Battle of Bannockburn teacher information

At the Battle of Bannockburn Robert the Bruce, King of Scots, faced down the English army led by Edward II. Edward, keen to retain the stronghold of Stirling Castle, had led a huge army through Scotland to lift the Scots’ siege of his garrison at the castle. Achieving this was vital to Edward’s hopes of re-establishing his weakening grip on the country, but he was stopped short by the army of Robert Bruce. 

Over the two days of battle, 23-24 June, Edward’s army was repeatedly thwarted by the Scots’ stubborn resistance before finally finding itself trapped by the surrounding terrain with no room to manoeuvre their huge force. The result was an unprecedented rout of King Edward’s army.

Located near the historic city of Stirling, the site still evokes the landscape that would have been seen by medieval soldiers in 1314, when the area was a royal hunting park. The  Battle of Bannockburn visitor centre harnesses 3D technology to bring Scottish history to life. Stand shoulder-to-shoulder with medieval warriors and armoured knights while learning about the tactics of two opposing kings in a truly immersive experience. Witness the sights and sounds of medieval battle first-hand including ancient battle strategies, weapons and armour.

Each visit takes you through a thrilling interpretation of characters and events, and
culminates in a visit to the Battle Room where pupils can take part in a strategic Battle Game led by the Battle Master and determine the outcome of the Battle of Bannockburn for themselves.

To complement your visit we can also offer your class a workshop, which will further explore the themes of the battle. Pupils will have the opportunity to handle replica armour and weapons, visit the site where Robert Bruce trained his men and develop their battle training. Workshops are suitable for all stages from Primary 4 upwards and can be adapted to suit your pupils’ existing knowledge and relevant topic of study.

Possible topics

• History - the Wars of Independence
• Battles and armour

Planning your class visit

• To book: please contact the Battle of Bannockburn to discuss your requirements.
• Pre-booking is essential and there is a very high demand for spaces. We advise arranging your trip several months in advance.
• Maximum class size 33 per session (there are two school sessions per day during term time)
• Parking: coaches can park in the car park outside the visitor centre.
• Access: there is a lift, which provides access to all floors.
• Toilets: there are accessible toilets in the visitor centre.
• Teachers are expected to prepare their own risk assessment for the visit.

Charges

• Full day: £4 per pupil or £2.50 per pupil with Trust educational membership
• Half day: £3 per pupil or £2 per pupil with Trust educational membership
• Trust educational membership is available to all registered educational bodies and is paid once a year.

During your class visit

• Your visit will take around 2 hours if only doing the visitor centre experience. 
• For the workshop and visitor centre, your visit will start at 10am and last until 2.30pm. However, these times can be adjusted slightly if required. Please telephone us to discuss options if these timings don’t suit.
• Teachers are responsible for their pupils and their behaviour.
• Shop: there’s a shop in the visitor centre. 

‘A fantastic day out, very well thought out and engaging. Well done, what a wonderful way to bring history to life.’ Fintry Primary School

‘The 3D experience was incredible. The pupils were fully engaged and were able to identify aspects of what was shown from their prior knowledge. The Battle Room supported thinking and problem solving skills. It is a trip that my pupils will remember for a long time due to the level of interaction and participation with the material.’ Nethermains Primary