Hobbledown Heath

What We Offer Visiting Schools:

A school trip to Hobbledown Heath combines curriculum-linked animal learning with outdoor adventure and play. Pupils can explore the zoo, see farm and exotic animals, enter animal walkthroughs and enjoy the large outdoor playground.

Schools can choose from four educational experiences:

– The Hobbler Guided Tour
– Interactive Animal Experience
– Animals in Motion
– Habitats and Adaptations

Packages are aligned with early-years learning and Key Stages 1–3, supporting topics including animals, habitats, adaptation, movement, geography, biology and the environment. Hobbledown also provides lesson plans, worksheets, a school risk assessment and teacher familiarisation visits and accompanying animals go free.

Why Choose Us for an Educational Visit:

Hobbledown Heath combines meaningful learning with animal encounters, outdoor exploration and active play—all in one visit.

• Curriculum-linked learning: Educational sessions support Early Years and Key Stages 1–3, covering animals, habitats, adaptations, movement, biology, geography and the environment.
• Hands-on experiences: Depending on the package, pupils can meet an animal, learn directly from a qualified zookeeper or explore the zoo with an expert guide.
• Learning beyond the classroom: Seeing animals and habitats first-hand helps bring classroom topics to life and encourages curiosity, observation and questioning.
• Play and physical activity: The large outdoor adventure playground gives children opportunities to exercise, explore, socialise and develop confidence.
• Choice for different ages: Packages are tailored to specific age groups, from preschool and Reception through to KS3.
• Teacher support: Hobbledown provides lesson plans, worksheets and site-specific risk-assessment information, alongside teacher familiarisation visits.
• Good value: Packages currently start at £11.50 per child, with accompanying adults admitted free within the permitted ratio.
• A full, memorable day: Visits run from 10am to 2pm, combining a structured educational activity with time to explore the animals and play areas.

Hobbledown Heath offers schools an engaging balance of education, enrichment and adventure, helping pupils learn together while building confidence and creating shared memories.

Subjects and Topics Covered:

Sport & Adventure
Animals & Birds
Science & Environment
Environment
Geography
Biology

Accreditation and Awards:

Hobbledown Heath is a provisional member of BIAZA, while its imaginative adventure-playground design was a finalist in the 2023 RoSPA Play Value Awards. The attraction is also home to the award-winning Coda Falconry centre.

Group Sizes Catered For:

Hobbledown Heath can accommodate school group sizes of 15 to 500! We always insist that there is a ratio of 1 adult for every 5 children.

Itineraries, Resources, and Workshops:

Experience: Hobbler Guided Tour

• Content: Guided zoo and walkthrough tour covering habitats, adaptations, identification and animal features. No animal contact.
• Age groups: Preschool, Reception and KS1
• Duration: 20 minutes

Experience: Interactive Animal Experience

• Content: Keeper-led animal meeting covering habitats, adaptations, identification and physical features.
• Age groups: KS1 and KS2, ages 7+
• Duration: 20 minutes

Experience: Animals in Motion Guided exploration examining how different resident animals move.

• Content: No animal contact.
• Age groups: KS2, ages 7+
• Duration: 45–60 minutes

Experience: Habitats and Adaptations

• Content: Active classroom-and-zoo session exploring world habitats and the ways animals are adapted to survive.
• Age groups: KS2, ages 7+
• Duration: 45–60 minute

Animals cannot be guaranteed or requested. Keepers select suitable animals according to the pupils’ ages, learning topic and animal-welfare requirements.

Educational resources

Teachers can download materials to support preparation, learning during the visit and follow-up work:

• Site-specific school risk assessment
• KS1 and KS2 habitats-and-adaptations lesson plans
• Habitats-and-adaptations worksheets
• KS2 Animals in Motion lesson plan and worksheets
• Home recycling survey
• Shaggy Beasts worksheet covering Highland cattle, alpacas and yaks
• Bug-hotel activity
• Birds-of-prey worksheet
• KS1 and KS2 rainforest-character worksheets
• Creative-writing and “Build a Hobbler” activity
• Poetry and rhyming worksheet
• Themed colouring sheets

The resources extend the visit across science, geography, environmental education, literacy and creative learning. Teachers are also encouraged to arrange a pre-visit familiarisation or risk-assessment visit.

Risk Assessment:

A downloadable site-specific risk assessment is available on our website: https://www.hobbledown.com/hounslow/schools-education/risk-assessment-lesson-plans-worksheets/

Education Department Information:

Our team are always ready to answer any questions you have. Please contact them by emailing hounslowinfo@hobbledown.com or call 02038 850074

Pricing Information:

School package Cost per child Accompanying adults
Hobbler Guided Tour £11.50 Free within the required ratio
Interactive Animal Experience £11.50 Free within the required ratio
Animals in Motion £12.50 Free within the required ratio
Habitats and Adaptations £12.50 Free within the required ratio
Great Barn access Additional £2 per child

These are dedicated term-time school rates, compared with general admission that can cost up to £20 per person. The educational package price includes admission and the selected guided tour, classroom session or animal experience.

Facilities:

– Extensive outdoor seating for school picnics

• Bins positioned around the park
• Hobnosh restaurant, offering meals, children’s options and lunchboxes
• Snack Shack for refreshments and food to take away
• Halal and vegetarian choices
• Standard toilet facilities around the site including five accessible toilets
• Baby-changing facilities in the Great Barn toilets
• Designated coach drop-off and collection point
• On-site car park with electric-vehicle charging points

Accessibility and Disabled Facilities:

We try to make your visit to Hobbledown as enjoyable as possible and we always try to accommodate as many people as we can. Schools with specific access requirements should contact us before your visit to ensure your visit is as enjoyable as possible.

– There are five accessible toilets on site.

• Step-free access to the main areas, wide pathways and a lift to the first-floor party balcony
• Limited accessible parking
• Free Essential Companion tickets for eligible visitors, subject to advance registration

Opening Hours:

School visits are run from 10am – 2pm and combine structured educational activity with time to explore the animals and play areas.