Knole offers an award-winning and diverse programme that supports learning across the history, science, art and geography curriculum for all ages. Our experienced Children and Young People team can help you plan your visit, whether it is facilitated by us or delivered by you. We can also bring Knole to you through our variety of loan boxes.
Contact us
Please get in touch with our Children and Young People team at Knole to discuss your requirements further and enquire about dates. For further information or booking please email us at KnoleLearningTeam@nationaltrust.org.uk or call 01732 467155.
Why choose Knole for an educational visit?
Knole is unique: a medieval, Tudor and Jacobean mansion with a treasure trove of rare and precious items collected over hundreds of years. Set within the only remaining medieval deer park in Kent, there are plenty of opportunities to learn inside and out, engaging students of all ages whilst providing a fun day out too. At Knole we've a variety of resources on offer to help you deliver an engaging and interactive learning experience for students.
Please get in touch with our Children and Young People team at Knole to discuss your requirements further and enquire about dates. For further information or booking please email us at KnoleLearningTeam@nationaltrust.org.uk or call 01732 467155.
Workshops for younger students
The following workshops are suitable for KS1 and KS2 students and can be run as a full day or half day session. A full day workshop costs £6 per student and a half day workshop costs £4.50 per student. Admission charges also apply.
Explore this magnificent 600-year-old house and its courtyards. Discover how the Tudors once lived in this hands-on session.
Learning focus: Local history and English.
Step back thousands of years to prehistoric times when people lived in the area now occupied by Knole's historic deer park. Handle prehistoric weapons and tools, and discover the skills people needed to survive.
Learning focus: History, science and art.
Find out what happened in Knole Park in the Second World War and during Sevenoaks bombing raids through an interactive session.
Learning focus: Local history, English and geography.
From ancient trees and deer herds to woodpeckers and ant hills, Knole’s historic deer park offers plenty of opportunities for pupils to discover how plants and animals survive, adapt and change in a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Learn how to estimate the age of a tree or go on a minibeast hunt.
Enjoy science-based activities around Knole's courtyards and unique collections of furniture, paintings and other objects.
Learning focus: science and history.
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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. They are, therefore, more suited to KS3 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 two themed self-led packs that you can use to supplement your visit if you wish. 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.
Home educating group visits
We welcome visits to Knole from home educating groups. EGAPs are available for home educating groups, which allow free visits during normal school hours in term time only. A maximum of two parents/guardians may enter on one home educator’s pass. Any home educators visiting with children that aren't their own must provide evidence of public liability insurance with a minimum £5m indemnity limit in place.
The Great Hall, Orangery and parts of the deer park are all wheelchair accessible, as is the Hayloft Learning Centre. Our learning team will be delighted to organise specific activities, such as music, costume or handling sessions to suit the needs of your students. Please contact us to discuss your requirements further: email: KnoleLearningTeam@nationaltrust.org.uk or call 01732 467155.
Hire out a piece of Knole’s history through our loan box service. Get inspired by replica artefacts and bring history to life in your own classroom. 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. The boxes are free to hire - we just ask for a returnable deposit of £30 per box.
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.
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.
This session takes a look at Knole during the Second World War. Discover the mystery soldier and learn more about those who stayed behind on the home front.
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Contact us
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.
All visits, both facilitated and self-led, must be booked in advance with the Learning Team.
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
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 for facilitated sessions, and 1:6 for self-led visits. These ratios do not include one-to-one support. Regardless of pupil to adult ratios, a minimum of two adults must be present on the visit. Please note 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 £18.00 for adults and £9 for children).
Pre-booked groups get great benefits including reduced price admission, refreshments for the coach driver, free admission for the group leader and free parking for your coach.
Knole was built to impress. Come and explore the grandeur of its showrooms, the hidden secrets of the attics and the rooms Eddy Sackville-West called home in the Gatehouse Tower.
