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At the moment you’re seeing all our itinerary suggestions for a school trip to St Ives; to refine what you see please click the relevant filters. To save your search download a pdf and keep it on your desktop as a reference.

Please note that all prices are for guidance only and are subject to change. If you’d like more detail on anything do get in touch with the relevant supplier or email us on hello@stayatcohort.co.uk.

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Bosavern Community Farm

A visit to this unique farm is a special, life-enhancing experience where the importance of sustainability, caring for bees, growing food without chemicals, respect for the land, (including tree and soil care) and for Nature in general, is brought to life.

Spend the day learning about where our food comes from; how they grow seasonal vegetables, herbs and salads on organic principles and raise happy, free-range chickens on GM-free food. The beehives house native Cornish Black Bees and the Community Bee Garden houses an Observation Hive where their own Beekeeper and bee hosts explain the importance of bees as pollinators. They have a Community Woodland, wildflower meadows, a Farm Trail and much more.

A day is typically 9.30 – 3.30pm. Suitable for groups of up to 32 + staff and activities / talks can be adapted for all ages. Shorter visits by special arrangement.

From £28 + VAT/student inc, lunch & all refreshments

Environs of St Ives Walk

St Ives local Tony is a retired English teacher and has also worked as a Nautical Archaeologist at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, publishing research papers in leading Archaeological and Historical Journals.

This walk explores the countryside on the outskirts of St.Ives, visiting Knill’s Monument and examining evidence of opencast tin mining from the Medieval period and taking the Pilgrims’ trail, now known as St.Michael’s Way. Halsetown village will be visited and its interesting origins explained. Includes part of the coastal footpath back to St.Ives.

Suitable for ages 12+. Maximum group size: 20.

£8/person. Teachers go free.

Bodyboarding (hire)

Hire body boards (and wet suits if you need them) from St Ives Surf School for up to 2 hours and have a great time in the water.

Provided students stay within the allotted area for bodyboarding then they will be well looked after by RNLI lifeguards.

St Ives Surf School are AALA Licensed

£10/2 hours + £10/2 hours for wet suit hire. Discounts available for educational groups.

Big Beach Day

Spend the day with St Ives Surf School learning about the RNLI, ocean safety and participating in water sports.

The day includes an RNLI safety talk, volleyball, rounders, body-boarding, wet suits, surf lesson, deckchairs, windbreaks and a VIP area on the beach.

Runs from 10am – 4pm with a break for lunch.

St Ives Surf School are AALA Licensed.

£55+VAT per person

Coasteering

Join award winning St Ives Surf School for a 1.5-2 hour coasteering adventure. Coasteering is an adrenaline filled combination of traversing rocks, floating through gullies, sea swimming, exploring caves and negotiating jumps.

All this takes place in a safe and fun environment under the guidance of highly trained and qualified professionals, all of which are DBS checked.

All equipment provided.

St Ives Surf School are AALA Licensed

£30+VAT per person

It’s a Hard Rock Life – Talk

Join Cornishman Clint Hosking and friends to gain a colourful overview of Cornish mining culture and history and why it is important enough to have received World Heritage status.

Clint will bring rock samples, photographs, tools, mining equipment, clothing, etc which form part of Geevor’s handling collection. Pupils can explore the artefacts for themselves so it is a very hands on interactive session.

This engaging talk can be conducted on site at Geevor Tin Mine or at Cohort and can be adapted for any age group or curriculum focus. It can take place during the day or evening and is highly recommended for all groups looking to understand a little more about Cornish culture.

Duration: 1 hour. Maximum group size: 60.

£65/session

Goonhilly Earth Station

The UKs space communication gateway and a recognised centre of excellence in Communications Engineering, Teleport Services, R&D, Manufacturing, Training, Outreach and Education.

They are a huge supporter of STE(A)M (Science, Tech, Engineering (Arts) & Maths) and offer fantastic opportunities for schools to engage with workshops, tours of the site, lectures and project work.

Goonhilly is a 30 minute drive from St Ives.

