As part of their 100th anniversary celebrations, Paignton Zoo are offering free school trips throughout 2023 to primary and secondary schools. This momentous offer honours the zoo’s original goal when it was established in 1923 - to provide a place of learning where people can discover the wonders of nature.
On the website, the organisation’s Engagement Manager, Matt Lewis, has made the statement: “We can’t underestimate the value of educational trips for all school pupils. It’s been a challenging few years for schools; they’ve missed out on a lot of trips due to Covid and are now facing budget cuts, so we want to make a big gesture by offering 60,000 free visits to help pupils get out and get inspired.”
In an effort to make school trips more accessible amongst the cost of living crisis, the zoo is enabling young minds to discover why nature is important. Paignton Zoo, and its twin site Newquay Zoo, are part of Wild Planet Trust. This is a charity focussed on the conservation of species internationally. The zoo encourages everyone to get involved with conservation and promotes ideas for how we can live more sustainably with nature.
Pupils from Early Years to Key Stage 4 that visit as part of a booked school trip during term time will receive one free entry to Paignton Zoo or Newquay Zoo. A member of the zoo’s engagement team will also be in attendance with each group to help them make the most of their day. Booking is essential to redeem this offer, and there are a limited number of free spaces to ensure that each class can receive the best experience.
The zoo strives to promote learning and engagement by providing this opportunity to schools, and aims to reach as many pupils as possible over the next year.
The full details of the offer are available here.
