School programmes · Funding
Funding for School Trips & Outdoor Learning
The cost of a trip shouldn’t stop your pupils from learning outdoors. A range of grants may help eligible schools cover the costs of outdoor education, fieldwork and transport.
We’ve selected funding opportunities that could help your school take part in Naturebytes’ curriculum-linked geography, science and wildlife investigations. Schools apply directly to each funder, and we’re happy to help with your application.
On this page: South Downs grant · Other grants · Four steps · Application help · Questions
Featured grant · Field trips and transport
South Downs Outdoor Learning Grant
Funding of up to £750 is available for school field trips to the South Downs National Park. The grant helps eligible schools visit the National Park with an education provider, and pays towards both transport and the provider’s fee. It is funded and run by the South Downs National Park Trust.
Up to £750
For schools where 25% or more of pupils are eligible for Free School Meals: up to £500 for travel and up to £250 for provider costs.
Up to £550
For schools where 15% to 24.9% of pupils are eligible for Free School Meals: up to £300 for travel and up to £250 for provider costs.
Who can apply
- State-funded schools and colleges where 15% or more of pupils are eligible for Free School Meals.
- One grant per school between 1 April 2026 and 12 February 2027.
- Grants are awarded first come, first served. The funder aims to reply within ten working days.
How it fits a Naturebytes visit
- We run field trips at green spaces across the National Park, including Seven Sisters Country Park and Stanmer Park in Brighton.
- The provider part of the grant, up to £250, could cover our £250 price for one class. The travel part helps with your coach or other transport.
- Visits to Hastings Country Park, which is outside the National Park, and follow-on school visits are not covered by this grant.
Open for applications. Last checked 13 November 2026. Naturebytes does not run this grant and funding is not guaranteed. Schools apply directly through the National Park’s website, where you can also find subsidised coach travel for school trips.
Other grants that could help
These funders are independent of Naturebytes, and each sets its own rules. Check the funder’s guidance before you apply.
Small flexible grants
Alpkit Foundation
Amount: Around £50 to £500, as money or equipment.
Who can apply: Groups and organisations that help people get outdoors and overcome the barriers to doing so.
Could support: A contribution towards transport or the cost of a field trip.
Timing: Apply at any time, at least three months before your trip. Applications are reviewed every couple of months, and trips that have already happened are not funded.
Alpkit Foundation: apply for support (opens in a new tab)
Last checked 13 November 2026
Wider projects
BlueSpark Foundation
Amount: Most grants are under £2,000 and none are more than £5,000.
Who can apply: Schools, colleges and community groups in England, for projects with children and young people aged 5 to 22. The school applies itself.
Could support: A specific, costed project, such as field trips for several classes with a follow-on school visit.
Timing: Apply at any time using the funder’s online form.
BlueSpark Foundation: grant policy (opens in a new tab)
Last checked 13 November 2026
Transport and outdoor learning
Ernest Cook Trust: Outdoor Essentials Grant
Amount: £500 for primary and special schools; £1,000 for secondary schools.
Who can apply: State-funded schools. The Trust says its next round will be UK-wide.
Could support: Transport to outdoor learning sites, and outdoor clothing such as wellies and waterproofs.
Timing: Closed at present. The next round is expected in January 2027.
Ernest Cook Trust: grants (opens in a new tab)
Last checked 13 November 2026
Four steps to a funded visit
Step 1
Choose your course
Pick a Geography or Science field trip and tell us where you’d like to go. We’ll help you choose a place that suits your class and the grant.
Step 2
Check your eligibility
Look at the funder’s rules for your school. For the South Downs grant, that means your school type and the share of pupils eligible for Free School Meals.
Step 3
Ask us for a quotation
Send us an enquiry and mention funding. We’ll reply with a quotation and a course summary to use in your application.
Step 4
Apply, then confirm
Apply to the funder with your quotation. Once you’re ready to go ahead, we confirm your date and the details of your visit.
A provisional quotation is not a confirmed booking.
We’ll help with your application
Applying for a grant is easier with the right paperwork. Tell us you’re applying for funding when you get in touch, and we’ll send:
- a quotation with the costs clearly set out;
- a short summary of your course, with its learning outcomes and curriculum links, ready to use in your application;
- answers to any questions the funder asks about the visit.
There’s no charge for this and no obligation to book.
Questions teachers ask about funding
Is our school eligible?
Each funder sets its own rules. The South Downs Outdoor Learning Grant is for state-funded schools and colleges where 15% or more of pupils are eligible for Free School Meals; the funder checks this using the government’s Get Information about Schools service. BlueSpark Foundation funds projects in England. The Ernest Cook Trust’s Outdoor Essentials Grant is for state-funded schools.
When should we apply?
Apply before your visit, and as early as you can. The South Downs grant is awarded first come, first served, with one grant per school between 1 April 2026 and 12 February 2027. Alpkit Foundation asks for applications at least three months before a trip. BlueSpark Foundation accepts applications at any time.
Can you send a quotation for our application?
Yes. Send us an enquiry with your year group, approximate pupil numbers and preferred dates, and mention the grant you’re applying for. We’ll send a quotation and a course summary. A provisional quotation is not a confirmed booking.
How much does a visit cost?
A field trip is £250 for the first class of up to 30 pupils, and £200 for each additional class on the same visit. Optional indoor space is £60 per day, and an optional follow-on school visit is £250 per class group. Free self-led follow-on resources are included. Your school arranges transport and accompanying staff. We don’t currently charge VAT.
Is funding guaranteed, and is it taken off your price?
No. Grants are decided and paid by the funder under its own terms, and Naturebytes does not run any of these schemes. A grant is not a Naturebytes discount: our prices stay the same, and the grant helps your school meet them.
Does the South Downs grant cover every Naturebytes visit?
No. It covers visits inside the South Downs National Park, such as Seven Sisters Country Park or Stanmer Park. Visits to Hastings Country Park and follow-on school visits are outside the scheme. The other grants on this page may help with those.
What will our Educational Visits Coordinator need?
Our educators are DBS checked, we provide first-aid cover and we hold public liability insurance. We can send our risk assessments and insurance details to support your school’s visit approval. Just ask when you enquire.
“It is so important to get students out of the classroom. Today they had direct experience that will stay with them for the rest of their lives… today’s experience could be the seed for career choices in the future.”
Mr Sandercock, Dorothy Stringer School
Ready to plan your visit?
Tell us your year group, approximate pupil numbers and preferred dates, and mention any grant you’re applying for. We’ll reply with a quotation.