From £4.80 per person (minimum 15 students)

Walk to (or from) Zennor

From Cohort head over to the far end of Porthmeor Beach, follow the SW Coast Path out of St Ives towards Lands End. Over the bowling green and Man’s Head rock formation and keep going. Keep the sea on your right and you can’t get lost; eventually you reach a stone marker pointing you away from the coast path, it’s then a half a mile inland to reach the hamlet of Zennor where you can get the bus back to St Ives.

It’s a challenging 6.5 mile hike with lots of up and down on a narrow (occasionally uneven) path but it is 100% worth it for the views. Allow 4 – 5 hours, more if you want to stop and take photos / picnic.

Wear suitable footwear (hiking boots or trail running shoes) and only attempt with older students (14 years+).

Free

St Michael’s Mount

One of the most famous of Cornwall’s landmarks, St Michael’s Mount is situated in the village of Marazion – a 20 minute drive from St Ives. The mount is home to a small community, a stunning castle and gardens that would be the envy of a fairytale. The ‘castle on the rock’ dates back to 14th Century and is accessible by foot when the tide is out or by boat at other times.

Working with schools the learning programme at St Michael’s Mount is designed to engage children and young people in creative and collaborative experiences that bring the history of the island and its locality to life. Especially ideal for Cornish Schools where local history and culture is high priority on the curriculum.

This is an easy 1/2 day or full day out for your group – with tours available of the castle and gardens; or just explore on your own. Read more on their Schools & Learning page HERE.

Free for Cornish Schools OR (for out of county schools) Buy a National Trust Education Membership to access this site for free OR £7.50/student for visits to the castle.

Walk to (or from) Lelant Saltings

Leave the hostel and head to Porthminster Beach. From the far end of the beach outside the restaurant pick up the SW Coast Path towards Lelant / Hayle. Follow it through Carbis Bay, over the dunes at Porthkidney Sands (dipping down the beach if you like) and on to St Uny Church where you can walk 1km of super quiet road / path to Lelant Saltings station.

Pick up the train to come back to St Ives (£1-2).

Allow 90 minutes with good walkers and no stopping or 3 hours for slower walkers with lots of stops.

Free

Bodmin Jail

Discover the darker side of Cornwall’s history at Bodmin Jail. Experience the Dark Walk where the stories of Bodmin Jail will come alive in this immersive experience.

Educational group tours can be tailored to your learning outcomes or subject focus so speak to the education department in advance. It’s a great option for on the way down to us or on the way home as it’s around 1 hour from St Ives by coach.

Allow 2 – 3 hours for a visit (depending on the size of the group).

£6.60/student and staff go free

Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens

In a beautiful sheltered valley, the woods, stream and dramatic vistas of Tremenheere provide a perfect setting for large-scale exotic and sub-tropical planting.

Interwoven with this there is also an evolving programme of contemporary artwork, internationally renowned artists such as James Turrell, David Nash and Richard Long have interacted with the setting to create site-specific permanent work that harmonises with the landscape.

Tremenheere is a 20 minute drive from St Ives and you will need transport to access the site.

£6/student (£4/student <15). £8.50/staff.

Congition Learning STEM Workshops

Cognition Learning brings hands-on problem based STEM learning challenges to your pupils across KS2 and KS3. With links to topics and your curriculum planned into the sessions children can learn contextually whilst solving problems, having fun and learning with their peers. 

Cognition Learning use LEGO Education robotics and block coding to build and design robots that are up to any challenge. With links to Science, D&T, Maths, Geography and even History and Literature they create the scenario and your pupils design the solution. 

Cognition Learning will conduct the workshop on site at Cohort or in an external workshop space.

Maximum number of students: 36. Duration: half a day.

£250-300/workshop including materials

St Ives Museum

Eight rooms over two floors tell the fascinating history of St Ives’ heritage. Explore art, blacksmith tools, boat building, photographs and wartime memorabilia. Alongside all this the original fish curing cellar can still be seen.

The museum is small so not suitable for large groups unless pre-arranged. It’s open Easter – end of October, Monday – Saturday.

£2-3 per person

St Ives Treasure Trail

Purchase a St Ives Treasure Trail pack from Cohort or in advance online and divide your students into groups of 4 or 5. This self-guided mystery walking trail will take them all around St Ives, exploring back streets and discovering landmarks they may never have noticed.

