School visits
Find out how Palaces and great works of art can inspire learning with our curriculum linked programmes and resources for primary and secondary schools.
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle, an official residence of the monarch, is the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world. Since the building of a wooden fortress here at the time of William the Conqueror, the Castle has been transformed over the centuries into a splendid palace, while still retaining much evidence of its turbulent past.
A fabulous new learning centre supports school visits with teaching spaces and a delightful lunch room. The centre is inside the Castle security perimeter.
Windsor Castle, an official residence of the monarch, is the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world. Since the building of a wooden fortress here at the time of William the Conqueror, the Castle has been transformed over the centuries into a splendid palace, while still retaining much evidence of its turbulent past.
A fabulous new learning centre supports school visits with teaching spaces and a delightful lunch room. The centre is inside the Castle security perimeter.
How to book
To find out more or to make a booking contact the Learning Bookings team.
Please have to hand:
- Preferred date and possible alternatives, plus time of arrival
- Numbers of children and supervising adults
- The taught session, if you would like one
- Details of any special educational or access needs
Please use the downloadable Bookings Forms to send your details to the Learning Bookings Team.
You will then be sent a reservation letter, together with your teachers’ resource pack, giving a date by which full payment must be received to secure the booking.
Please note: you may be asked to cover the cost of the session if you cancel within short notice of your visit. Non-booked schools will be charged at standard group admission rates. Please see our Terms of Application for Learning Group Admissions.
Also, please be aware that audio guides are not available to school groups at Windsor Castle.
School Access Scheme and School Travel Support Scheme
One of Royal Collection Trust's charitable aims is to broaden and increase access to the Collection for the nation. Our school access scheme and school travel support scheme are designed to ensure that visits to our sites are possible for state schools working with economically disadvantaged pupils. See here for more information about these schemes and information on how to apply.
Contact us
Learning Bookings Team
Ticket Sales and Information Office
Buckingham Palace
London SW1A 1AA
T. (+44) (0)303 123 7323
F. (+44) (0)20 7930 9625
Sharing Learning Objectives
Please contact us in advance if you have any specific learning objectives in mind.
Planning Visits
Once you have made your booking, we offer two complimentary tickets for you and a colleague to conduct a planning visit. If you would like to meet a member of the Learning team during this visit, please let us know at the time of booking.
Our presentation Introducing you to the Learning Centre and Castle Precincts is a useful starting point for familiarising yourself and your pupils with these spaces.
All teachers and supporting adults must read the Teachers Pack before their visit. Teachers' Packs for each site can be downloaded here.
Prices
Reduced-rate admission for school groups
Pre-booked school groups: £6.00 per pupil
Children in Reception or below: FREE
Discounted rate for schools in the Royal borough
Accompanying adults
One teacher or adult helper is admitted free of charge at the following ratios:
Under 5s - 1 adult: 3 pupils
Years 1 to 3 - 1 adult: 6 pupils
Year 4 and above - 1 adult: 10 pupils
Please ask for details of rates for additional adults when booking.
All online workshops: £70 per class attending a booked session.
Windsor Lite workshops: £150 per session, £50 per additional session plus travel costs incurred by RCT staff.
Access
Our learning programmes are designed to be accessible to all pupils. Most of our sessions can be adapted to meet any educational or access needs your group may have. Please ask for details when booking.
You may find the information for visitors on the Autism spectrum helpful when planning your visit to Windsor Castle.
Our presentation Introducung the Castle and Learning Centre for worried teacher and pupils, is a useful starting point for familiarising yourself and your special needs pupils with these spaces.
If you book a learning session or a lunch space, you will have use of The Learning Centre, which is fully accessible and has suitable toilets.
Should your group book a fully self-guided visit, without any learning input, or use of the lunch space, you will not have access to the Learning Centre.
Note that within The Castle precints is a Changing Places facility which all groups can use, if required.
Lunch facilities
Subject to availability, school groups can book use of the facilities at the lunch spaces within the Learning Centre. Facilities include a space to eat packed lunches, plenty of designated school's toilets and a safe place to leave coats and bags.
Note: schools who book a fully self-guided visit, without any Learning team input. or without pre-booking a lunch space, will not have use of the Learning Centre.
Security
Royal Collection Trust sites have airport-style security measures at all public entry points, through which all visitors, including school groups, are required to enter. All adults and children will be asked to:
- Allow any bags to be searched by hand
- Walk through a metal detector arch, one at a time
- Switch off mobile phones
The Royal Collection Trust Learning section asks that teachers undertake the following guidelines to make entry to Royal Collection Trust sites as smooth and quick as possible:
- Please arrive at the Royal Collection Trust site at least 30 minutes before the scheduled time for the booked workshop
- Teachers and children should not bring the following: scissors, compasses, metal cutlery, sharp metallic implements
- Only bring what you need! The Royal Collection Trust Learning section can provide all necessary equipment such as clipboards, pencils and drawing materials (groups can bring their own sketchbooks if they prefer to use these)
Those groups who book a Learning session and/or a lunch space will enter through Pug Yard Learning Centre gate.
Schools who book a fully self-guided visit, without including Learning Sessions or lunch space, should enter through the main Admissions Centre gates upon arrival.
