English Literature School Trips

Need something bespoke?

Halsbury Sticker

Did you know that you can bring English Literature to life for your students either by going abroad or staying in the UK?

You can take English literature outside the classroom to visit some of the places that inspired the works you’re studying, and bring the books to life for your students!

With a better understanding of the context in which the piece was written, your students will be able to delve further into the work.

Read more

Why arrange an English literature school trip?

Bring literature to life

An English literature school trip offers your students the opportunity to better understand the context in which the texts they are studying were written.

For example, if your students are studying WW1 poetry, the opportunity to learn more about life on the Western Front for the soldiers will help deepen their understanding of the poems.

They can visit the trenches and learn more about the terrible conditions that soldiers had to put up with while also being under constant threat of attack.

At the In Flanders Fields Museum, they’ll discover the stories of individual soldiers. And at the many war cemeteries and memorials throughout the area, they’ll be able to pay their respects, while also taking in the scale of destruction.

They’ll also be able to visit Talbot House, where soldiers went for some relief from the horrors of the frontline. Here, your students will be reminded that most of the soldiers were normal men from diverse backgrounds who had been thrown into war.

You can even visit the very places where some of the poems were written. 

For example, your students will see beyond the words of their study pieces to the sentiment behind them with visits to places like the Essex Farm Dressing Station in Ypres, where John McCrae wrote In Flanders Fields after the death of his friend, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer.

The poem has become synonymous with the sacrifice of soldiers, so a visit to the WW1 battlefields of Belgium and France will certainly allow your students to gain a deeper understanding of the inspiration behind it.

And in the Somme, you can follow in the footsteps of Wilfred Owen, or visit key locations from Sebastian Faulks’ Birdsong.

Encourage their passion for literature

An English literature school trip can bring the words that your students have been studying to life, whether that’s by showing them the context in which a piece was written, or by seeing it performed on stage in the West End.

For the latter, school trips to London are a very popular choice, as we can arrange for you to enjoy a theatre performance of the play you’re studying, as well as a backstage tour of one of the capital’s most prestigious theatres.

By taking a trip to see the play you’re studying performed on stage, the words will be lifted right off the page. Your students will never forget these experiences – encouraging a lifelong passion for literature.

Your trip could also provide your students with practical experiences of the text that they’re studying. They’ll have learnt more about the context in which the piece was written and they’ll have physically explored the text, helping to develop their responses to exam questions.

Enjoy the trip as much as your students

Originally founded by former teachers, and with many former teachers still among us, we understand the value of English literature school trips and how to make them successful.

Your trip will be completely tailor-made, to ensure that it meets your specific requirements and learning objectives. And we’ll be on hand throughout the process to answer any questions you have.

In fact, we’ll be with you every step of the way, from now until you return home at the end of your trip. While abroad, you’ll be able to reach us with just one phone call, at any time of the day or night. And, with this comprehensive level of support while you’re away, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy the experience as much as your students.

Why choose Halsbury?

We build your trip around you

Tell us your learning objectives, curriculum and budget and we’ll do the rest.

Contact us
We’re trusted for a reason

We’re members of ABTA, ABTOT and the School Travel Forum. We also hold an ATOL and the LOtC Quality Badge.

Read more

Our Education specialists

Laura Lucas

Tour Consultant

Paul Hudson

Tour Consultant

Laura Martin

Language Sales & Product Manager

Emma Gray da Silva

Tour Consultant

Meet our education specialists and get to know more about the people committed to making your school trip the best it can be.

Meet the education team

Let's chat!

English Literature activities that your school group will love

Lochnagar Crater

On the morning of the first day of the battle of the Somme, Welsh miners blew a huge mine under

Somme 1916 Museum

From the ninth to the sixteenth centuries, the people of Albert, like many in the region, got used to hiding

Wilfred Owen Trail, Northern France

Groups visiting northern France can now follow in the footsteps of the young British war poet Wilfred Owen on a

Menin Gate

Situated on Menin Road where men used to march from Ypres to the front lines, the Menin Gate is a

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace serves as both the office and London residence of Her Majesty The Queen, as well as the administrative

Tower of London

There are dozens of amazing sights and activities at the Tower of London. Students can spend the day visiting the

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.

Popular Destinations For English Literature trips