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School Visits

A warm welcome to schools

As a living, breathing, working museum, the Steam Railway is a popular and fascinating destination for all age groups. Beautifully restored Victorian and Edwardian carriages, often hauled by 19th century locomotives, take the students on a leisurely 10 mile journey through the Island’s unspoilt countryside.

The Isle of Wight Steam Railway is a registered educational charity and it is our intention to provide an excellent learning experience for your students, in line with the National Curriculum, and in partnership with local teachers.

The Isle of Wight Steam Railway can cater for school groups from Reception up to Key Stage 5 and is led by our Heritage and Learning Manager Cara Trevor, who heads a team of volunteer School Guides to assist with your school visit.

On arrival you will be welcomed at the Booking Office entrance, for a brief introduction and orientation of our Heritage Railway.

GUIDED TOUR OF HAVENSTREET STATION AND TRAIN RIDE (ALL KEY STAGES)
Travel back in time with our tour of key sites at Havenstreet Station, including visiting the historic Station Yard area, our Carriage & Wagon Workshop, where an experienced team of staff and volunteers restore our heritage carriages and wagons, and our interactive Train Story Discovery Centre. This education option also includes an audio-visual presentation on the history of railways on the Isle of Wight, and a 1 hour train ride aboard our restored carriages, often hauled by 19th century locomotives.

SELF-GUIDED TOUR OF HAVENSTREET STATION (ALL KEY STAGES)
Your self-guided tour can discover the sights and sounds of Havenstreet Station, including the Station Yard area, Carriage & Wagon Workshop, where restoration and conservation of historic carriages and wagons takes place, and Train Story Discovery Centre.

WORKSHOP – THE GARDEN ISLE BY TRAIN (KEY STAGE 1)
Discover our ‘seaside holidays’ workshop, which explores why the Isle of Wight was, and still is, a tourist destination. Pupils will learn about key seaside locations on the Isle of Wight, and how visitors could visit them during the Golden Age of Seaside Holidays in the 1920s/30s. They can buy their train tickets to the Island’s seaside stations using real old pennies. As Train Guards, they will organise Passenger Luggage in Advance and ensure carriages are ready for the tourists.

WORKSHOP – LOCAL STUDY – THE HISTORY OF ISLE OF WIGHT RAILWAYS (KEY STAGE 2)
Discover the history of railways on the Isle of Wight through a presentation, taking pupils from 1862 right up to the present day, across three key eras; Edwardian/Victorian era, the Golden Age of Seaside Holidays (1920s/30s), and the preservation of steam railways. Pupils will handle real artefacts and create a Museum Object Record and Museum label.

WORKSHOP – WORLD WAR TWO – EVACUATION TO THE ISLE OF WIGHT AND THE ROLE OF RAILWAYS (KEY STAGE 2)
This workshop focuses on the journey of children evacuated to the Isle of Wight during World War Two, and how the railways were part of that journey. Through a short presentation and activities, pupils will follow the journey of evacuees from leaving home to arriving with their host family.

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  • A resource pack will be sent to you with your booking confirmation
  • Train compartments seat up to 10 children and a teacher. An accessible carriage is available
  • Both indoor and outdoor picnic areas are located on site
  • Accompanying teachers and supervising adults FREE
  • Ample coach parking at Havenstreet Station
  • Gift Shop goody bags can be pre-ordered in advance
  • Risk assessments available
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For more information and to book a visit please contact us on 01983 882204 or email: [email protected]

IWSR 2025 Education School Brochure
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