Curriculum links
Support your teaching in the classroom by stepping out of it. A visit to Scarborough Castle will help you bring learning to life, covering multiple topics across the curriculum and key stages.
- KS1 History: Significant historical events, people and places in the locality. Study of castles
- KS2 History: A local history study. Changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age. The Roman Empire and its impact on Britain. Britain's Settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots. A study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066
- KS2 Geography: Human geography: types of settlement and land use, identify the difference between natural and manmade defensive features of the castle, understand the strategic significance of the castle’s position
- KS3 History: A local history study. The development of church, state and society in medieval Britain 1066-1509 and in Britain 1509-1745
- KS3 Geography: Understand the key processes in human geography; understand how human and physical processes interact to influence and change landscapes
Self-led Visits
Book a self-led visit to Scarborough Castle and organise your day to suit your curriculum objectives. Investigate prehistoric and Roman artefacts found at the castle in the exhibition in the Master Gunner’s House, and see the remains of the Roman signal station built to defend the cost. Explore the 12th Century stone keep and the curtain wall and imagine what life was like for medieval lords defending the castle from attack. Scarborough was famously bombarded during WW1, and standing in the castle grounds offers the perfect opportunity to explore this event in local history using the activity and extract in the Teachers’ Activity Ideas.
There is also a world class sculpture by artist Ryan Gander installed at Scarborough Castle, highlighting the importance of protecting local wildlife and addressing climate change.
UK schools and eligible learning groups can visit for free to support your teaching. Find out more about our offer for international education groups.
Enquire nowExpert-led Discovery Visits
Bring Scarborough Castle to life and let us lead a Discovery Visit for you. Our session is interactive and immersive and has been specifically designed to meet the needs of different groups across the key stages. Explore what life was like in the Medieval Period, and how the castle was defended during times of conflict.
Find out morePlan your trip
We have a wide range of materials to support your visit and make school trip planning easy. You can find all our site-specific information and tools below, and further information on our what to expect page.
Download our free resources to help you make the most out of your visit and create unique learning experiences before, during and after your trip. We also offer free planning visits once you have made a booking, plus a 20% discount on the official English Heritage guidebook for your place of choice.
Once you book your visit you’ll be sent a visit permit, which you’ll need to bring with you on the day.
Visit our bookings page to start planning your trip!
Learning Resources
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Scarborough Castle Teachers' Resource Pack (KS2-KS4)
Use the historical information and sources in this pack to learn more about Scarborough Castle's story.
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Scarborough Castle Timeline (KS2-KS3)
Chart the history of Scarborough Castle with our timeline.
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Scarborough Castle Teachers' Activity Ideas (KS2-KS4)
Our suggested activities support learning before, during and after your visit to Scarborough Castle.
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Scarborough Castle Student Activity Sheets (KS2-KS3)
Explore the key features of Scarborough Castle with our activity trail.
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Taskmaster Education at English Heritage
We’ve teamed up with Taskmaster Education to bring an extra layer of fun to school visits to our sites. Find out more about how we can help you create a Taskmaster-style experience during your trip.
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Bio–Diversity Bags
Book our free Bio-Diversity Bags containing items such as magnifying glasses, torches, binoculars and identification cards to discover more about the local wildlife who live at the castle.
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Scarborough Castle OCR Spec B: History Around Us (GCSE)
We’ve created a site proposal form to help with your planning in conjunction with OCR.
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Out of the Box
We've been working with Out of the Box, supporting people to access their local heritage and find meaningful ways to connect with it through talk. Learn more about all the different opportunities on offer to explore place-based, object-based learning through this project, with support from Arts Council England and North Yorkshire Council.
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Teaching Medieval History
Use historical information, learning activities and tips from our historians, curators and educational experts to support your teaching of medieval history.
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A Mini Guide to Castles
Discover how castles developed over time with this short introduction.
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How to Take a Medieval Castle
Watch our short animation to learn more about how to take a medieval castle.
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Postcard from Scarborough Castle
Take to the skies above Scarborough Castle to discover the site and its surroundings.
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Enquire now
0370 333 1181
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To book a visit between now and up to 27 March 2026, please follow this link.
To book a visit from 28 March 2026 onwards, please follow this link.
If this is your first time booking with us, you will need to create your account first. If you have made bookings with us in the past, you’ve been sent an email to finalise setting up your account. If your school or organisation already has an account, you can get added to it. You can then check availability, book, amend and cancel your visits on our new booking portal.
For any questions, please email bookeducation@english-heritage.org.uk
