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English Trips to London

Few countries can lay claim to as many great writers as England, home to some of history's most renowned scribes. Strolling around the capital, be sure to look for the blue plaques marking where people of importance, both literary and otherwise, have lived and worked throughout history.

No visit to London for students of English and English literature would be complete without exploring the home of Charles Dickens and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. Our wide range of tailored activities allows your learners to explore the different aspects of English Literature as well as the history and workings of stage and screen.

Explore all of our London student tours

Curriculum Topics Key Stage 4

  • English Literary Heritage
  • Roles & responsibilities of theatre producers
  • The work of live theatre makers: performers, designers, directors, producers

Curriculum Topics Key Stage 5

  • Literary Genres: Shakespeare
  • Theatrical processes and practices in interpreting and performing theatre

Prices start from£169pp

Popular itinerary

Our sample itinerary provides you with an idea of the visits you can cover during your trip. We can tailor-make an itinerary to support your specific learning outcomes.

Morning Afternoon Evening
1 Group Rail to London and drop bags at your accommodation Charles Dickens Walking Tour Check in to your accommodation. Evening meal and London Eye or West End Show
2 Shakespeare's Globe guided tour and workshop Thames River Cruise Return group Rail travel
  • 1
  • 2
Morning Group Rail to London and drop bags at your accommodation
Afternoon Charles Dickens Walking Tour
Evening Check in to your accommodation. Evening meal and London Eye or West End Show
Morning Shakespeare's Globe guided tour and workshop
Afternoon Thames River Cruise
Evening Return group Rail travel

Price Shown includes

  • Return rail travel (based on the fare from Birmingham stations)
  • 1 night B&B accommodation
  • Specialist group travel insurance
  • Bespoke itinerary planning service
  • Free place ratios
  • Locate My Trip - live trip tracking app 
  • Online trip organiser & travel app
  • 24/7 support whilst you are away

Places to Stay


Reasons to Visit

Dickens Museum and Workshops

The museum holds over 100,000 items including manuscripts, rare editions, personal items, paintings and other visual sources relating to the life of Charles Dickens and his works. The museum offers taught workshops for KS3, 4 and 5 students where pupils understand how texts relate to the social and historical context in which they were written and learn to shape meaning and evaluate ideas and effect in their own writing.

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre Tour and Experience

The new Globe Experience combines an interactive look
at theatre-craft, the unique story of Shakespeare's Globe, and a guided tour of the Globe Theatre. Discover how they bring the magic of stories to life in a newly interpreted space beneath Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre! With help from experts, you’ll immerse yourself in the world of Shakespeare’s storytelling, from the creation of his works to the way they are interpreted today. Explore how different elements of stagecraft are combined to bring these stories to life in the beautiful and unique ‘Wooden O’ and candlelit Sam Wanamaker Playhouse.

This tour can be combined with the GCSE study day.

Shakespeare’s Globe GCSE Study Day

Tailored to complement the KS4 English requirements these study days offer an introduction to your chosen play at GCSE level. This study day provides a practical introduction to the play and the performance conditions at the Globe, exploring how this shapes playing style and language. Students will learn about the social, historical and cultural context of the play, explore aspects of plot and characterisation, identity key themes and analyse language.

Dickens’ London Walk

Visit places where Dickens lived and worked, and locations nearby which he used in his books, such as Fagin’s Den, the Thieves Kitchen and Mr Tulkinghorn’s house. See where he had a fateful meeting with his first illustrator, the spot where he was given his first break, as well as other literary points of interest.

West End Workshop - Shakespeare 2000

Explore the works of Shakespeare with your students during this no-nonsense practical intro to Shakespeare. The workshop includes an hour with a teaching artist followed by a 30 minute Q&A session with a West End professional.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour – English Workshop

Discover the magic of the big screen and the behind-the-scenes secrets of the Harry Potter™ film series. Take your students on an enchanting tour of the actual sets used in the films; complete with authentic props and real costumes. You'll see animatronic characters and experience the stunning special effects along the way. Warner Bros. Studio Tour London celebrates and educates visitors of the artistry and craftsmanship in quality film production - on both sides of the camera.

