Explore Burghley House - Self-guided

Burghley House offers a rich setting for learning across the curriculum, and this flexible visit puts you in control of what your pupils explore. Choose the rooms, collections, stories and themes that best support your plans, whether your focus is Tudor and Elizabethan history, monarchy and politics, social history, portraiture and art, architecture and design, or the lives of the people who lived and worked at Burghley.

Pupils can explore through observation, discussion and enquiry, making first-hand connections with the House and its stories as you guide the learning in a way that suits your group

What pupils do

Activities are chosen and planned by the teacher but could include:

• Explore Burghley House state rooms
• Use Burghley’s historic collections and architecture to support learning across a wide range of subjects.
• Take part in teacher-led observation, discussion and enquiry as they explore.

What to expect

• A teacher-led visit to Burghley House, led and supervised by school staff.
• Opportunities to explore at your own pace.
• The visit can be combined with teacher-led exploration of Burghley’s Gardens.
• No educator-led teaching session or structured activities are included.

SEND & accessibility

• The self-guided format allows teachers to adapt activities to meet the needs of their pupils.
• There are stairs to and from Burghley House with a chairlift available where required.
• There is limited seating available inside the house.
• Pupils explore the House alongside other visitors, making this a calmer and quieter learning environment.
• The House contains many historic objects and collections, and accompanying adults may be asked to support pupils throughout the visit.
• The House can be a busy sensory environment, so just let us know if your group may need access to a quiet space for a break and we can advise on suitable places.