School History Trip To The Somme Battlefields

On a school history school trip to the battlefields of the Somme, your group will develop their understanding of what was the worst day in the history of the British Army!

The First World War's Battle of the Somme has gone down in history as one of the bloodiest ever fought. In terms of casualties, the first day of the battle (1st July 1916) saw the highest number of British casualties in one day.

The Battle of the Somme was intended to be the Big Push to win the war. The key events of the battle will be brought to life for your students with visits to sites including the 1916 Somme Museum in Albert, Lochnagar Crater, Thiepval Memorial to the Missing and Newfoundland Memorial Park.

Low on numbers? You may like to consider teaming up with your school's English Literature department to make this a cross-curricular trip if they're looking at WW1 poetry.

Alternatively, take a look at our other school history trips.

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1

Morning

Depart school

Afternoon

Visit Vimy Ridge and the Somme 1916 Museum

Evening

Evening meal and games

Day 2

Morning

Visit Thiepval Memorial, Delville Wood, Ulster Tower and Newfoundland Park

Evening

Travel back to school

1 night's half-board accommodation
Detailed information pack
Free staff place ratio 1:8
Itinerary planning service
Motorway tolls and taxes
Return Channel crossings
Return executive coach travel
Vamoos travel app - giving you access to all your trip documents on your phone or tablet
VAT at current rates to tour operators

Curriculum

A Level

The changing nature of warfare
Life in the trenches
Challenges of German nationalism
Germany: democracy and dictatorship

GCSE

Developments in British warfare
Conflict and tension: WW1
The Western Front
Life in wartime Britain

Key Stage 3

Challenges for Europe and the wider world, 1901

Primary

British history beyond 1066

Accommodation

Poppies d'Albert

Poppies d'Albert is a purpose-built hotel, catering exclusively for school groups. It is located in the historic town of Albert, in the very heart of the battlefields of the Somme. Students are accommodated in multi-bedded rooms, all of which have an en-suite shower, toilet and washbasin. Breakfast is served at the hotel, and the evening meal is in a local restaurant. Each floor has a games room with a pool table and a drinks machine. There is also a staff lounge on each floor with computers, free internet access and a minibar. A room is available for group activities. Next to the hotel are a football pitch and a swimming pool, both of which can be used by the hotel's guests.

Educational Activities

Delville Wood

The museum and memorial at Delville Wood commemorate the South Africans who fell in the First and Second World Wars.

Lochnagar Crater

Lochnagar Crater, the largest crater ever made by man, is a unique memorial to all those who suffered in the Great War.

Newfoundland Memorial Park, Beaumont-Hamel

On the first day of the Battle of the Somme, eight hundred men of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment went over the top here – only 68 returned.

Somme 1916 Museum

A unique underground museum where students will learn about the lives of soldiers on the frontline of WW1.

Thiepval Memorial to the Missing

This colossal brick structure records the names of 72,000 British soldiers whose bodies were never found.

Ulster Tower

At the Ulster Tower, a memorial to the men of the 36th (Ulster) Division, students can see rare, personal artefacts recovered from the nearby battlefields in the excellent visitor centre.

Vimy Ridge

At Vimy Ridge, a striking monument, an interpretive centre and a section of preserved trenches commemorate the Canadian soldiers who wrestled control of the escarpment in a brief but bloody battle in April 1917.

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.