School groups can enjoy specially-created educational lessons to complement and enhance the tour in brand new, state-of-the-art learning spaces. These lessons offer students authentic and relevant learning experiences in one of the most exciting and magical contexts: the production of Harry Potter. The film series is used as a case study to explain elements of film production, all of which align with KS2, 3, 4 and 5 learning objectives.

 

Southwark Literary Tour

Southwark is one of the most fascinating and historic areas of London, and was one of the first locations south of the river to be developed, as London expanded. Southwark has a colourful and vibrant past. From its Roman origins, it went on to become ‘London’s Playground’ during medieval times and into the 17th century, home to raucous and dubious entertainments which defied the jurisdiction of the City of London, whilst at the same time becoming the location for the flowering of the world’s most prodigious literary talent, William Shakespeare. Join us on this walking tour of the Bankside part of ‘The Borough’ as we take you on a memorable journey to discover numerous literary connections with the iconic figures of Charles Dickens and Shakespeare, amongst others. Borough Tube station is the starting point for our adventure, and from here our specialist and knowledgeable guide will lead you on a circular tour around key locations such as the site of the Tabard Inn, with its links to ‘The Canterbury Tales’, Guy’s Hospital and the old St Thomas’ Hospital, London and Southwark Bridges, Southwark Cathedral, The Clink Prison and Shakespeare’s Globe, finishing with a walk back to Borough Station through the Marshalsea area, which contains streets named after famous Dickensian characters.

Victoria & Albert Museum Workshops

The V&A museum houses the national collection of performing arts which teaches about the history and process of performance from rehearsals to opening night through its display of posters, set and costume designs. It also runs a programme of workshops to support students of English, Drama and Performing Arts at both KS4 and 5. Examples include ‘Texts in Practice’, ‘Design for Performance’ and ‘Stage makeup’

British Library Visits and Workshops

Exploring English workshops offer students the opportunity to develop skills in language analysis and interpretation. Through discussions, creative activities and source-based learning, students will develop an understanding of the diversity of the English language and investigate the impact of power, technology and standardisation on language production. Other workshops also available, see website for details.

The lastminute.com London Eye

The famous London Eye is one of the world’s highest observation wheels, standing at 135 metres high. The wheel has thirty-two capsules, each of which holds 25 people and views possible as far away as twenty-five miles on a clear day.

The View from The Shard

The View from the Shard is situated on floors 68, 69 and 72, almost twice the height of any other viewing platform in London, where you can take in all of London at once with 360 degree views of up to 40 miles long.

Sightseeing Tours by bus

Hop-on hop-off bus tours are great for general sightseeing, giving access to all the major sites. Departing from Grosvenor Gardens it includes Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, St Paul's Cathedral, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, London Eye and Piccadilly Circus.

Thames River Cruises

A great opportunity for you to discover the 'must-see' sights in London. Watch as the River Thames weaves its way through the heart of London and see the history of this city around every bend. Cruises depart frequently from Westminster Pier, Waterloo (London Eye) Pier, Tower Pier and Greenwich Pier.

IFS Cloud Cable Car

Rising to a height of 90 metres, the IFS Cloud Cable Car offers you an exciting 1.1km cable car journey across the Thames on the UK’s only urban cable car connecting the Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Victoria Dock.

The London Dungeons

Transport yourself back to the darkest moments in the capital's history within the deep depths of the London Dungeons.

Madame Tussauds

Madame Tussauds is one of London’s most popular tourist attractions with over 400 wax works of celebrities, politicians, pop stars and actors.   A fully interactive experience, Madame Tussauds will inspire, enthuse and immerse pupils in celebrity culture and modern media as they walk among the stars!

Downloadable lesson plans are available to enhance and support your visit which will explore the media, fake news and celebrity culture.   

ArcelorMittal Orbit

The ArcelorMittal Orbit in the Queen Elizabeth Park, Stratford which is the iconic structure of the London 2012 Games and has the longest and tallest tunnel slide in the world. 

Take the lift up to the viewing platform, 80 meters high, and after marvelling at the view take the slide down which lasts a thrilling 40 seconds! Go back to the top and take some time learning about the city on the interactive touchscreens or making use of the free Key Stage 1-4 resources before walking back down the winding staircase with its 455 steps.

