Primary school visits at the Arboretum

Harcourt Arboretum is just six miles south of Oxford City Centre. It has 130 acres of natural woodland, coppice and wildflower meadows. Learn about habitats, conservation, trees, climates and more in a fun and interactive way.

About school visits

The Arboretum offers a range of sessions to enhance the curricula for Foundation Stage and Key Stages 1 and 2 that include additional creative and project-based pre- and post- visit activities. Sessions for nursery groups are also available. Each session runs for one and a half to two hours and have a maximum capacity of 35 children. If you would like to bring more children on one day, we can run one morning session 10am - 12pm and then a second session 12.30pm - 2.30pm, but you will be charged for two sessions. You are welcome to stay for lunch; however, we do not have any indoor space.

If you would like to stay at the Arboretum after your workshop for a self-guided visit, please let us know, as we can advise on activities and seasonal highlights.

Please note, it is possible to arrange joint visits to the Arboretum with any of our partner sites, which include: Oxford Botanic Garden, Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Ashmolean Museum, History of Science Museum, Bodleian Library or Pitt Rivers Museum. If you would like to discuss a joint booking, please email primaryeducation@obg.ox.ac.uk.

Our sessions fill up quickly, so book early to avoid disappointment.

Autumn term

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Amazing autumn

Foundation and Key Stage 1, available until mid-November.
Session length: 2 hours.

Enjoy the amazing colours that brighten up this time of year. Learn about the changing seasons and see how deciduous trees adapt to them. Feel inspired by the Arboretum and make the most of nature’s paintbox by creating your own works of autumn art.

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Andy Goldsworthy-inspired art

Key Stage 2, available until mid-November.
Session length: 2 hours.

Admire nature’s shapes, forms and design as you explore the Arboretum and gather your natural materials. Use Andy Goldsworthy’s work as an inspiration to create your own art, and remember to bring along your camera to photograph your sculptures!

harcourt arboretum acer glade winter snow

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Winter Woodland

Foundation and Key Stage 1, available in term 2.
Session length: 2 hours.

Explore how trees and plants cope with the arrival of winter. Meet trees that are linked to Christmas customs. Make seasonal decorations from natural materials collected in the Arboretum, and take them away with you to display at school.

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Explora-tree

Key Stage 2, available in term 2.
Session length: 2 hours.

Come to the Arboretum and discover our trees. Learn how to identify and name a variety of native trees. Hear what we are doing to protect our tree heritage, and see our new woodland. Think about the global context of plant conservation and take away ideas for what you can do to help.

Spring term

From January to March (terms 3 and 4), Harcourt Arboretum's Education Officers will come into your school and bring a range of materials from the botanical world for the children to investigate and experience. This programme is a great opportunity for children to learn the basics about trees and plants, and is the ideal introduction for a visit to the Arboretum in the future. We will provide all the equipment for the visit; all you need to provide are the children and the hall!

From April, we welcome schools to the Arboretum for our seasonal programme of education sessions.

sequoiadendron giganteum - Giant redwood - Harcourt Arboretum

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What is a tree?

Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1
Session length: 1 hour.

This fun, interactive session gives an introduction to trees. The activities include an interactive game to examine how trees change through the seasons and a handling session that gives children the opportunity to see and touch a wide variety of seeds. Three sessions are available each day.

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Spectacular Seeds

Key Stage 2
Session length: 1 hour 30 minutes.

This session examines the importance of seeds as part of a plant. What do seeds look like? How do they disperse? This interactive session will include an opportunity to handle a wide variety of seeds and an examination of adaptations to different dispersal methods. The session will culminate with the Oak Life Cycle Game, in which the children will take an active role in exploring the stages of development from acorn to fully mature oak tree. Two sessions are available each day.

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Spring splendour

Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1
Session length: 2 hours.

Spring has sprung. And where better to learn about this colourful season than the Arboretum? See the new growth as the plants reawaken after their winter rest. Discuss the different parts of plants and create some natural artwork. (Some visits during this period will coincide with the bluebell season.)

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Explore the world

Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1
Session duration: 2 hours.

