Established 2019 · Brighton & Hove
For Sussex state schools only
Funded educational visits · Sussex

Trips your governors
actually approve.

We run intimate 16-seater minibus trips for Sussex state schools, a properly bespoke journey, not a hire coach. Three in-house vehicles, with partner operators for larger cohorts. And every enquiry comes with a written assessment of the grants your school can actually claim, so the quote is already funded down and your approval paper starts from a net figure.

Request a funding assessment See the funding register
24h
Written
assessment
7
Verified routes
for Sussex
£0
To enquire ·
no obligation
PSV
Licensed ·
DBS-checked
Seven Sisters chalk cliffs and coastguard cottages, East Sussex Seven Sisters chalk cliffs and coastguard cottages, East Sussex
✶ Headline route
Free entry
+ travel
HRP Access Fund · Tower, Hampton Court, Kensington. Admission and facilitated session free; travel subsidy paid at a fixed band rate set by distance.

Verified funding, Sussex-eligible only.

Four headline routes, full register below
NATIONAL
Free + travel
HRP Access Fund
Admission + session free · Travel banded by distance · State primary, secondary, special
REGIONAL
£750 max
South Downs Outdoor Learning Grant
Schools with 15%+ FSM · Visits into the Park
REGIONAL
£400 per year
Weald & Downland Bursary
Sussex schools · FSM/PP/SEND criteria
NATIONAL
Free + travel
Royal Collection Trust
Free entry + travel subsidy · 30%+ PP schools
The register

Every route we've verified applies to Sussex state schools.

No "potential" funding. No grants that quietly exclude the south-east. Every row below links to the scheme operator's own published terms, and the figures are taken from them. Where a figure is a national maximum rather than the Sussex rate, we say so. Scheme thresholds change, so the written assessment re-checks current terms against your FSM/PP/SEND profile before you commit.

Funding routeContributionEligibilityOfficial scheme
HRP Access Fund for Schools
National · Annual · Tower, Hampton Court, Kensington
Free + travel
Admission and session free; travel paid as a fixed band amount. £2,100 is the far-distance maximum, not the Sussex rate.
State-funded primary, secondary or special schools and units. Covers admission for up to 105 pupils plus a facilitated session. The travel subsidy is a fixed payment banded by distance and group size, not a refund of your fare:Band 1  £0
Band 2  £475 / £625
Band 3  £850 / £1,150
Band 4  £1,350 / £1,875
Band 5  £1,675 / £2,200
≤35 pupils / 36–105 pupilsSussex is close to London and sits at the low end. We confirm your band with HRP before quoting. Apply in advance.
 hrp.org.uk/schools ↗
South Downs Outdoor Learning Grant
Regional · Annual · SDNP Authority + Trust
Up to £750
15–24.9% FSM: £300 transport + £250 provider (£550). 25%+ FSM: £500 transport + £250 provider (£750).
State-funded schools and colleges with 15% or more pupils eligible for Free School Meals. The visit must take place in the South Downs National Park, provider-led or self-led. The grant does not fund a provider travelling out to your school, but schools located inside the Park are still eligible to apply. One grant per school per funding year, first-come first-served.
 southdowns.gov.uk ↗
Weald & Downland Museum Travel Bursary
Regional · Hampshire, Kent, Surrey, East & West Sussex
Up to £400
Per school/college per year · Travel only, not entry/workshop · Reimbursed after visit
Schools in Hampshire, Kent, Surrey or Sussex meeting at least one criterion: 10%+ FSM, 10%+ PP, Special Measures, SEND, or demonstrable pupil deprivation. Apply at least 28 days before visit.
 wealddown.co.uk ↗
Royal Collection Trust Access Scheme
National · Windsor Castle, Royal Mews, Holyroodhouse
Free + travel
Complimentary admission plus travel subsidy · Max 2 classes per visit, once per year
Priority to schools with 30%+ Pupil Premium (England), or in areas of high multiple deprivation. Any school may apply for one visit per academic year.
 rct.uk/learning ↗
UK Parliament Education Visit
National · Free programme, no Sussex travel subsidy
Free visit
Tour + workshop free. Travel subsidy covers Bands B and C only; Brighton is Band A and does not qualify. We check your constituency band at assessment.
Any state school can book a free guided tour and workshop in a committee room. The visit and teaching programme are entirely free; the separate travel subsidy is geographic and excludes London and the south-east.
 learning.parliament.uk ↗
Westminster Abbey Schools Programme
National · Next to Parliament · Pairs as a full day
Free tour
Free guided tour for schools with 30%+ FSM. Self-led visits open to all schools.
All UK schools may book self-led visits (adults free on agreed ratios). Schools with 30% or more pupils eligible for Free School Meals qualify for a free guided tour. KS1 through KS5, covering RE, History, English, STEM and the arts.
 westminster-abbey.org ↗
National Museums, Free Schools Programmes
National · V&A · NHM · Science · Tate · BM · NG
Free entry
+ occasional workshop subsidies depending on venue
Every national museum runs a free state-school programme. Some venues (V&A, NHM, Tate) have separate travel grant pots for schools outside London that we check individually at enquiry.
 kidsinmuseums.org.uk ↗
Pupil Premium, Enrichment (DfE)
Internal budget · Applied by school
Per pupil
Applied from your existing PP allocation
Where a trip demonstrably closes the attainment gap or broadens experience for PP-eligible pupils, PP budget can lawfully fund it. We supply a DfE-aligned rationale note for your PP statement of intent.
 gov.uk/pupil-premium ↗
Why this list is shorter than others. A lot of "school trip funding" lists you'll see online include schemes that sound applicable but aren't. The Ernest Cook Trust's Outdoor Essentials Grant is postcode-restricted (BB, CA, FY, LA, PR; GL, SN, BS, BA20–22; LE) with the next window not expected until late 2026, so no Sussex postcode qualifies. Sussex Community Foundation excludes schools outright as statutory bodies. Parliament's travel subsidy covers Bands B and C only, and Brighton is Band A. We've left them off deliberately. The routes above are the ones a Sussex state school can actually claim against, each linked to the operator's own published terms.
The process

