16 replies to this topic

[Helen Evans]

I'm taking a rnage of pupils (yr9 - Yr13) to Ypres in a fortnight but have never been myself. We are travelling with NST, going to "in Flanders Field", Menin Gate, Sanctuary Wood museum, Tyne Cot and Langemark.

Any advice from those of you who have been? Which bits will the pupils find dull and could do with skipping over, which do they really like and need more time? NST tell me you can't book at Sactuary Wood, is this likely to be a problem?

Any tips would be very welcomed.

Helen

[Alison]

Good news - it's a wonderful visit. Have taken Year 9s for many years, a little earlier, (just before our Options choices)! You will all have a great time.

I always take a professional guide with us. Costs a little more but the kids listen better to a new voice, they know all the interesting facts and can answer all the questions convincingly!

Hill 62 is a MUST - make sure the kids bring wellies in a separate, labelled plastic bag.

Last tip - Cloth Hall Museum (Flanders Field) is excellent. Some kids tend to rush through it though - too much reading! For great atmosphere, try the Abris Museum at Albert - the tunnels filled with artefacts & were used to tend the wounded in WW1. Good shop & eats there too!

Good luck!

Alison

[Nichola Boughey]

I have done this trip as well. It is amazing - perhaps just a few too many cemetaries. You must see Langemark cemetary though. It is important to see a French, German and British cemetary.

The Cloth Hall Museum is good but you need a decent enough time to see everything. There are also some good chocolate shops there as well.

Have a great time.

[johnwayne]

hi, I agree with Nicola - we also do too many cemetaries and I have asked our tour company to spend more time at the museums.

Plenty of black bags for the coach, the first aid kit and to remind the kids about wellies in plastic bags!!!!!!

enjoy yourself; we are going again in the june and will be hopefully having a coffee under the umbrellas in the town of ypres with its wonderful cafes!!!

[Win Bradley]

I've also done this trip several times. Have comprehensive guide + work book if you need one. Also the adresses and numbers of chocolate shops - good after the Menin Gate last post. If you book either or both will stay open for YOUR GROUP.

Ypres museum is now interactive and requires some planning to get the best out of it. They will send tou their materials, but to et the best out of it requires careful thought. I'm happy to help. e-mail me if you need it

Win

[Helen Surawy]

I suggest you follow all the advice in these messages. I went for the first time with year 9s in November and thought it was fantastic too. Make sure you go to the last Post at the Menin Gate. It's on every night approx. 8pm. We went with Titan Tours who planned it really well even if the driver hated 14 year old girls ! The chocolate shop is well worth a visit especially as all our girls were given freebies on top of what they bought. Sadly I can't remember the name of the one we went to only that it was a bright yellow shop in Ypres centre. Staff freebies were good too. Best to give them an idea of when you'll be there. You can see some photographs on my website. My Webpage

[Dan Moorhouse]

The chocolate shop is well worth a visit especially as all our girls were given freebies on top of what they bought. Sadly I can't remember the name of the one we went to only that it was a bright yellow shop in Ypres centre. Staff freebies were good too. Best to give them an idea of when you'll be there.

Sounds like the one I went to a fortnight ago. Come out of 'In flanders Field' and it's in the far left corner of the square.

[Helen Evans]

Thanks for all of the advice - especially about the chocolate. Don't want to give them worksheets etc, as only going on one day and on a training day, don't want to make it a chore - rather just to be awed by it all. We are going to Last Post - although I fear the girls may see me cry.

I've been told that we cannot book into Sanctuary Wood museum, is this likely to be a problem?

[Win Bradley]

No problem at Sanctuary Wood. Its the trenches and tunnels outdoors that are the real 'attractions'. There are artefacts gruesome pictures inside as well, but you should see everything with no problem.

Win

[Dan Lyndon]

You will have a fantastic time, wherever you visit, it is all highly moving, incredibly powerful educational stuff. I am just a bit jealous though because for the second year running I have had to cancel my proposed trip to the battlefields due to lack of numbers. Nevermind, I will try again next time - does any one recommend any good companies - I have been with NST and Halsbury Travel, both of which were reasonably good, but quite expensive for my kids.

[Jools C]

as a new girl i was thrilled to find that already many of you had answered my query in part.
bascialy i have organsied my first school trip to the battlefields with advert travel.
we will be staying in a hotel in Munchenhof the hotel has its own bowling alley and disco.
i am not concerned as such about the tour of the Leper saliant as i went on my PGCE course and have a fairly good idea of what and where i want the children to experence.
my concern is RISK ASSESSMENT's and all the admin involved.
i would apprieciate some advice pit falls etc
please relp asap nif you can help the trip is planned for MAY 2004!

[Carole Faithorn]

my concern is RISK ASSESSMENT's and all the admin involved.
i would apprieciate some advice pit falls etc
please relp asap nif you can help the trip is planned for MAY 2004!

Since you are new to the Forum, Jools (Welcome!) maybe you have not seen this Seminar on Effective Educational Visits. There is some good advice about Risk Assessments there.

[mattzb]

in the thread that Carole posted, it has some points that I found v useful during my 1/2 term visit to Normandy Battlefields:
1. Let the tour company deal with much of the risk assessment - we used nst who have their own risk management. Having said that, you do need to consider risks outside of their responsibilities, for example, you mention going bowling with the students.
2. Senior member of staff - as our trip was roughly 1/2 sixth form and 1/2 yr 11, we had the head of sixth form with us (he's a colour-in teacher normally, just loves d day and war )
3. Photocopy passports if not going with a collective passport - simply a "just in case", they kept their passports, though staff minded E111.
4. Meet with both parents and students and keep them informed of what is going on, plus expectations for the trip re behaviour etc.
Most of all, enjoy the trip!

Edited by mattzb, 28 February 2004 - 06:37 PM.

[CD McKie]

I've been visiting the Battlefields of World War One for the best part of 7 or 8 years now. However, quite recently we discovered a new place to visit in Poperinge, near Ypres. You really should give it a shot. It's called Talbot House (or more commonly Toc H). It was a place of relaxation and rest without deference to rank or title. Soldiers used to stop off there on the way to and from the front line. The man who runs the show, Jacques, speaks excellent English and is bursting over with enthusiasm to tell the story of the house and its main character, Tubby Clayton. And, what a story it is! If you think a visit to Toc H might be possible then you need to get in touch with Jacques in advance to arrange a time for his talk. He might precede his talk with a short slide show. All together the whole visit should take 45-50 minutes. Poperinge also has a very good range of little cafes which sell some delightful ice creams!

[jo norton]

We went last month and I agree that Toc H was excellent, jacques gave a powerful emotional aspect to it and made the kids really think about the fact soldiers were real people!

Croonaert Wood, also known as Bayernwald is opening in April, its a reconstructed area of original german, british, and French trenches and is infamous as its one of the areas Hitler was posted (and according to our guide is the home of the lost testicle!). It has been opened by a group of Belgian battlefield guides and is intended as a companion / alternative to Sanctuary Wood, which was greatly enjoyed by most of our 6th formers however some of them felt the year 9's treated it more as a trench theme park!