At Deep Sea World, we recognise the importance of educating others about the ocean and its creatures. That’s why we offer a range of school trip packages tailored to all ages, from nursery right up to secondary school students and beyond. Our education mission statement is at the heart of our educational experience offerings, as we aim to deliver a unique learning experience by promoting informed and inquisitive observation within a stimulating environment.
We’re inviting the next generation to dive into exciting new depths with our educational packages filled with hands-on, interactive workshops and activities. Tying in with the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) in Scotland, pupils from Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), Key Stage 1 (KS1), Key Stage 2 (KS2), Key Stage 3 (KS3) and beyond will not only learn about our underwater world and sea creatures, but they can also get stuck into related topics, expanding their knowledge of:
- Biology: Learning the science behind marine life and sparking interest in STEM learning, from shark anatomy and clever adaptations to the importance of scientific classifications.
- Conservation: Understanding the importance of protecting our sea life and oceans, and what we can all do to help make a big impact.
- The environment: Defining and understanding different habitats, life cycles, food chains and more.
- Marine life: Identifying sea creatures, including their key features, traits and behaviours, and how these aid survival.
Educational school trip workshops
Our themed workshops are designed to teach students about a range of topics through a medley of games, interactivity, and engaging presentations, allowing you to choose one that’s suitable for your group and complements your classroom curriculum.
EYFS
Predators & Prey: Food Chains in the Ocean Early Level (Nursery to Primary 1) | Who’s Hungry?
Children explore ocean life and develop an early understanding of food chains through drama, acting out animals and the things they eat. Using listening and talking skills, pupils share ideas and work collaboratively to make connections between living things and their habitats.
Curriculum for Excellence outcomes:
- SCN 0-02a
- SOC 0-09a
- LIT 0-02a
Sharks, Rays & Millions of Years of Evolution Early Level (Nursery to Primary 1) | A Sharks Tail
Pupils explore sharks and rays by observing and describing their features, comparing them with other sea animals, and learning about their role in the ocean ecosystem through story and discussion.
Curriculum for Excellence outcomes:
- SCN 0-02a
- SOC 0-09a
- LIT 0-02a
Plastic in the Ocean Early Level (Nursery to Primary 1) | Our Ocean and Nurdles
Children explore how litter, especially plastic, affects the sea, developing awareness of caring for nature through discussion, role play and storytelling.
Curriculum for Excellence outcomes:
- SCN 0-02a
- SOC 0-09a
- LIT 0-02a
Sea Learn & Discover: Sensory Workshops Early Level (Nursery to Primary 1) | Gentle
Pupils use their senses to investigate sea animals and describe their differences, developing early observation and communication skills.
Curriculum for Excellence outcomes:
- SCN 0-12a
- SOC 0-01a
- LIT 0-02a
KS1
Predators & Prey: Food Chains in the Ocean First Level (Primary 2 to Primary 4) | Who Eats Who?
Pupils identify marine species and construct a simple food chain collaboratively. Exploring interdependence between species, they’ll communicate their findings with clear vocabulary and link these to recycling and sustainability.
Curriculum for Excellence outcomes:
- SCN 1-02a
- SOC 1-08a
- LIT 1-02a
- MNU 1-20a
Sharks, Rays & Millions of Years of Evolution First Level (Primary 2 to Primary 4) | From Teeth to Tail
Pupils explore shark adaptations, comparing these with bony fish and discovering how evolution aids their survival in the marine environment. They discuss sharks’ importance in maintaining ecosystem balance and how human actions can help or harm.
Curriculum for Excellence Outcomes:
- SCN 1-17a
- SCN 1-01a
- LIT 1-09a
Plastic in the Ocean First Level (Primary 2 to Primary 4) | Our Ocean and Plastic
Pupils investigate how plastic enters the ocean and its impact on marine life, developing solutions such as recycling and cutting down on single-use plastics.
Curriculum for Excellence outcomes:
- SCN 1-20a
- SOC 1-08a
- LIT 1-02a
Sea Learn & Discover: Sensory Workshops First Level (Primary 2 to Primary 4) | Ocean Senses
Pupils explore real specimens, describing traits and linking them to survival. They share their observations with peers, developing descriptive language and environmental awareness.
Curriculum for Excellence outcomes:
- SCN 1-12a
- SOC 1-13a
- LIT 1-02a
KS2
Predators & Prey: Food Chains in the Ocean Second Level (Primary 5 to Primary 7) | The Ocean Feast
Pupils investigate marine food chains and webs, analysing predator–prey balance and classification. They interpret simple data on populations, discuss human impacts such as overfishing and pollution, and propose ways to help protect ocean ecosystems.
Curriculum for Excellence outcomes:
- SCN 2-04a
- SOC 2-08a
- LIT 2-09a
- MNU 2-20a
Sharks, Rays & Millions of Years of Evolution Second Level (Primary 5 to Primary 7) | Jurassic Shark
Tracing shark evolution through geological time, pupils identify adaptations supporting the survival of these marine animals. They use food chains to explain sharks’ ecological role and propose conservation actions to maintain balance in marine ecosystems.
Curriculum for Excellence outcomes:
- SCN 2-15a
- SOC 2-08a
- LIT 2-09a
Plastic in the Ocean Second Level (Primary 5 to Primary 7) | Ocean Plastic Crisis
Pupils investigate the effects of plastic on marine species and food chains, analysing ecosystem disruption and designing action plans to reduce harm.
Curriculum for Excellence outcomes:
- SCN 2-19a
- SOC 2-08a
- LIT 2-09a
Sea Learn & Discover: Sensory Workshops Second Level (Primary 5 to Primary 7) | Sensory Sea Discoveries
Pupils examine animal specimens, analysing features that support survival. They connect their learning to the effects of pollution and identify practical steps for prevention.
