We run minibus transport for Sussex state schools. Alongside it, we maintain a live register of grant routes that apply to your school and your destination, so the quote you receive already accounts for the funding you're entitled to claim. Your approval paperwork starts from a net figure, not a headline one.
Each route below links directly to the official scheme. Figures are taken from published scheme documentation where available; where the figure is discretionary, we flag it as such. We don't make promises for money that isn't ours to promise, we tell you what's likely, and our written assessment confirms what applies to your specific trip.
| Funding route | Contribution | Eligibility & application | Official scheme |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Historic Royal Palaces Access Scheme
National · Annual · Renewable
|
Up to £600
Travel bursary per visiting group, plus free admission
|
State-funded schools. Visits to Tower of London, Hampton Court, Kensington Palace, Kew Palace, Banqueting House. Application made in advance; bursary paid on receipt of travel invoices.
|
hrp.org.uk/schools ↗ |
|
South Downs National Park: Learning Network
Regional · Term-aligned · Faster approval
|
Grant-funded
Varies by programme; assessment confirms
|
Sussex & Hampshire state schools running curriculum-linked outdoor learning within the National Park. Funded ranger sessions and subsidised transport subject to availability.
|
southdowns.gov.uk/learning ↗ |
|
Ernest Cook Trust: Outdoor Essentials Fund
National charitable trust · Rolling
|
Up to £1,000
Per application, for outdoor education costs
|
State primary and secondary schools running outdoor learning, field studies, or environmental education. Straightforward online application; decisions typically within 6 weeks.
|
ernestcooktrust.org.uk ↗ |
|
Parliament Education Service: Travel Subsidy
National · UK-wide · Booked ahead
|
Subsidised
Rate depends on distance from Westminster
|
State schools visiting Parliament for the education programme. Free tour and workshop; travel subsidy paid per pupil on a tiered scale by postcode distance from SW1.
|
parliament.uk/education ↗ |
|
Sussex Community Foundation: Grants for Schools
Local · Sussex · Discretionary
|
Varies
Typically £250–£2,500 per award
|
Sussex-based schools and educational projects. Various themed funds throughout the year, including trips that support disadvantaged pupils or specific curriculum outcomes. Panel decisions quarterly.
|
sussexgiving.org.uk ↗ |
|
Pupil Premium: Enrichment (DfE)
Internal budget · Applied by school
|
Per eligible pupil
Applied from your existing allocation
|
Where a trip demonstrably closes the attainment gap or broadens experience for PP-eligible pupils, your existing PP budget can lawfully fund it. We supply a DfE-aligned rationale note to support your PP statement.
|
gov.uk/pupil-premium ↗ |
|
Museums & Galleries: Free Schools Programmes
National · Tate, V&A, NHM, Science Museum & others
|
Free entry
Plus workshop subsidies where available
|
Every national museum runs a free schools programme for state-funded schools. Several (Tate, V&A, Natural History Museum) have additional grant programmes specifically for schools travelling from outside London. We check each on enquiry.
|
kidsinmuseums.org.uk ↗ |
|
Local charitable trusts (Brighton & Sussex)
Various · Discretionary · Supporting layer
|
£100–£1,000
Small grants, often used to cover the gap
|
Southover Manor Trust, The Chalk Cliff Trust, local Rotary education funds, parish education charities. Useful as a supporting layer where the primary scheme doesn't cover the full transport cost. We maintain the register and identify what applies.
|
Request the register → |
The process is designed around how schools actually approve visits: a defensible paper trail, a net cost figure, and documentation the EVC and business manager can sign off without chasing.
Ten worked-up destinations with known funding routes, plus a bespoke option. Not an exhaustive list, if your department has somewhere else in mind, request an assessment and we'll check what applies. UK-wide coverage, 16 to 70 seats.
Yeoman Warder-led tour of the Tower and Crown Jewels, linked to KS2 monarchy and KS3 Tudor units. Transport funded under the HRP Access Scheme bursary; admission free for state school groups.
| Funding route | HRP Access Scheme |
| Admission | Free to school |
| Transport bursary | Up to £600 |
| Journey from Brighton | ~1h 45min |
| Curriculum link | History KS2/KS3 |
Self-guided or ranger-led access to Henry VIII's kitchens, the Tudor state apartments, and the Great Hall. Strong curriculum alignment for KS2 Tudors. Same HRP Access Scheme funding as Tower.
| Funding route | HRP Access Scheme |
| Admission | Free to school |
| Transport bursary | Up to £600 |
| Journey from Brighton | ~2h |
| Curriculum link | History KS2 |
The three national museums on Exhibition Road, each running free school programmes for state schools. Multiple curriculum links per museum. Several run additional grants for schools travelling from outside London.
