School Visits
We are redeveloping the Blenheim Education programme.
| Sunderland Academy | Blandford Academy | Marlborough Academy |
| For Primary and Secondary school groups | From EFL, ESL and EAL groups | For students aged 18+ |
|
Staff-led workshops Self-led resources from Spring 2023 |
Self-led resources from Summer 2023 | To come from 2026 |
We offer English, Maths, History, Geography and Art workshops to KS1, KS2 and KS3 groups (the Geography and Art workshops are temporarily unavailable).
In each workshop (except Art), pupils will work together using a range of materials and methods to find information that will help them to solve challenges. They'll learn from Churchill's inspiring speeches, historical objects that they can handle, and the buildings and environment of the Palace. The teamwork and interactive nature of the workshops is designed to be a fun and fulfilling environment for learning, and teams will be rewarded for their effort and their approach to the tasks set.
From Spring 2023, we will offer new educational self-led resources: History, Science, Art & DT and Citizenship.
The History and Art & DT are designed to explore the past and the present of Blenheim Palace, while the Science and Citizenship explore the present the future of Blenheim Estates.
To obtain the self-led resources, please go to Self-led School Visits below.
| History | English | Maths | Art | Geography | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KS1 | X | X | X | X | |
| KS2 | X | X | X | X | X |
| KS3 | X | X |
All workshops are staff led.
History, English, and Maths visits consist of a 45-minute workshop and a complimentary 45-minute guided tour.
Interactive handsets are available for History, Math, and Art.
The Geography and Art workshops are temporarily unavailable.
| History | |
|---|---|
| Staff led | 45-minute workshop focusing on Winston Churchill and the Second World War, and a complimentary guided tour. |
| Self led | Optional one-hour interactive handset focusing on the Second World War at Blenheim Palace, and 30-minute visit of the Churchill Exhibition. |
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|
| English | |
|---|---|
| Staff led | 45-minute workshop focusing on Winston Churchill and public speaking, and a complimentary guided tour. |
| Self led | 30-minute visit of the Churchill Exhibition. |
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|
| Maths | |
|---|---|
| Staff led | 45-minutes workshop on calculating and reasoning, and a complimentary guided tour. |
| Self led | Optional one-hour interactive handset focusing on Symmetry and Shapes around the outside of the Palace. |
 |
|
| Art - temporarily unavailable | |
|---|---|
| Staff led |
Two-hour workshop focusing on mechanical design & building a CAM toy. |
| Self led | Optional one-hour interactive handset focussing on Baroque and Design around the outside of the Palace, and visit of the Stables Exhibition. |
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|
| Geography - temporarily unavailable | |
|---|---|
| Staff led | One-hour outdoor trail. |
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The minimum number of pupils in a group is 15.
| History | English | Maths | Art | Geography | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optimal number of pupils | 20 | 20 | 30 | 60 | 30 |
| Number of timeslots | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| Total capacity in one day | 80 | 80 | 120 | 120 | 120 |
| Location | MI5 Room | MI5 Room | Education Room | Education Room | Walled Garden |
For the History, English and Maths workshops, five mixed-ability groups will need to be pre-arranged before the visit for every 20 pupils. To ensure a smooth-running of the workshops, we require minimum two adults to supervise each timeslot.
We will charge £14.00 per pupil for children aged 3-16. We offer one free adult place for every five pupils aged 3-16. The extra ratio adult rate is £24.00.
Annual passes cannot be used in conjunction with group visits.
We are currently operating a cashless system throughout the Estate.
Payment is taken on the day. We take cards and cheques. Cheques are made payable to Blenheim Palace Heritage Foundation, and invoicing is an option for our Blenheim credit account holders.
We do not take payment in advance, and we do not operate a cancellations policy, although as much notice of cancellation as possible is appreciated.
The Education Team are here to assist you in planning a safe and enjoyable day out for your pupils. An itinerary will be discussed and agreed when confirming a booking.
We recommend that all school visits are booked in advance no later than two weeks before the planned visit.
To make a booking, please complete our booking form. If you have questions prior to booking, please contact our team.
Booking form - paper version (print, fill in, save and post or scan and email)
Booking form - electronic version (fields can be filled in on the computer, save and email)
Additional planning information
When you book a visit with workshops, the Education Room will be reserved for your school as the base for the day. Please note the Education Room is located up one flight of stairs.
Once you are ready to leave the Education Room:
- Please wipe down the tables after use. Wipes will be made available.
- Thank you for putting the chairs on the tables.
- We segregate our waste. Please take back to school all organic waste, and segregate other rubbish in the General Waste bin and Recycling Bin.
- Please ensure you don’t leave anything behind.
