History of Warfare School Trip to Ypres, Waterloo & Dunkirk

Explore the history of warfare with your students on a history school trip to Waterloo, Ypres and Dunkirk!

From the cavalries of Waterloo, to the trenches of WW1 and the industrialised warfare of WW2, your students will have the opportunity to explore for themselves the significant developments in warfare between 1815 and 1945.We’ll tailor your trip to meet your specific requirements, but not to be missed is the opportunity to attend the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres, where your students can lay a wreath on behalf of your school.

Prefer to concentrate on the developments in warfare between the two world wars? We also offer a history of warfare school trip to Normandy and the Somme.

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1

Morning

Depart from school

Afternoon

Arrive in Ypres and visit Passchendaele Museum and Tyne Cot British Cemetery

Evening

Evening meal

Day 2

Morning

Visit the Wellington Museum

Evening

Evening meal Visit the Menin Gate for the Last Post Ceremony

Day 3

Morning

Visit In Flanders Fields Museum, Hill 62 Museum, Essex Farm Dressing Station, Hooge Crater Museum

Evening

Evening meal

Day 4

Morning

Drive to Dunkirk and visit the Operation Dynamo Museum

Visit La Coupole Museum - former Nazi V2 rocket base

Afternoon

Channel crossing

Continue return journey to school

3 nights' half-board accommodation
Detailed info pack
Free staff place ratio 1:8
Itinerary planning service
Motorway tolls and taxes
Return Channel crossings
Return executive coach travel
Vamoos - our easy-to-use travel app
VAT at current rate to tour operators

Curriculum

A Level

Louis XIII
The French Revolution
The changing nature of warfare
Life in the trenches
Developments in British warfare
Life in wartime Britain
Challenges of German nationalism
Germany: democracy and dictatorship
Germany and West Germany

GCSE

Conflict and tension: WW1
The Western Front
Inter-war years: 1918-1939
Developments in British warfare
Life in wartime Britain
Germany: democracy and dictatorship

Key Stage 3

Challenges for Europe and the wider world, 1901

Primary

British history beyond 1066

Accommodation

Hotel Menin Gate

This former textile factory provides a brilliant base for groups visiting the battlefields and is located 100m away from the Market Square in Ypres town centre. Students will be accommodated in multi-bedded rooms, and staff in twins or singles (supplement may apply). All rooms are en-suite, and with a group size of 35 or more, you will have sole occupancy of the premises. Breakfast is served on site, and evening meals are taken at a nice restaurant in the town centre just two minutes' walk away. Packed lunches are available on request. Facilities include a PA intercom system, recreational room with TV, pool table, pinball machines, table football, free WiFi throughout, a large garden, and a staff room with minibar and digital TV.

Munchenhof Hotel

This school group hotel consists of 2 purpose-built annexes. Facilities include free WiFi in the reception area, pool tables, table tennis, TV lounge, football pitch, table football and a basketball court. All bedrooms are en-suite. The hotel has a self-service restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and evening meals. There is a swipe card system to gain entry to floors, rooms and lifts for extra security.

Ypres Lodge

Ypres Lodge is one of the top choice hotels for school groups travelling to the battlefields. It consists of 3 wings; all rooms are en-suite and have televisions. Students are in multi-bedded rooms while staff are provided with twins.Breakfast is served every day, and both packed lunches and the evening meal are available on request from the hotel's on-site restaurant.Hotel facilities free WiFi, pool tables, football pitch, table football, vending machines, karaoke facilities (on request) and a meeting room for group activities. There is also a bar for group leaders to relax in during the evening.

Educational Activities

Essex Farm

John McCrae's 'In Flanders Fields' remains, to this day, one of the most memorable war poems ever written.

Hooge Crater Museum

On the site where some of the fiercest battles were fought is the 'Hooge Crater' Museum 1914-1918, one of the

In Flanders Fields Museum

School group visiting the In Flanders Field museum

This interactive museum mixes artefacts with documentary film, audio-visual presentations and contemporary artwork to vividly portray the horror and brutality of the events of 1914-1918.

Last Post Ceremony, Menin Gate

Every evening since 1928 the Last Post has sounded at the Menin Gate at 20:00 in homage to the fallen British and Allied soldiers of World War I.

Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917

Commemorating the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917, this museum contains fascinating exhibitions and interactive experiences of life in the trenches.

Tyne Cot British Cemetery

Take your students to the largest cemetery for Commonwealth forces in the world, and let them reflect on the sheer number of lives lost.

Wellington Museum

People come from all over the world to find out more about the events of 18th June 1815.

Hill 62 Museum/Sanctuary Wood

Sanctuary Wood and its trench museum show an authentic and vivid portrayal of what is was like to live in the filth and mud of Flanders.

Cultural Activities

Bellewaerde Park

Bellewaerde Park is Belgium’s oldest theme park. Built around an ancient castle, this theme park is located only 75 minutes

Leonidas Chocolate Shop

Situated in the main square in Ypres, Leonidas Chocolate Shop is a popular choice for some light relief and delicious Belgian chocolates.

Supporting you every step of the way

Creating your perfect trip

Your quote will be put together by an experienced Tour Adviser who’ll be an expert in the subject area and will know the destination really well too. They’ll work with you to create a trip to suit your group’s needs and meet your learning objectives.

Launching your trip to parents and students

The next step is to get your trip approved and then get students signed up to it. Our ‘Trip Launch Pack’ will help you with this step. This is full of resources (all free to download) designed to make your life easier at this crucial point in the trip planning process.

After you’ve booked

Once you’ve booked, your dedicated Itinerary Coordinator will start work on the finer details. They’ll make sure your itinerary makes the most of your time and they’ll take on most of the admin tasks for your trip (freeing you up to do what you do best – teach).

Support while you’re away

From lost property to properly lost, we’ll always be on the end of the phone while you’re out on the trip. You’ll get a final info pack before you go, as well as access to all your trip documents via the Vamoos app.

After your trip

We’ll ask you for feedback, so we can improve our service. Let’s start planning your next trip too, so parents have plenty of time to pay (and so it’s less stressful for you). And don’t forget to head to our resources hub to continue the learning back in the classroom.