Enquiry to governor-ready quote in four moves.

Designed around how schools actually approve visits: a defensible paper trail, a net cost figure, and documentation your EVC and business manager can sign off without chasing.

01
Initial enquiry
Submit the form with destination, year group, pupil numbers, FSM/PP indication. About ten minutes.
~ 10 minutes
02
Funding assessment
Written assessment identifying which of the seven verified routes apply to your specific school and trip, with realistic contribution figures and deadlines.
24 working hours
03
Costed quote
Itemised: gross transport cost, each funding route with source, net cost to school, per-pupil figure, and a risk assessment template.
48 hours after Step 2
04
Confirm & deliver
Secure internal approval using our paperwork. We confirm the booking, handle grant submissions you've authorised, and run the transport.
Up to 12 months ahead
The catalogue

Destinations with verified funding routes for Sussex schools.

Every card below has at least one confirmed Sussex-applicable funding source, with the actual scheme named and the realistic maximum stated. Not exhaustive, if your department has somewhere else in mind, request an assessment.

London & National Heritage
04 destinations
Tower of London exterior
Free entry + travel

Tower of London

HRP Access Fund · KS2 · KS3

Yeoman Warder-led tour and Crown Jewels, linked to KS2 monarchy and KS3 Tudor units. Under the HRP Access Fund: admission free, facilitated session free, plus a travel subsidy paid at a fixed band rate set by distance from the palace. Sussex sits at the low end of that scale, so we confirm your band with HRP before quoting.

SchemeHRP Access Fund
AdmissionFree
SessionFree
Travel subsidyBanded by distance
EligibilityState / special schools
Official page ↗·Request assessment →
Hampton Court Palace with costumed interpreters
Free entry + travel

Hampton Court Palace

HRP Access Fund · KS2 Tudors

Tudor state apartments, Henry VIII's kitchens, Great Hall. Strong curriculum alignment for KS2 Tudors. Same HRP Access Fund: admission and session free, plus a distance-banded travel subsidy, in one application.

SchemeHRP Access Fund
AdmissionFree
SessionFree
Travel subsidyBanded by distance
EligibilityState / special schools
Official page ↗·Request assessment →
Natural History Museum Hintze Hall, South Kensington
Free entry

South Kensington Museums

V&A · NHM · Science

Three national museums, each running free school programmes. V&A, NHM and Tate each have separate travel grant pots for schools outside London that we check individually at enquiry.

SchemeNational free programme
AdmissionFree
SessionVaries · often free
Travel grantsVenue-specific
CurriculumScience, Art, History
NHM schools ↗·Request assessment →
House of Commons chamber, UK Parliament
Free visit

UK Parliament + Westminster Abbey

Parliament Education + Abbey schools · Y5+

Free guided Westminster tour, workshop on democracy or law-making, Q&A in a committee room. Pair it with Westminster Abbey next door for a full day: self-led visits are open to all, and schools with 30%+ FSM get a free guided tour of the Abbey.

