Learning with Knole

Special needs visits

The Great Hall, Orangery and parts of the deer park are all wheelchair accessible. Our learning team will be delighted to organise specific activities, such as music, costume or handling sessions to suit the needs of your pupils.

School outreach visits

Knole’s learning team also offer an outreach programme to primary and secondary schools around Kent. These engaging sessions create an immersive learning experience with multi-sensory handling collections that span a range of topics.

The sessions last approximately half a day with a break in the middle. If there are two classes in the same year, you may wish to book one session in the morning and one in the afternoon to allow for interaction.

An outreach visit will cost £4.50 per pupil. Choose from any of the following themed boxes:

• Stone Age to Bronze Age: This prehistory session will focus primarily on school national curriculum on the KS2 topic, changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age. This session will bring objects from the past into the classroom and encourage inspiration and enquiry skills.
• Changing Power of Monarchy: This session addresses the importance of understanding the effects of monarchical change on people and places in Britain, at Knole and the local area. This session covers the Tudor and Victorian periods and looks at the power of clothing, portraiture and royal symbols.
• Second World War: This session takes a look at Knole during the Second World War. Discover our mystery soldier and learn more about those who stayed behind on the home front.

Workshops for older students

The following workshops are interactive, engaging and fun but delve a bit deeper with more thought and analysis required from students. A full day workshop costs £6 per student and a half day workshop costs £4.50 per student. Admission charges also apply.

• Elizabethan England: Bring Elizabethan society to life, analyse the significance of ideas, individuals and developments. Explore economic, religious, political and cultural aspects. Learning focus: History, English and Art.
• Sketchbook and Art Observation: Take inspiration from Knole's internationally significant collection of paintings by Reynolds, Gainsborough and Van Dyck, 17th-century furniture and Jacobean architecture. Learning focus: Art and History.

Self-led visits

Teachers can plan their own trip to Knole to suit their programme of study. These self-led visits are designed for Key Stages 1 and 2. All self-led visits are free with an EGAP but must be booked in advance.
We offer self-led backpacks to help you with your visit. Choose from:
History: Discover Knole’s showrooms and courtyards
Science: Investigate nature in Knole’s parkland

If you are visiting with students and do not require a self-led pack, you still need to book your visit in advance.

Knole in a Box

This project will allow pupils to get practical experience with Knole’s handling collections, to introduce artefacts and historical enquiry in order to create a mini-museum exhibition. The multi-sensory objects and activities allow for cross-curricular skills to be developed and can be linked to other topic work within the classroom.

Topics for exhibition include:

• Stone Age to Iron Age
• First and Second World War Remembrance
• Tudors
• Victorians
• Power and Monarchy

Get in touch about bringing a school group to Knole

Please get in touch if you would like to know more about the learning team at Knole or our award-winning and diverse programme. We offer primary and secondary school visits as well as bespoke post-16 educational visits to Knole.

For further information or booking please email us at KnoleLearningTeam@nationaltrust.org.uk or call 01732 467155.

Frequently asked questions to help you plan your visit

When can we visit?

School visits take place throughout the academic year on weekdays. A full day visit runs from 10am to 2.30pm, or some workshops can be delivered on a half day basis, either 10am-12pm or 12.30-2.30pm. All visits start with an introductory talk and we recommend everyone brings a packed lunch.

How many students can we bring?

We can accommodate groups of up to 60 children per day. Enough adults need to accompany the children according to the following ratios: 1:4 for Reception, 1:6 for KS1, 1:8 for KS2, 1:10 for KS3. These ratios do not provide for one-to-one support. Regardless of pupil to adult ratios, a minimum of two adults must be present on the visit.

All activities will be led by members of our experienced learning team who will be delighted to share their extensive knowledge of Knole with you. Please note however, that the behaviour of the students remains your responsibility at all times.

What are the admission prices?

Schools can get free admission by taking out an Education Group Access Pass (EGAP). This is an annual membership giving free access to all National Trust sites (terms and conditions apply).

• Once you have a National Trust EGAP, you only need pay for the workshop element of your visit (detailed above). There are no additional charges for adults.
• Non-National Trust EGAP holders will be charged the workshop fees plus an admission charge (currently £15.20 for adults and £7.20 for children).
• Pre-booking is a condition of the EGAP.

To find out more about EGAPs call 0344 800 1895, email enquiries@nationaltrust.org.uk or visit Membership | Education Group Access Pass