This 2.25 mile loop trail can take around 2 – 3 hours depending on the ages of the students and you don’t have to do it all at once! Space it out over the course of the trip, an hour here, an hour there and award prizes to the group who solves the mystery first.

£9.99/treasure trail pack

Ancient monuments of West Penwith

St Ives local Tony is a retired English teacher and has also worked as a Nautical Archaeologist at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, publishing research papers in leading Archaeological and Historical Journals.

The Penwith moors contain fine examples of Megalithic chamber tombs (locally known as Quoits), stone circles, entrance graves, cliff castles and prehistoric villages. Many sites are in remote locations. Walks and talks can be organized to meet the curriculum needs and interests of individual groups.

Suitable for ages 12+. Maximum group size: 20. Transport required.

£20/student. Teachers go free.

Eden Project

Visit the Eden Project on the way to / from us or have a superb day out from St Ives. From over 35 workshops on a variety of subjects through to outdoor learning and free, downloadable trails the Eden Project has something for every school group and is a truly amazing site in the heart of Cornwall.

Discover the perfect workshop on their School Trips page: scroll to School Workshops at Eden and filter for age group and subject area.

Allow 1 hour by coach / minibus to get there from St Ives and 3 – 4 hours on site (6 hours if you’re doing 2 workshops).

£6.90/student for a self-led visit. £7.95/student for visit which includes a workshop.

Kayaking Tour

Join award winning St Ives Surf School for a 90 minute kayaking tour, taking students on a scenic trip around the shores of St Ives with an expert guide with local knowledge.

Tours can be done in single or double kayaks and all instructors are DBS checked and used to working with schools and young people.

All relevant instruction and equipment provided.

£30+VAT/person

St Ives Society of Artists

Established in 1927 the St Ives Society of Artists’ exhibition programme features work chosen by guest curators as well as guest exhibitions offering a diverse mix of contemporary visual art.

Many of their exhibiting artists and members are workshop leaders and they offer a great variety of art workshops for schools and students of all ages and abilities. Printmaking to craft and fine art to figurative.

£10 - 20 per student

St Ives eBikes

2-3 hour guided eBike rides exploring the wilds of West Cornwall, cycling on a combination of quiet lanes and bridleways. Tours are fully customisable and can include stops at viewpoints, megalithic sites and old mine works.

Guides are qualified ride leaders and participants must be 14yrs+, able to ride a bike and have a modest level of fitness.

Groups of <21 participants including staff. All equipment provided.

£35 per person

Barbara Hepworth Museum & Sculpture Garden

Barbara Hepworth lived and worked in Trewyn studios – now the Barbara Hepworth Museum – from 1949 until her death in 1975. Following her wish to establish her home and studio as a museum of her work, Trewyn Studio and much of the artist’s work remaining there was given to the nation and placed in the care of the Tate Gallery in 1980.

Visit this amazingly peaceful place and wonder at the art still in the same position as the artist herself placed them in.

Free for U18s if booked as a group in advance

Tintagel Castle

Break up your journey to or from St Ives and immerse yourself in history, myths and stunning scenery at Tintagel Castle (approx. hour from St Ives). Inextricably linked with the legend of King Arthur this dramatic coastline and castle needs to be seen to be believed.

Education is one of English Heritage’s core values and school groups are well supported whether visiting on a self-led basis or booking onto a workshop or tour.

Free for educational groups who book in advance

SK8 St Ives

Join the fabulous SK8PZ for a roller skating session at the Island Centre in St Ives. SK8PZ is a roller skating CIC who provide fun and fitness on skates for ages 5 and up.

A 90 minute session will start off with safety information and fundamental techniques, progressing on to skills and tricks which are then reinforced through fun and games. There’s always time for a bit of disco at the end too!

Roller skating has been shown to improve anxiety and loneliness through a pressure-free social activity. Skating facilitates neuroplasticity and reduces stress, which helps pupils overcome adversity and maintain a positive mindset. In short, it’s a great way to spend an evening in St Ives. The Island Centre is a 10 minute walk from Cohort.

SK8PZ has all the relevant risk asessments, safeguarding, DBS checks and insurance in place. Maximum group size 30-35 but larger groups can be accommodated by staggering sessions.

£160/90 minute session (allow 2 hours). All skates included.

