Conisbrough Castle

School Visits

Inspire your students with a visit to Conisbrough Castle, a symbol of power and wealth built by the Warenne family after the Norman Conquest, with 850 years of history to discover. Explore for free with your class, or immerse them in the medieval world with an expert-led Discovery Visit workshop to compliment your learning.

Curriculum Links

Support your teaching in the classroom by stepping out of it. A visit to Conisbrough 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
  • KS2 History: A local history study. 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, why was the castle built here?
  • KS3 History: A local history study. The development of Church, state and society in Medieval Britain 1066-1509

Free Self-led Visits

Book a free self-led visit to Conisbrough Castle and organise your day to suit your curriculum objectives. Immerse your class in the world of medieval castles as you explore the unique cylindrical keep and imagine what life would have been like for the wealthy de Warenne family and the people who worked at the castle, compared to our lives today. Download the free organiser pack and hazard information to help make planning your visit stress-free.

Enquire now

Expert-led Discovery Visits

Sandford Award winner 2021!

We have developed two exciting, expert-led, award-winning Discovery visits to give your pupils engaging, practical experiences of the castle's medieval past.

At just £100 per session per class of up to 30 children, it’s a great way to inspire your students and enhance your learning outside of the classroom at Conisbrough Castle.

Find out more

Plan 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! 

 

  • Facilities
    • PARKING: Parking for disabled visitors available outside Visitor Centre. Please call the site before visiting for details.
    • TOILETS: Separate male and female toilets available.
    • LUNCH: You are welcome to bring a picnic to enjoy in the grounds. 
    • SHOP:  Shop located in the visitor centre selling a range of gifts, souvenirs and books. We recommend bringing your students in small groups at a time.
    • EDUCATION ROOM: The education room is currently unavailable. 

    Site Map

    Conisbrough Site Map

     

  • Hazard Information

    A useful tool to help with your risk assessments.

    You must meet the following ratios for leaders to students on the day of your visit when booking, and if your group is forming smaller groups while at the site:

    • Ages 4-5 (UK Reception) 1 leader for every 4 students (1:4)
    • Ages 5-7 (UK Key Stage 1) 1 leader for every 6 students (1:6)
    • Ages 7-11 (UK Key Stage 2) 1 leader for every 10 students (1:10) and
    • Ages 11-18 (UK Key Stages 3, 4, and 5) 1 leader for every 15 students (1:15)
    • For an adult learning group, consisting of individuals all over the age of 18, there are no ratios but there must be an appointed group leader
    • All ratios outlined above apply to home education groups
    • If your group consists of children aged 3 and/or 4, you must also refer to the Early Years and Foundation Stage Statutory Framework which sets out specific legal requirements for minimum ratios for this age group, to include requirements about the qualifications of the leaders
    • SEND groups must meet the minimum ratios above but may bring any additional leaders as required to adequately support their group
  • Education Site Opening Times

    We offer free self-led education visits during school term time*. From November until March we open exclusively for education groups at selected sites when booking an expert-led Discovery Visit. See our education opening times below for individual site information.

    *Free education visits are not offered on UK public holidays or during the operation of additional fee paying public events at English Heritage sites.

    • April-October: Monday-Sunday 10-5pm. Discovery Visits available Monday-Sunday
    • November-March: Monday-Sunday 10-4pm. Discovery Visits available Monday-Sunday

Learning Resources

  • Conisbrough Castle Teachers' Kit (KS1-4)

    Our Teachers’ Kits feature historical information and activity suggestions for group leaders of various subjects and key stages.

  • Conisbrough Castle OCR Spec B: History Around Us (GCSE)

    We’ve created a site proposal form to help with your planning in conjunction with OCR.

  • Teaching Anglo-Saxons and Normans

    Use historical information, learning activities and tips from our historians, curators and educational experts to support your teaching of the Anglo-Saxons and Normans.

  • Teaching Medieval History

    Use historical information, learning activities and tips from our historians, curators and educational experts to support your teaching of medieval history.

  • A Mini Guide to Castles

    ​Discover how castles developed over time with this short introduction.

  • How to Take a Medieval Castle

    Watch our short animation to learn more about how to take a medieval castle.