- Don’t forget to switch off the lights and close the door behind you.
The facilities in the Palace area are located:
- in the Gift Shop
- near the Churchill Exhibition
- in the Stables Café
The facilities in the Walled Garden area are located:
- near the Bygones Exhibition
If you have access requirements:
- Palace: There is a wheelchair lift. A member of staff will operate the lift for you.
- Lunch: Arrangements will be made with one of our eateries to allow the use of their space for lunch for pupils with access requirements.
- Accessible toilets are located in the Gift Shop and near the Churchill Exhibition.
It is the responsibility of the school making the booking to carry out a risk assessment for their visit.
To view our advisory risk assessment documents, please click the links below. These are designed to assist, but not to replace the school’s own risk assessment. A staff pre-visit is strongly recommended for risk assessment.
- 2023 Blenheim Palace Risk Assessment General Information
- 2023 Blenheim Palace Risk Assessment Information for Indoor Areas
- 2023 Blenheim Palace Risk Assessment Information for Outdoor Areas
Free school pre-visit recces are possible on weekdays (including half-term and end of term). This must be booked in advance.
Please also take the time to read our other policies:
Instructions for Group Leaders
- Please supply the name of the group when you arrive at the gate.
- Please agree with your driver/s on collection time and location.
- Please proceed to the Access Desk in the Gift Shop for payment. Wristbands will be distributed for all members of the group.
Instructions for Coach Drivers
- Please arrive through the main gate on the A44 / Oxford Road.
- Please park in one of the Coach Parks, or as instructed by our staff upon arrival:
- If parking in the main visitors’ car park, please park before letting the group off the coach.
- If parking at the Walled Garden, the group may be dropped off at the crossroads.
Non-authorised vehicles are no longer allowed at the Flagstaff Visitor Information Point.
Access to the Park & Gardens
The first possible Park arrival is 9.00.
Access to the Palace
The first possible Palace entry is 10.30.
For self-led groups of children aged 3-11, it is recommended that there is at least one adult for every 10 children.
For self-led groups of students aged 12-17, it is recommended that there is at least one adult for every 15 students.
The self-led resources are listed below. They are not yet available to view and download but will be soon.
| EYFS | KS1 | KS2 | |
| History | EYFS Local History Teachers' resources |
- KS1 local History teachers' resources - KS1 local History pupils' worksheets |
- KS2 local History teachers' resource - KS2 local History pupils' worksheets |
| Science | EYFS Local History Teachers' resources |
- KS1 Walled Garden teachers' resources - KS1 Walled Garden pupils' worksheets |
- KS2 Walled Garden teachers' resources - KS2 Walled Garden pupils' worksheets |
| Art & DT | N/A |
- KS1 Built Heritage teachers' resources - KS1 Built Heritage pupils' worksheets |
- KS2 Built Heritage teachers' resources - KS2 Built Heritage pupils' worksheets |
| Citizenship | N/A |
- KS1 Sustainability teachers' resources - KS1 Sustainability pupils' worksheets |
- KS2 Sustainability teachers' resources - KS2 Sustainability pupils' worksheets |
To complete your self-led visit, here are other resources:
There are Web Apps for the Palace State Rooms and the Formal Gardens. These can be followed on personal devices. Visitors may connect to our Blenheim Free Wi-Fi network.
To help you prepare your visit of the State Rooms, here is a 360° tour of the general visitors’ route: View the 360° tour.
There are also videos on various subjects on our YouTube channel.
Winston Churchill
There is a Web App for the Churchill Exhibition, and to help you prepare your visit of the Churchill Exhibition, here is a 360° tour of the exhibition’s route.
Trails
We have seasonal and permanent trails.
- Download our tree trail
- Read about our bee trail
- Investigate our film and TV trail: Lights, Camera, Action!
- Download our Sensory Garden Adventure Map
Home Education group visits can be booked on weekdays during Oxfordshire term time (excluding Bank Holidays).
EFL / ESL / EAL groups and Adult Learners may book a visit with our Groups Team. Please contact them on 01993 815 600 or drop them an email at groups@blenheimpalace.com
| Park and Gardens | Palace, Park and Gardens | |
| Child aged (3-16) | £8.40 | £14.00 |
| Concession (aged 17-25) | £16.40 | £23.00 |
| Accompanying adult | £17.20 | £24.00 |
Admission to the Blenheim Palace Adventure Play is NOT included in these prices. You may book online or you may contact Groups Team once you have made a booking with Education.
The extra charge is £7.00 per person.
Feedback Form
Thank you for your visit to Blenheim Palace. We would be grateful for your feedback on your experience.
Please click the links below to complete an electronic or paper Feedback Form.