Curriculum for Excellence outcomes:
- SCN 2-12a
- LIT 2-10a
- EXA 2-01a
- LIT 2-09a
Other learning & workshops
Deep Sea World can facilitate aquarium tours, behind the scenes tours, and specialised talks tailored to different subjects. From career talks with our aquarists to tours of specific exhibits led by our expert guides, get in touch for any other educational learning requirements you might have.
Things to know before your school trip to Deep Sea World
Typical school trip day
What will the day look like? Here are some things you can expect from a typical school trip to Deep Sea World:
- We have no time limit on our school trips, so stay as long as you like during our opening hours!
- Our classroom, where all workshops and activities take place, is located in the heart of the aquarium
- Teachers will receive a welcome pack on arrival, outlining daily talks and feeds schedules, class times and topics, lunch times and any other important information
- School groups will have access to the whole aquarium before and after classroom sessions, including all our animals and exhibits
- Schools aren’t required to bring anything – lunches can be pre-purchased ahead of the day, or schools can organise their own packed lunches
School trip prices
Our classroom sessions allow a maximum of 30 children per group, and creature encounters can have a maximum of 20 children per group. Teachers and classroom assistants receive FREE admission to the aquarium, using the ratios 1:4 for nursery, 1:6 for primary education, and 1:10 for secondary education.
Learn more about our classroom sessions and pricing below:
| Ticket Type | Price |
|---|---|
| Education Junior | £7.95 |
| Education Concession | £16.14 |
| Education Standard | £17.95 |
| Classroom Session* | £30.00 |
| Creature Encounter** | £20.00 |
School trip worksheets
Download our worksheets ahead of your school trip below.
-
Nursery/P2 Plastic, the Ocean and Me!
This class is for nursery and early primary school pupils and is a simple, easy-to-understand introduction to ocean pollution. Through our interactive game, pupils will be taught all about what plastics are, how much plastic is currently in our oceans and why this is bad for the sea creatures in our waters.
-
P3/P5 Who’s Hungry?
This fun and interactive class covers introductions to food chains and food webs. The children end up in a bit of a tangle once they have created their own food web and get the chance to demonstrate a food chain in front of the rest of the class. After they’ve successfully de-tangled themselves, they’ll then learn about a creature in their food web and even have the chance to come face-to-face with them!
-
P3/P5 Our Ocean and Nurdles
This class is focused on one of the biggest problems affecting Scottish Oceans – Nurdles! Despite this being an important issue, very little information exists about it in the media. So, to change all that, we’re teaching pupils all about nurdles to spread awareness of the problem. Pupils will learn that nurdles are microplastics, as well as why these are bad for the animals in the sea. Plus, you get to go on your very own nurdle hunt!
-
P5/P7 Predators & Prey
In this class, pupils will discover the difference between a predator and their prey and investigate how they fit into different food chains. We’ll also look at how different animals hunt and what attributes give them the ability to be the apex predator in their environment. The pupils will join in to see whether we can identify different predators and even find out how some animals can be both predators and prey.
-
P5/P7 Adaptations
In this class, pupils will learn how and why animals have changed physically to survive against predators and their ever-changing environments. The pupils will then have the opportunity to put what they learn into practice in our virtual aquarium, where they’ll draw their own fish with adaptations to fit the environment and see their creations swim around.
-
P7 Sharks
When asked to think about a shark, most people picture “Jaws”, a man-eating shark. But here at Deep Sea World, we’re determined to dispel the myths about all sharks being dangerous. With many shark species being endangered and needing protection, this class teaches pupils the truth about sharks, from their anatomy and differences with other marine life to the importance of conserving our shark population.
-
Nursery/P2 Plastic, the Ocean and Me!
This class is for nursery and early primary school pupils and is a simple, easy-to-understand introduction to ocean pollution. Through our interactive game, pupils will be taught all about what plastics are, how much plastic is currently in our oceans and why this is bad for the sea creatures in our waters.
-
P3/P5 Who’s Hungry?
This fun and interactive class covers introductions to food chains and food webs. The children end up in a bit of a tangle once they have created their own food web and get the chance to demonstrate a food chain in front of the rest of the class. After they’ve successfully de-tangled themselves, they’ll then learn about a creature in their food web and even have the chance to come face-to-face with them!
-
P3/P5 Our Ocean and Nurdles
This class is focused on one of the biggest problems affecting Scottish Oceans – Nurdles! Despite this being an important issue, very little information exists about it in the media. So, to change all that, we’re teaching pupils all about nurdles to spread awareness of the problem. Pupils will learn that nurdles are microplastics, as well as why these are bad for the animals in the sea. Plus, you get to go on your very own nurdle hunt!
-
P5/P7 Predators & Prey
In this class, pupils will discover the difference between a predator and their prey and investigate how they fit into different food chains. We’ll also look at how different animals hunt and what attributes give them the ability to be the apex predator in their environment. The pupils will join in to see whether we can identify different predators and even find out how some animals can be both predators and prey.
-
P5/P7 Adaptations
In this class, pupils will learn how and why animals have changed physically to survive against predators and their ever-changing environments. The pupils will then have the opportunity to put what they learn into practice in our virtual aquarium, where they’ll draw their own fish with adaptations to fit the environment and see their creations swim around.
-
P7 Sharks
When asked to think about a shark, most people picture “Jaws”, a man-eating shark. But here at Deep Sea World, we’re determined to dispel the myths about all sharks being dangerous. With many shark species being endangered and needing protection, this class teaches pupils the truth about sharks, from their anatomy and differences with other marine life to the importance of conserving our shark population.