You can book with or without the slide and you can choose to stay the whole day in the park by taking a behind the scenes tour at the iconic London Stadium, swimming at the London Aquatics Centre or visiting the Lee Valley Velopark; alternatively, explore the parklands and waterways with a local Blue Badge guide.

Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge, which crosses the River Thames, was built between 1886 and 1894 and is an iconic symbol of London with its two towers and bridge deck which opens to allow tall ships through. You can walk across the lower bridge deck but the twin towers and high-level glass walkways and Victorian engine rooms are part of the Tower Bridge Exhibition.

West End Theatre Tickets

The majority of student groups who visit London like to round off their trip by seeing a show. We can also book pre-theatre meals at nearby restaurants for you. Save up to 50% on the normal ticket price by attending a midweek (Mon-Thurs) evening or matinee performance. The majority of top West End shows offer these affordable discounted tickets to student groups year round (excluding school holiday dates).

Wicked

THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE WITCHES OF OZ...

WICKED tells the incredible untold story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two young women who first meet as sorcery students at Shiz University: the blonde and very popular Glinda and a misunderstood green girl named Elphaba. Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. Glinda's unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power while Elphaba's determination to remain true to herself, and to those around her, will have unexpected and shocking consequences for her future. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfil their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

WICKED is suitable for a general audience. As a guide to parents and guardians, it is recommended for ages 7+

(Source: https://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/london/about/synopsis)

NOTE: There are other shows/plays on offer not featured. All are subject to availability.

Matilda the Musical

Matilda The Musical is the multi-award winning musical from the Royal Shakespeare Company, inspired by the beloved book by the incomparable Roald Dahl. With book by Dennis Kelly and original songs by Tim Minchin, Matilda The Musical is the story of an extraordinary little girl who, armed with a vivid imagination and a sharp mind, dares to take a stand and change her own destiny.

Recommended for ages 6 and above.

(Source: https://uk.matildathemusical.com/about/the-story/)

NOTE: There are other shows/plays on offer not featured. All are subject to availability.

The Lion King

Set against the majesty of the Serengeti Plains and to the evocative rhythms of Africa, Disney's multi award-winning musical uses breath-taking masks and puppetry to create pure theatrical magic. At its heart is the powerful and moving story of Simba - the epic adventure of his journey from wide-eyed cub to his destined role as King of the Pridelands.

(Source: https://disney.co.uk/shows/the-lion-king-musical-tickets)

NOTE: There are other shows/plays on offer not featured. All are subject to availability.

Stranger Things

Brand New for 2024 from the much loved Netflix TV series.

BEFORE THE WORLD TURNED UPSIDE DOWN…
Hawkins, 1959: a regular town with regular worries. Young Jim Hopper’s car won’t start, Bob Newby’s sister won’t take his radio show seriously and Joyce Maldonado just wants to graduate and get the hell out of town. When new student Henry Creel arrives, his family finds that a fresh start isn’t so easy… and the shadows of the past have a very long reach.
Brought to life by a multi-award-winning creative team, who take theatrical storytelling and stagecraft to a whole new dimension, this gripping new adventure will take you right back to the beginning of the Stranger Things story – and may hold the key to the end.

Show at: Phoenix Theatre
Times: Tuesday - Saturday 7pm, Friday & Saturday Matinees 1pm & Sunday 3pm
Running time: Approximately 2 hours 30 minutes including an interval
Age Recommendation: 12 and over.
School prices available: Tuesday - Thursday evening and Friday matinee

Mamma Mia!

Set on a Greek Island Paradise, the story of a daughter on the eve of her wedding and her quest to discover the identify of her father, all set to the music of ABBA.

NOTE: There are other shows/plays on offer not featured. All are subject to availability.

London Christmas Markets

At Christmas the South Bank of the River is transformed into a wintry wonderland, where global cuisine and an artisan Christmas market come together in one sparkling location.  Amble past wooden chalets which line the banks of the Thames and pick up gorgeous stocking fillers from the Winter Market. Or, tuck into some Christmas fare underneath the glittering Christmas lights.

