School visits 2024 - 25

KS2 Discovery Days, KS2 Space Spectacular Days and KS3, KS4 and Post-16 Study Days are now fully booked for 2024-2025 academic year. There is very limited availability for EYFS, KS1 Discovery Days, SEND Aurora Days, and KS2/3/4/5 Planetarium show only visits. 

We also have plenty of spaces remaining for our Digital Outreach Programme.

Visits in 2025-26

To keep up to date on announcements and news, sign up to our Schools Newsletter.

At the Royal Observatory Greenwich we want to inspire and assist in the learning of all things space and astronomy!

On this page you find information about our schools programme, our free classroom activities and digital resources, along with opportunities for teachers and students to get more involved with our programmes.

If you're interested in maritime, history, and art school sessions, you can check out the other learning programmes at other Royal Museums Greenwich sites here.

Royal Observatory onsite schools programme

Bookings for our onsite schools programme for 2025 are now open! Take a look at our onsite programme to see what sessions we have on offer.

We are fully booked for KS2 discovery days for the remainder of Autumn 2024. We have some limited availability for other key stages and Aurora days this term, please get in touch to find out more. 

Digital outreach programme 

For schools that might not be able to visit us, we'll be offering digital outreach sessions in 2024-25. Take a look at our online outreach programme to see what we have on offer.

 

Onsite sessions - find out more Digital sessions - find out more

Ready to book a school session?

If you already know what sessions you'd like to book, here are some quick links to get your booking with us underway.

Booking an onsite session Booking a digital session

What's new

Here's a selection of new things we've been working on this past year!

Think Space Lectures

Listen to astrophysicists from across the UK talk about cutting-edge research in space science with our free online lectures.

Pluto and the Dwarf Planets

Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomers explore Pluto and explain why it's not considered a planet anymore.

Astronomy Ambassadors Group

Meet other like-minded young people between 16 and 21 years old and become a part of the Royal Observatory's future

Space and astronomy highlights in 2025

What's worth looking up for in 2025? Discover this year's must-see moments with Royal Observatory astronomers

Our Sun

Join astronomers from the Royal Observatory Greenwich to find out more about our life-giving star.

Coordinate Systems

Coordinate systems confusing you? Join our astronomers as we break down coordinates here on Earth, and coordinate systems used for the night sky!

The history of the Royal Observatory Greenwich

Why does the Royal Observatory have the Prime Meridian? How long has the site been here? And why does the Observatory exist at all? To answer all these questions, and more, join Royal Observatory astronomers and curators and explore the history of the Royal Observatory Greenwich! 

Teacher opportunities and training

Find out how to connect with us and what we can offer you

Sign up to our mailing list

Be the first to find out about the development of our schools programme and new learning resources.

Teacher Forum

Find out more about our Teacher Forum for primary and secondary education

Free teacher training with the Royal Observatory Greenwich

We offer free training for teachers and trainee teachers

Online FREE Primary Teacher Training Course

The science learning team have teamed up with FutureLearn to create our first ever online course designed specifically for teachers and teachers in training at primary level.

Online FREE Secondary Teacher Training Course

The science learning team have teamed up with FutureLearn once again, to create an online course designed specifically for teachers and teachers in training at secondary level.

Networks and forums

Find out more about networks for presenters and forums for teachers and community leaders at Royal Museums Greenwich

Student opportunities and further learning

Check out the resources and experiences we have on offer for your students to help them explore astronomy further

Royal Observatory Greenwich Schools Podcasts

The astronomers at the Royal Observatory Greenwich have a large selection of podcasts for you to choose from.  Whether your interest is in the current night sky, cutting edge science or the career path of people working in the industry there will be something to suit.

Astronomy Ambassadors Group

Meet other like-minded young people between 16 and 21 years old and become a part of the Royal Observatory's future

Astronomy blog

Read our monthly guides to the night sky, and check out the latest news from the Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomy team

Think Space Lectures

Listen to astrophysicists from across the UK talk about cutting-edge research in space science with our free online lectures.

Work Experience

Gain valuable skills with work experience at Royal Museums Greenwich

Astronomy careers information

If you're interested in a career in astronomy or space science we'd love to help you get started.

Astronomy and science learning resources

Find all of our classroom activities and animated videos here

Applied FiltersAstronomy
Classroom activity
Looking for Jupiter
In this video, Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomers Radmila and Brendan use a free computer program called Stellarium to find out where the planet Jupiter is in the night sky. They show how you can take a picture of it using a smartphone camera, what you can see through large binoculars and what details a large telescope can reveal. 
Key Stage:
Key Stage 2
Subject:
Astronomy
Video
How big is the Universe?
Royal Observatory astronomer Liz shows us the expanding nature of the Universe and how this affects the light reaching us from distant galaxies, some of which will remain forever hidden from our view.
Key Stage:
Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, Post-16
Subject:
Astronomy, Science
Video
What’s inside a black hole?
Royal Observatory astronomer Rad explains where black holes come from, how we know they’re there and the strange effects they have on surrounding matter. 
Key Stage:
Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, Post-16
Subject:
Astronomy, Maths, Science
Video
Are there aliens?
Life began on the Earth around 3.5 billion years ago. Could life have evolved on other planets and if so where are they? Astronomers at the Royal Observatory Greenwich explain how we might detect them in this video.
Key Stage:
Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, Post-16
Subject:
Astronomy, Science
Classroom activity
Teacher resources: The fate of the Universe
Our Universe began 13.8 billion years ago and it has been expanding ever since. Is it destined to expand forever or will it suffer a more crushing end? Astronomers at the Royal Observatory Greenwich explain the fate of the Universe in this video.
Key Stage:
Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, Post-16
Subject:
Astronomy, Maths, Science
Classroom activity
Making star trails
Activity with instructions to accompany the video 'Making star trails'.
Key Stage:
Key Stage 4, Post-16
Subject:
Astronomy, Science