Town Walk with Tony Farrell

St Ives local Tony is a retired English teacher and has also worked as a Nautical Archaeologist at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, publishing research papers in leading Archaeological and Historical Journals.

His walk through St Ives covers the development of the town and its heritage, the importance of fishing, seafaring and mining as well as the growth of tourism and the significance of St.Ives as a centre for Modern Art. Discover St.Ives’ unique history through buildings and artifacts located in obscure places.

A great introduction to St Ives for students about to embark on a Human Geography study of the town.

Suitable for ages 12+. Maximum group size: 20.

£5/person. Teachers go free.

Penlee House Gallery & Museum

Built in 1865 and set in the grounds of a sub-tropical garden in Penzance. Penlee House is home to many paintings by members of the Newlyn School. A programme of changing exhibitions celebrates the skill and craftsmanship of painting in west Cornwall in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. They offer introductory talks for all school visits (free) and can organise workshops based on your themes and the National Curriculum. Penzance is a 30 minute bus / 20 minute coach ride from St Ives.

Free (small charge for workshops)

Storytelling at Cohort

An evening of performance storytelling at Cohort with acclaimed St Ives storyteller Shanty Baba. The perfect way to spend a winter evening.

From Cornish folklore to Greek myths, from ghost stories to everything in between, Shanty will enthral you with his engaging performance which can be adapted for all ages (KS2 – KS4).

The evening can then be extended to include a storytelling workshop culminating in performances by the pupils, either individually or in groups.

Shanty will happily work with you to tailor the evening to specific themes.

£100 for 1 hour storytelling or £150 for storytelling & workshop

Minack Theatre (visits)

The Minack is a unique open air theatre perched on the cliffs above the Atlantic Ocean. Built by one extraordinary woman, Minack is an amazing place to visit in a spectacular setting.

Combine a visit with the Porthcurno Telegraph Museum for an awesome day out.

£5 per person

Melodies of Cornwall

Join singer songwriter Nicole Tesseyman for a fabulous musical session on site at Cohort.

Nicole will sing and play some of her own, St Ives/Cornwall-inspired songs and sea shantys explaining the meaning behind them and how she came to write them. She will then teach the group a couple of Cornish songs to sing together; finally leading the group to write their own Sea Shanty.

This will encourage them to reflect on what they have learned about St Ives, build new creative skills, gain in confidence and – more importantly – have fun with music.

Great for all ages and a perfect take away from any trip to St Ives. Sessions last between 90 – 120 minutes depending on the size of the group.

£150 for groups of 30 students or less; £180 for groups of 31 students or more (staff excluded)

Dyeing Fabric with Indigo

Jo McIntosh is a Textile Artist and Workers Education Tutor living and working in St Ives. The work she produces includes hand-woven, knitted, felt items, jewellery and much more.

Jo runs art and crafts workshops on a variety of topics including knitting, crochet, weaving, feltmaking, papier-mâché and fabric dyeing.

During this workshop you will learn how to set up and use an Indigo vat to dye fabric as well as some tie dye techniques to create patterns onto the fabric.

Maximum group size: 15.

£90/half day or £160/full day + £5/person material costs + room hire charges if applicable

Surf Lesson

Take to the water with the award winning St Ives Surf School for an exhilarating 2 hour surf lesson. All equipment is included including wet suits and students do not have to be strong swimmers as it’s rare that they’ll be in water deeper than waist height and never out of their depth.

Instructors are all DBS checked and experienced at working with schools and young people.

St Ives Surf School are AALA Licensed

£30+VAT per person

Great Flat Lode

One of the world’s best conserved mining landscapes. The mines here closed around 1920. Since then the area has remained relatively undeveloped and it now contains some of Cornwall’s finest remains of engine houses, tin dressing floors and other mining structures.

The trail runs from 2 – 7 miles and is a 25 minute drive from St Ives.

Allow at least half a day for exploring, analysis or sketching.

Free

Geevor Tin Mine

Situated on the stunning Cornish coastline around Pendeen, Geevor Tin Mine gives your students the opportunity to visit a real mine and learn what life was like for a Cornish Miner.