Parliament tourFree
Abbey self-ledOpen to all
Abbey guided tourFree · 30%+ FSM
Journey~1h 30m
CurriculumCitizenship, RE, History
Parliament ed ↗·Abbey schools ↗·Request →
Local & Outdoor Learning
04 destinations
Seven Sisters chalk cliffs, East Sussex
Up to £750

Seven Sisters & Birling Gap

SDNP Outdoor Learning · KS2 Geography

Fieldwork on coastal erosion, chalk geology, cliff-top habitats. Ranger sessions and transport funded by South Downs Outdoor Learning Grant, £300–£500 transport + £250 provider, depending on FSM tier.

SchemeSDNP Outdoor Learning
Grant (15–24.9% FSM)£550 total
Grant (25%+ FSM)£750 total
Journey~35m
CurriculumGeography, Science
SDNP grant ↗·Request assessment →
Royal Pavilion, Brighton
Local heritage

Royal Pavilion, Brighton

Brighton Museums · KS2 · KS3

Regency-era palace with workshops for KS2 history and KS3 art/design. Short local journey, PP-funded enrichment with a supplied DfE-aligned rationale note is the usual funding approach.

SchemeBrighton Museums + PP
WorkshopsSubsidised rates
Journey~15m
FormatHalf day
CurriculumHistory, Art
Brighton Museums ↗·Request assessment →
Weald and Downland Living Museum, Sussex
Up to £400

Weald & Downland Museum

Singleton · KS2 history

Reconstructed historic buildings across 40 acres. Tudor life, medieval crafts, Victorian domestic work. Museum's own travel bursary: £400 per school per year for Sussex schools meeting FSM/PP/SEND criteria. Apply 28 days ahead.

SchemeW&D Travel Bursary
Travel bursaryUp to £400
Entry + workshopLow per-pupil
Journey~1h
CurriculumHistory KS2
Weald & Downland ↗·Request assessment →
Fishbourne Roman Palace mosaic
Low cost

Fishbourne Roman Palace

West Sussex · KS2 Romans

Largest Roman residence north of the Alps. Mosaics, archaeology workshops, Roman finds handling. Perfect fit for Y4 Romans unit. Low per-pupil session fees; Pupil Premium rationale usually applied.

SchemePP enrichment
Session feeLow per-pupil
Journey~45m
FormatFull day
CurriculumHistory KS2
Fishbourne ↗·Request assessment →
Aspiration, Arts & Bespoke
03 options
University of Brighton
Free visits

Sussex & Brighton Universities

Widening participation · Y9–Y11

Campus visits for KS4 (and ambitious KS3) cohorts. Both universities run free WP programmes: taster lectures, student ambassador tours, Q&As. PP-funded for schools where aspiration is a PP priority.

SchemeWP + PP
Campus visitFree
Journey15–30m
FormatHalf / full day
CurriculumCareers, aspiration
Sussex WP ↗·Request assessment →
Chichester Festival Theatre
Subsidised

Chichester Festival Theatre

Learning matinees · KS3 · KS4

Education matinees at subsidised rates, plus optional pre/post-show workshops. Particularly valuable for GCSE English Lit set texts and Drama coursework. Typically funded from PP where applicable.

SchemeCFT learning rates + PP
Ticket rateSubsidised
Journey~45m
FormatHalf day matinee
CurriculumEnglish Lit, Drama
CFT learning ↗·Request assessment →
Somewhere else illustration
Bespoke

Somewhere else?

Any UK destination · Funding check included

Residential, museum outside this list, sporting fixture, university open day, coastal field site, request an assessment. We'll check every verified Sussex-applicable route and tell you the realistic net cost.

AssessmentFree · no obligation
Turnaround24 hours
CoverageUK-wide
Fleet3 × 16-seater + partners
Advance bookingUp to 12 months
Request assessment →·Or email us ↗
For the approval chain

Documentation for Heads, EVCs and Business Managers.

Approving a visit isn't the trip, it's the paperwork behind it. Our quote pack compresses that work: financial case, compliance documents, risk paperwork, one bundle, so the sign-off conversation is short.