| Funding route | Free entry + travel grants |
| Admission | Free to school |
| Travel grants | Varies by museum |
| Journey from Brighton | ~1h 45min |
| Curriculum link | Science, Art, History |
Free guided tour of Westminster, workshop on democracy or law-making, and Q&A in a committee room. Travel subsidy paid per pupil based on distance from SW1, Sussex schools qualify at the upper tier.
| Funding route | Parliament travel subsidy |
| Tour & workshop | Free |
| Travel subsidy | Per-pupil, tiered |
| Journey from Brighton | ~1h 30min |
| Curriculum link | Citizenship, History |
Fieldwork session on coastal erosion, chalk geology, and cliff-top habitats. Short journey from Brighton, half-day or full-day formats, ranger-led sessions available through the South Downs Learning Network.
| Funding route | SDNP Learning Network |
| Ranger session | Available / grant-funded |
| Journey from Brighton | ~35min |
| Format | Half or full day |
| Curriculum link | Geography, Science |
Educational visits to the Regency-era Royal Pavilion, with structured workshops aligned to KS2 history and KS3 art/design curricula. Short local journey, ideal for schools building a habit of regular trips without full-day logistics.
| Funding route | Brighton Museums education rates |
| Workshops | Subsidised rates |
| Journey from Brighton | ~15min |
| Format | Half day |
| Curriculum link | History, Art & Design |
Reconstructed historic buildings set across 40 acres; immersive workshops on Tudor life, medieval crafts, Victorian domestic work. Popular for Year 3/4 curriculum delivery. School session fees are low and subsidies often apply.
| Funding route | Ernest Cook Trust (applicable) |
| Session fee | Low · per-pupil |
| Journey from Brighton | ~1h |
| Format | Full day |
| Curriculum link | History KS2 |
The largest Roman residence discovered north of the Alps. Mosaics, archaeological workshops, handling sessions with genuine Roman finds. Near-perfect fit for Y4 Romans unit. Low session cost; often covered in full by a supporting grant.
| Funding route | Sussex Community Foundation |
| Session fee | Low · per-pupil |
| Journey from Brighton | ~45min |
| Format | Full day |
| Curriculum link | History KS2 |
Structured campus visits for Key Stage 4 (and ambitious KS3) cohorts. Both universities run free widening-participation programmes for state schools, including taster lectures, student-ambassador tours, and Q&A sessions.
| Funding route | WP programmes · free |
| Campus visit | Free to school |
| Journey from Brighton | 15–30min |
| Format | Half or full day |
| Curriculum link | Careers, aspiration |
Education matinees at subsidised rates, with pre- or post-show workshop options. Particularly valuable for GCSE English Literature set texts and Drama coursework. Arts-focused grant routes often apply.
| Funding route | Arts grants · Sussex CF |
| Ticket rate | Subsidised · per-pupil |
| Journey from Brighton | ~45min |
| Format | Half day (matinee) |
| Curriculum link | English Lit, Drama |
If your department has a specific destination in mind, a residential, a museum outside this list, a sporting fixture, a university open day, a coastal field site, request an assessment. We'll check every grant route that applies and tell you what the realistic net cost looks like.
| Assessment cost | Free · no obligation |
| Turnaround | 24 hours |
| Coverage | UK-wide |
| Fleet sizes | 16 to 70 seats |
| Advance booking | Up to 12 months |
Approving a visit isn't the trip, it's the paperwork that sits behind it. Our quote pack is designed to compress that work: the financial case, the compliance documentation, and the risk paperwork arrive as a single bundle, so the sign-off conversation is short.
Before you commit, request any of the standard documents below. These are identical to the pack that accompanies a booked trip, so you can review them as part of your due diligence.
Anonymised but real. Costs reflect the quotes issued in 2024; your own figures will depend on pupil numbers, journey length, and which funding routes apply. Use these as an indication of the shape, not a quoted price.
Two Y5 classes, 58 pupils plus 6 staff. A single 70-seat coach from Brighton to Tower Hill and return. HRP Access Scheme applied for travel bursary; admission free for state school groups.
One Y4 class, 29 pupils plus 3 staff. Half-day fieldwork session at Birling Gap, ranger-led coastal geography workshop provided by the South Downs Learning Network.
Y10 aspiration cohort, 45 pupils plus 4 staff. Campus visit to University of Sussex including a subject taster session and student-ambassador tour. Widening participation programme; campus visit is free to school.
Y8 drama cohort, 32 pupils plus 3 staff. Education matinee of a GCSE-aligned production, plus a pre-show workshop in the rehearsal studio. Sussex Community Foundation arts grant applied to transport.
Complete the form on the right and we'll respond within 24 working hours with a written assessment of every funding route that applies to your specific trip, with expected contribution figures and any constraints.
If you want to proceed, a costed quote follows within 48 hours. No phone call is required at any stage, though we're happy to arrange one if you prefer.