the weather, as tours will be held come rain or shine.

The Gardeners Rest Restaurant is located in Hyde Hall’s Hilltop Garden and is open for breakfast and lunch. The Clover Café sells hot drinks as well as cakes and sandwiches. Hot meals are also available for breakfast and lunch.

Visitors can also pick up souvenirs from the Hyde Hall Shop and Plant Centre RHS gift shop.

Opening Times

Open 10am-5pm daily, except Christmas Day.

Pricing

School trips to RHS Garden Hyde Hall are free of charge.

Travel arrangements

RHS Hyde Hall is located 20 minutes outside the centre of Chelmsford, Essex. Look out for signposts from the A130 southbound.

By car: From the M25, take junction 29 for the A127 (Southend). Exit onto the A132 (Wickford/South Woodham Ferrers). From the A12, exit at junction 17. At the roundabout, take the second exit for the A130 (Southend/Basildon). From the A130 at the Rettendon Turnpike roundabout, follow the tourist attraction signs towards South Woodham Ferrers on the A132. Turn onto Willow Grove/Creephedge Lane at the Shaw Farm roundabout.

Free car parking is available for visitors.