Join us for a tour of the world! As you hunt for Mr. Peacock’s home, discover trees from different continents and use your senses to experience the variety of shapes, sizes, textures and colours in the Arboretum. Take home a postcard to record your travels.

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A world of trees

Key Stage 2
Session duration: 2 hours.

Why do we have so many different plants and trees at the Arboretum? Why do we have a mixture of native and introduced species? Why is it important that we look after them all? Come along to find out about some of the world's rarest trees, which grow here at the Arboretum. Find out about the native trees that grow all around you, learn to identify them and discover why they are important to us too. (This programme coincides with Plant Conservation Day and International Day for Biological Diversity.)

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Habitats

Key Stage 2
Session length: 2 hour.

What is a habitat? What does an animal need in its habitat? Why do habitats need protecting? Explore the Arboretum’s woods, meadow and pond, and play interactive games to learn about some of the animals and plants that live and grow here.

Summer term

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Spring splendour

Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, available term 5.
Session length: 2 hours.

Spring has sprung. And where better to learn about this colourful season than the Arboretum? See the new growth as the plants re-awaken after their winter rest. Discuss the different parts of plants and create some natural artwork. (Some visits during this period will coincide with the bluebell season.)

Make a booking enquiry

Explore the world

Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, available term 6.
Session length: 2 hours.

Join us for a tour of the world! As you hunt for Mr. Peacock’s home, discover trees from different continents and use your senses to experience the variety of shapes, sizes, textures and colours in the Arboretum. Take home a postcard to record your travels.

Family Walking Arboretum Woodland (Wallman Lo Res)

Make a booking enquiry

A world of trees

Key Stage 2, available term 5.
Session length: 2 hours.

Why do we have so many different plants and trees at the Arboretum? Why do we have a mixture of native and introduced species? Why is it important that we look after them all? Come along to find out about some of the world's rarest trees, which grow here at the Arboretum. Find out about the native trees that grow all around you, learn to identify them and discover why they are important to us too. (This programme coincides with Plant Conservation Day and International Day for Biological Diversity.)

Make a booking enquiry

Habitats

Key Stage 2, available term 6.
Session length: 2 hours.

What is a habitat? What does an animal need in its habitat? Why do habitats need protecting? Explore the Arboretum’s woods, meadow and pond, and play interactive games to learn about some of the animals and plants that live and grow here.

Make a booking enquiry

Marvellous Meadows

Key Stages 1 and 2, available terms 5 and 6.
Session length: 2 hours.

Find out about the importance of meadows with a fun and interactive session. Learn about biodiversity, pollinators and why the meadow is an important ecosystem for the animals that live at the Arboretum, and go on a bug hunt to find some little creatures hiding in the meadow.

Cross-curricular sessions

Bespoke sessions and cross-curricular sessions are available at the Arboretum. Please contact primaryeducation@obg.ox.ac.uk to discuss your needs.

Charges

Session	Max numbers	Charge
Primary school workshops facilitated by Education Officer	35	£125.00
Add-on to facilitated visit: Self-guided sketching (45 minutes)	35	£20.00
Bespoke school programmes (full day, selection of workshops)	Flexible	Contact us
Outside lunch space at the Arboretum (45 minutes)	35	Free (but must book)

How to book

If you would like to make a booking for any of our sessions, please fill out our booking enquiry form.

To discuss any bespoke programmes, joint visits to any of our partner sites, or if you have any questions about our sessions you can email us our Primary Education Officer at primaryeducation@obg.ox.ac.uk or call 01865 286 693. You will receive a booking confirmation with our standard terms and conditions. An invoice will follow.

Not a Primary School?

The Arboretum also supports pre-schools. We recommend contacting our primary education officer via primaryeducation@obg.ox.ac.uk. Please refer to our termly primary school sessions to understand what we can offer. We can also adapt or create a tailored school session that suits your children's needs specifically.

Information for your visit

Find out more about how to prepare for your visit, what to expect during it and follow-up activities for afterwards.

Not a UK school?

Our school visits are also suitable for international curricula such as the International Baccalaureate. If you would like to book your visit and/or you are from outside the UK, please contact via primaryeducation@obg.ox.ac.uk