A typical day includes hand-drilling and rock-crushing sessions, a tour of the processing mill, an underground tour of the mine, panning for minerals – as well as your selection from one of their workshops:

The KS2 Hard Rock Challenge workshop focuses on the properties of rocks and their formation as metamorphic, sedimentary or igneous. This workshop explores how this affected the mining and separation processes used at Geevor Tin Mine.

The KS2 It’s a Hard Rock Life is a workshop that explores the lives of Cornish miners and Bal Maids. It provides a great living local history study and an in depth exploration of Cornwall and its culture that miners took with them throughout the world. These worldly travels led to the now famous expression ‘if there is a hole anywhere on Earth, you’re sure to find a Cornishman at the bottom of it.’

£5.85/student. Staff go free.

Land’s End

Visit the most westerly point in the UK and see the iconic signpost – a legendary Cornish icon.

The Land’s End Peninsula was formed around 270 million years ago producing magnificent cliffs which are of national significance.

For a great (and easy) walk park at Sennen Cove (a beautiful fishing village in its own right) and walk the mile to Land’s End to appreciate the coastal scenery in all its glory.

Free

Falmouth University Activities

Falmouth University’s School & College Partnerships Programme is designed to support high quality creative provision in schools and colleges by offering a range of activities to inform and support students regarding their progression both into Higher Education and a creative career.

Falmouth University are able to offer you a fantastic day filled with:

  • Presentations, advice & guidance
  • Guest lectures, masterclasses and workshops across a wide variety of creative disciplines including Animation, Film, Photography, Fine Art, Textiles, Print Making, Fashion, Theatre & Dance, Gaming, Architecture, Event Management, Sustainable Festival Management, Sustainable Tourism Management, Interior Design and Sustainable Product Design
  • Campus tours

All activities can be linked to Gatsby benchmarking.

With phenomenal facilities and a superb, global reputation Falmouth University will not only enrich your trip itinerary through workshops they can provide, they will also offer your students a unique insight into university life.

It’s an inspirational day out and will cost you nothing!

Duration: 10am – 2/3pm. Group size <60. Suitable for Y10+.

Free

St Ives RNLI Lifeboat Station

Visit the St Ives RNLI Lifeboat station, just a few minutes walk from Cohort. Learn about the bravery and dedication of the RNLI, see the amazing lifeboat up close and learn about water safety as part of the RNLI’s mission to prevent their services being needed.

Their website is packed full of resources to take your learning back into the classroom or give your pupils a grounding before the visit.

The visit is free but we do encourage schools to think about bringing a donation along donating to the RNLI during the visit.

Free

Stand Up Paddleboarding

Join award winning St Ives Surf School for a 90 minute SUP lesson. Students will be taught basic coastal awareness and safety skills as well as various paddling techniques and balance tips. You will start out prone paddling, swiftly progressing onto your knees, before finding your feet and gliding through the water.

All instructors are DBS checked and used to working with schools and young people. All relevant instruction and equipment provided.

St Ives Surf School are AALA Licensed

£30+VAT per person

Paper or Fabric Collage

Jo McIntosh is a Textile Artist and Workers Education Tutor living and working in St Ives. The work she produces includes hand-woven, knitted, felt items, jewellery and much more.

Jo runs art and crafts workshops on a variety of topics including knitting, crochet, weaving, feltmaking, papier-mâché and fabric dyeing.

During this workshop you will learn how to create a collage from an image (from a painting or photograph or may be inspired by the work of a St Ives artist). The collage could be made using paper from magazines or using fabric scraps and some simple handstitching.

Maximum group size: 15.

£90/half day or £160/full day + £5/person material costs + room hire charges if applicable

Newlyn Art Gallery Sketch Tour

These 90-minute sessions are led by a member of the Learning and Participation team. After a brief introduction to the exhibition, the group will be encouraged to discuss thoughts and opinions on the work and then to respond creatively.

Students must bring their own sketch books, all other materials are provided.

£8 per person

Porthcurno Telegraph Museum

Discover a museum experience that explores the amazing story of our interconnected world, and how a tranquil valley in Cornwall became the centre of worldwide communications.

The museum has a regular programme of curriculum-linked workshops for schools and groups, which combine hands-on activities with time to explore the museum.

Workshops can be tailored to meet your groups’ needs or specific learning outcomes. You can also extend your Porthcurno learning experience with pre-and post-visit activities.