Leighton Hall

Award winning Leighton Hall is the lived-in house of the famous furniture making
Gillow dynasty. Children are invited to unravel the fascinating past of this ancient,
Lancashire family. As well as the house and grounds, Leighton has a children’s play area,
brass rubbings, woodland walk, tree face trail, caterpillar maze, bee corner, Insect Hotel,
plant conservatory and tea rooms. Birds of prey are flown on open days (weather
permitting).
Home to the Gillow Reynolds, Leighton is very much a “lived in” house, brought to life
by the enthusiasm of the guides. Tours are informal and entertaining. There are no roped
off areas and children are encouraged to sit on the furniture and really get involved.
Perfect for their inquisitive minds, each educational package, opens up the world beyond
the classroom window, for your pupils.  Packed with cross curricular themes and
activities, we’ll guide you through eight tailorable visits, with complementary Key Stage
1 and 2 supporting material, already fully risk assessed for you.
Free and easy parking and only 10 min drive from M6 junction 35.

Unlike other historic houses and stately homes, there are no roped off areas and children
are encouraged to ask questions, explore, get involved, touch things and dress up.
Leighton offers two indoor learning packages, four outdoor ones and two seasonal
specials, all geared for between 20 and 30 KS1 or KS2 pupils. Leighton Hall has a brand
new educational hub, comprising of a purpose-built classroom, a pollinator friendly
walled garden and shelter, The Hazel Tree Retreat with yurt and log burner and a weather
proof woodland log circle with its own fire pit. There’s FREE detailed lesson plans to
help with your project work in the classroom, pre and post visit.

• Leighton Hall is a member of the Historic Houses Association
• VAQAS
• The coveted Hidden Gem award
• Bronze Award in the ‘Making Coaches a Better Choice’ category
• Highly Commended in the Visitor Experience award at the Lancashire Tourism Awards

INDOOR AND OUTDOOR LEARNING: ALL YEAR ROUND

SURVIVAL CAMP 

Adaptable for Key Stages 1 & 2.

True breakout learning in a safe, natural environment:

Unique hands-on learning, with fully supervised sessions in bushcraft and survival skills
and a role play “rescue”. Including shaping wood, making a shelter, lighting a fire and
fire safety. Using play, exploration, and supported risk-taking, the activities are proven to
develop confidence, social skills, team-work and self-esteem.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Ideal for Key Stages 1 & 2.

Sustainable skills to delicious discoveries:

Exploring the fruit and vegetables in Leighton’s kitchen garden. Learn where real food comes from, how we grow it, and changing tastes through time. Then branch out on a supervised foraging walk, discovering the delights of edibles/ how to avoid non-edibles, before returning to Leighton’s outdoor kitchen to turn your bounty into a delicious meal.

WILDLIFE HABITATS 

Ideal for Key Stages 1 & 2.

Discovering a world of wonderful wildlife:

Who do we share our environment with? Use your map to discover wildlife in the
Leighton woods and garden, learn to recognise them by their tracks, eating and nesting
habits. Work as a team to discover the relationship between the human and animal world
and choose a selection of wildlife habitats to make and take home. Then share your
findings while enjoying marshmallows over a supervised campfire.

AMAZING POLLINATORS 

Ideal for Key Stages 1 & 2.

Bee inspired by the team-workers of the natural world:

Get up close and personal with the industrious inhabitants of Leighton’s Bee Corner and discover how vital they are to us. Learn to identify key pollinators and grow your knowledge from hidden clues in the garden and Woodland Walk, before coming together to make bee houses. Discuss how to make your school grounds, home gardens or window boxes more pollinator friendly, over treats around a supervised campfire.

UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS 

Ideal for Key Stage 2.

Discover what life was like for Victorian children:

Explore what life was like for Victorian children living either as part of the Gillow family
(upstairs), or the families who worked as staff below stairs. Try on the different clothes
they wore, discuss the food they ate, and enjoy the games they played. Handle antique
gadgets and create your own family tree.

HOUSES AND HOMES 

Ideal for Key Stage 1.

Bringing history to life:

A fascinating journey discovering how Victorian life, inventions, occupations and food
evolved into 21st century family life. Explore Leighton Hall and compare it with your
own home. History is brought to life through role play and the tales told by Leighton’s
child friendly guides.
On both the indoor packages the birds of prey are flown between May and September,
weather permitting.

SEASONAL SPECIALS

AUTUMN NATURAL ART

Ideal for Key Stages 1 & 2.

Available from late September to late December.

Creating crafts in partnership with the seasons
Recognise the turning of the seasons in an immersive nature walk, experiencing the
colours, textures and patterns of nature in a whole new light. Collect leaves, nuts, berries
and fungi to make natural dyes, leaf and charcoal art, conker animals and Christmas
crafts. Share your art around the supervised campfire before taking home for future
inspiration, eco-friendly hobbies and fun.

VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS

Ideal for Key Stages 1 & 2.

From November.

Experience a Victorian Christmas

Experience a true Victorian Christmas and find out how the festive season has changed
throughout the years. During your tour of the house, listen to stories by the tree. Compare
your Christmas with that of the Victorian squire’s children and the servants who lived in
the hall. Make paper chains, decorations and Christmas crafts to take home.

Groups of between 20 and 30 are welcome all year round.

Free: Teachers’ notes available for pre-visit planning
Free: Teachers pack
Free: Kit list, itineraries
Free: curriculum-linked worksheets and lesson plans for ongoing projects
Free: downloadable worksheets to continue your learning back in the classroom
Free: Full risk assessments are completed ready for you

Groups can take photos and videos.

All risk assessments are completed and free to download and print from our website:

http://www.leightonhall.co.uk

Lucy Arthurs

Info@leightonhall.co.uk

01524 734474

Indoor Learning £10.50 per pupil
Outdoor Learning £12.50 per pupil
The ratio of adults to children is 1:10 – e.g. 3 adults will be admitted free of charge per
30 pupils and any additional teachers will be charged at 50% of the child cost i.e. £5.00
per head.
Familiarisation visits are free of charge.
Free parking.

Wellington boots or suitable “muddy” footwear for golden time in the garden
Long sleeved top and trousers in the summer for going into the woods
Warm/waterproof coat, layers of clothes in winter
Depending on time of year: a hat, sun cream or woolly hat and gloves
Packed lunch and water bottle

Yes, we have a first aider and our staff are first aid trained, but we welcome teachers with
first aid experience and always recommend that school bring someone with them that
knows about pupil’s allergies and regular medicines.

• Purpose built classroom
•  Outdoor education hub
•  Yurt and log burner
•  Log circle and fire pit
•  Shop
•  Tearoom
• Indoor and outdoor picnic area
•  Indoor and outdoor activities
• Toilets
• Gift shop
•  Free birds of prey display (May – September)
•  Ice cream, cakes and treats
•  Places to leaves coats and dirty wellies
• Outdoor play area
•  Caterpillar Maze
•  Tree Face Trail
•  Woodland walk
• Free and easy parking
• Child friendly guides
•  Free, ample and easy parking
• Itinerary already done for you

The Halls first floor is inaccessible for wheel chairs users. There are disabled toilet
facilities, very few steps and ramps where needed.

We are open all year round for school groups – but visits must be prebooked.

“I just wanted to say what a fantastic day we had at Leighton Hall yesterday and thank you. We
all loved it and I shall certainly recommend you to other schools.”
More at …. https://www.leightonhall.co.uk/education-and-adult-learning/education-and-%20learning-testimonials

New for 2021- Leighton Hall are working in partnership with Larksfoot Forest School to provide 4 brand new outdoor learning packages.