For the Headteacher

A defensible approval

  • Single net-cost figure, not a gross with "potential" funding
  • Named funding source for every contribution, traceable
  • PSV-licensed operator, DBS-checked drivers
  • Evidence pack ready for governors' finance committee
  • Clear statement of what happens if a grant fails to award
For the EVC / Trip Lead

Less admin, more lead-time

  • Risk assessment template pre-populated with vehicle & route info
  • EVC briefing notes tailored to the destination
  • Evolve-compatible documentation where your LA requires it
  • Parental letter with per-pupil figure pre-calculated
  • Named contact for trip day, one person, not a call centre
For the Business Manager

Clean financials

  • Itemised quote with VAT status clearly stated
  • Invoice terms aligned to standard LA schedules (30-day)
  • Grant contributions reconciled against the trip ledger
  • Pupil Premium rationale note where PP funds are applied
  • Annual summary on request for budget planning
Worked examples

Four scenarios, with the figures shown.

Illustrative, using current published scheme rates. Grants are fixed amounts, not a percentage of your bill, so a funded trip does not always land at zero. Your actual figures depend on pupil numbers, journey length, and FSM/PP profile. Use these as the shape, not a quoted price. Transport costs shown are indicative retail rates.

Year 5 · Tower of London

Primary
Brighton · 18% FSM

Two Y5 classes, 58 pupils + 6 staff. Brighton to Tower Hill, return. Four-vehicle group, three in-house 16-seaters plus one partner-operated minibus. HRP covers admission and the facilitated session outright. The travel subsidy is a fixed band payment, not a match to the transport bill, and Sussex is close to London, so the band is low. Band 2 shown; we confirm the exact band with HRP before quoting.

3 in-house + 1 partner minibus (full day)£1,980
Admission + session (58 + 6)£0  ·  HRP
HRP travel subsidy (Band 2, 36–105 pupils)−£625
Per pupil, before any PP contribution£23.36
Net cost to school£1,355

Year 3 booster group, Seven Sisters

Primary
Hove · 22% FSM

Small cohort of 12 pupils plus 3 staff. One 16-seater, properly bespoke. Half-day fieldwork at Birling Gap with ranger-led coastal geography. 22% FSM falls in the SDNP lower tier (15–24.9%), which caps the transport element at £300.

1 × 16-seater (half-day)£320
Ranger-led workshop£250
SDNP grant (transport, capped)−£300
SDNP grant (provider)−£250
Net cost to school£20

Year 3 · Weald & Downland

Primary
Worthing · 15% FSM

Full Y3 cohort, 28 pupils + 4 staff. Two 16-seaters, half-day Tudor workshop and site exploration. W&D travel bursary covers most of the transport; a modest Pupil Premium enrichment allocation (with our supplied DfE rationale) closes the gap.

2 × 16-seater minibuses (half-day)£640
Workshop + entry (28 × £8)£224
W&D travel bursary−£400
Pupil Premium enrichment−£464
Net cost to school£0

Year 10 · Sussex campus visit

Secondary
Portslade · 32% PP

Y10 aspiration cohort, 28 pupils + 4 staff. Two 16-seater minibuses, half-day local. Campus visit, taster session, student ambassador tour. Free under University WP programme; transport funded from Pupil Premium under a supplied DfE rationale (aspiration strand).

2 × 16-seater minibuses (half-day)£640
Campus visit + workshops£0  ·  WP
Pupil Premium contribution−£640
Net cost to school£0
Request a funding assessment

A written assessment, not a call-me-back.

Complete the form and we respond within 24 working hours with a written assessment of every verified funding route that applies to your specific trip, with realistic contribution figures, eligibility confirmation, and application deadlines.

If you want to proceed, a costed quote follows within 48 hours. No phone call required at any stage.

What you receive, every enquiry, no exceptions

  • Written funding assessment (email + PDF)
  • Every verified applicable route named
  • Realistic contribution figure per route
  • Eligibility checked against your FSM/PP profile
  • Application deadlines flagged
  • No obligation. No sales call.
Prefer to email or call directly? bookings@16seatertravel.co.uk
Brighton & Hove · East Sussex
I.
School details
These bands match the real scheme thresholds: SDNP cuts at 15% and 25% FSM, Westminster Abbey at 30% FSM, Royal Collection Trust prioritises 30%+ PP.
II.
Your details
Only used if we need clarification. No cold calls, ever.
III.
The proposed trip
IV.
Approval & accessibility
V.
Consent
24-hour written response.
No sales call. No obligation.