School trip to Cutty Sark
Bring your class on board Cutty Sark, the world’s last surviving tea clipper, to experience the great age of sail.
School visits are warmly welcomed to the ship, they offer an exciting programme of curriculum-linked workshops for Foundation Stage to Key Stage 2, led by experienced facilitators. Alternatively, you can make a self-directed trip allowing you to tailor your visit to the needs of your class.
They are located in Zone 2 with good public transport links by DLR, rail and boat and free coach parking is available.
Meet colourful characters from Cutty Sark’s past and hear astonishing stories about life at sea in the age of sail.
- Meet Captain Woodget, Cutty Sark’s longest serving master, to learn about life on board the fastest tea clipper.
- Find out how the ship got her name, as Nannie the Witch shares amazing stories about Cutty Sark.
- Mrs Ray misses her boy Clarence, a young ship’s apprentice, but she is comforted by the letters he sends to her from around the world. Find out more about their lives and his letters from Cutty Sark, as Mrs Ray tells you about why her son went to sea and what it takes to be a young apprentice.
- Join James Robson, Cutty Sark‘s cook for fun and games and find out what was for dinner on-board.
- Meet Jock Willis, the man who builtCutty Sark.
Call ahead to find out which character will be performing on a particular day – or let yourself be surprised!
Age: suitable for 3+
Do you have what it takes to steer 963 tons of Victorian tea clipper on the high seas?
- Get a taste of life on the ocean waves, including the chance to take the ship’s wheel and learn how to steer 963 tons of Victorian tea clipper through storms and high seas.
- Learn the story of one of the most famous and magnificent ships in the world with one of our guides.
- Take in epic views of the London skyline.
The wheel itself was restored in the run up to the opening of Cutty Sark in 1957 by a team of talented woodworkers, and the steering mechanism is one of the many original features preserved on Cutty Sark. It’s a reminder of what a triumph of engineering this tea clipper was in her day, with the ingenious design taking up far less space within the ship than earlier tiller designs – ideal for a cargo carrier.
Booking the Cutty Sark for a school visit
Bookings are available during term-time, to school groups studying the UK National Curriculum. Support materials to help you prepare for your visit and make the most of your time on board are also available to download.
Pre-booking is essential and visits are pre-booked within a pre-determined time slot and, on average, will last around 60-90 minutes. Bookings are limited to one group (maximum 30 children) at a time, subject to availability.