In Hyde Park, you can truly immerse yourself in the festive atmosphere of Winter Wonderland, one of the biggest Christmas markets in London.  Other locations for Christmas Markets in London include Leicester Square, London Bridge City and Greenwich.  Many of these pop-up London markets appear in mid-November and stay open until the New Year

Victoria and Albert Museum

Founded in 1852, it is well known for the wide variety of its collection. The items include furniture, fashion and textiles, sculpture, paintings, silver, glass, ceramics, jewellery, books, prints and photographs which illustrate the artistic life of many different cultures from all over the world.

Tate Modern

Tate Modern is Britain's new collection of modern art. The museum contains works from 1900 to present day and includes Dali, Picasso, Matisse, Rothko, Warhol and more contemporary artists. There is also a wide range of temporary exhibitions and public programmes.

Science Museum

The Science Museum, founded in 1857, is one of London’s major tourist attractions, attracting 3.3 million visitors annually. They do not charge for admission, however, there may be a charge for temporary exhibitions.

The Science Museum holds a collection of over 300,000 items, including such famous items such as Stephenson’s Rocket, Puffing Billy (the oldest surviving steam locomotive), the first jet engine, the Apollo 10 Command module, hundreds of interactive exhibits and an IMAX 3D Cinema.

The Science Museum is made up of a number of themed galleries including; Power, Exploring Space, Making of the Modern World, Flight, Information Age, Engineer Your Future and Medicine.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour - Harry Potter

Go behind-the-scenes in the making of Harry Potter and see how many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bro. Studio Tour provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making one of the most successful film franchises. Short workshops are also available in a variety of subjects including set design, camera choices and many more.

Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum exhibits a vast range of specimens from various segments of natural history.

As well as being located in a stunning and striking Romanesque architecture building, which is considered a work of art in its own right, the museum is famous for the dinosaurs and is home to over 80 million specimens spanning 4.5 billion years of Earth's history.

The museum offers too much to mention here but have collections under the categories of: oceans, human evolution, space, dinosaurs, British wildlife as well as visiting collections and exhibitions. Check out their website for up-to-date information.  https://www.nhm.ac.uk/

 

London Zoo

ZSL London Zoo is the world's oldest scientific zoo and one of London’s main tourist attractions, located on the edge of Regents Park. 

They have a range of online resources available to download and use before, during and after a visit to ZSL London Zoo. Some of the resources are for the pupils to use and some are for the accompanying adults.

London Aquarium

The £25 million London Aquarium is the first attraction of its kind in London and is one of Europe's largest exhibitions of global aquatic life displayed in over 2 million litres of water. 

Visit to discover the amazing marine life at SEA LIFE London Aquarium, find out about penguins, sea turtles, sharks, jellyfish and much more. Travel through Pacific Ocean tunnels, tropical rainforests (and even a shark reef!) to see the different habitats on planet earth!

Frozen the Musical

This brand new West End musical celebrates the extraordinary story of two sisters that melted hearts across the world. 

With ground-breaking sets and special effects, incredible costumes and innovative stagecraft combine to stunning effect in this magical experience that will delight your pupils and sweep you away to the world of Arendelle with all its heart, humour and powerful storytelling.

Your favourite songs from the film combine with a brand new score from Grammy® and Academy-Award®-winning 'Let It Go' songwriting duo Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. The set design, special effects and costumes come together in a breathtaking wonderland experience, the likes of which you've come to expect from the producers of such other Disney stage productions as The Lion King and Aladdin.

On show at: London's Theatre Royal Drury Lane 
School rate available

Horizon 22

Horizon 22 is London's highest free viewing platform. Located on Level 58, the viewing platform offers 300-degree views of London, showcasing its most iconic landmarks.


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What you say

The Itinerary was thorough and action packed! Organisation meticulous and excellent service once again! Thank you!  The British School in Colombo

This was my second journey via European Study tours and I would highly recommend the company to anyone bringing groups to London.  Pianca School

The Director's Chair workshop was very good. The practitioner delivered just the right balance of practical exploration and discussion.  Ivybridge Community College