Drusillas Park Wildlife, Conservation and Educational School Trips Sussex

Drusillas Park Wildlife, Conservation and Educational School Trips Sussex contains over 70 species of animal including monkeys, penguins, sloths, lynx, capybaras, meerkats, anteaters, otters, flamingos, red pandas and fennec foxes.  There are walk-through enclosures that contain ring-tailed lemurs and rainbow lorikeets, and a Jungle Walk-Through with fruit bats, sloths and monkeys.  There are many educational interactives along the zoo route including Zoolympics Challenges and an Animal Spotter Trail, both with free booklets.

The Education Department offers a wide variety of hands-on and interactive primary education sessions including Habitats & Adaptations, Tropical Rainforests, Fur, Feathers & Scales (classification), Minibeasts, Conservation, and Maasai Life.  Most sessions involve animal artefacts (e.g. tusks, shells and furs) on loan from HM Revenue and Customs.

There are large indoor and outdoor adventure play areas, a Safari Express train and six extra rides including our Rainforest Carousel and Flying Cheetahs.  All of these attractions are included in the entrance price.

We offer a range of Business, Tourism, Animal Management, and Conservation talks for groups of older students.

Schools gain large discounts on regular entry prices and free teacher preliminary visits are available.

Drusillas is an excellent venue for education visits, being a perfect blend of animals, attractions and play areas.  Drusillas is primarily designed for children aged 12 and under, with low level viewing areas on enclosures, excellent animal visibility and a wide range of interactives.  Drusillas has three walk-through enclosures (lemurs, rainbow lorikeets and bats, sloths & monkeys) that allow groups to get extra close to the animals.

Two free booklets are available to all of our customers to accompany our trails.

Drusillas education sessions use novel methods to explain concepts, for example dressing volunteers to demonstrate penguin and camel adaptations.  Pupils can also handle a range of animal artefacts such as turtle shells, reptile skins, hippo teeth, and elephant tusks.

Once the learning is done, the children can enjoy a huge play area with over an acre of slides, swings and climbable things.  This includes Amazon Adventure; the soft indoor play area, Go Bananas!; an under-6 play area, and Go Wild!; a large outdoor area.

Having a specific target market makes Drusillas an excellent case study for Post-14 groups, and the Park has over 25 years’ experience of delivering talks for Business and Tourism students.

Schools gain large discounts on regular entry prices and free teacher preliminary visits are available.

Drusillas Park has a LOtC Quality Badge and is a member of BIAZA and EAZA (British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums and European Association of Zoo and Aquaria).

When groups visit Drusillas, the day is their own to explore the zoo, enjoy the play areas and go on the train and rides.  Classes can help themselves to our free Zoolympics Trail and Animal Spotter booklets, which can be found at the start of the Zoo Route. Most groups choose to have one education session, although some groups have two or some choose just to spend the day enjoying the zoo.

Typically, groups spend the morning going around the zoo, perhaps watching penguin feeding, and having education sessions.  Most groups then visit the play areas and maze, visit our shops and take a ride on the train after having lunch in our large picnic area.

Secondary groups receive a PowerPoint based presentation on the topic of their choice and can enjoy the zoo and rides.

Primary schools and pre-schools – minimum group size of 15 pupils, no maximum group size.  Education sessions are for a class (up to about 30 pupils) at a time.

SEN groups – minimum group size of six individuals.

Secondary schools / Post-16 – no minimum size for visits

Information on Drusillas animals and the Park can be found at www.drusillas.co.uk

Groups are sent a photocopiable map and risk assessment, and worksheets are also available.   Pupils, students and teachers are also welcome to take our complimentary Zoolympics Trail and Animal Spotter booklets.

The information been written by our Head of Education, James Woodward.

Visitors are welcome to take photographs, videos or audio recordings for their own use.  We just ask that flashes are not used when taking photos of our animals in indoor areas

If anyone wishes to take photos or recordings for commercial purposes, please contact Drusillas Marketing Department.

Drusillas provides exemplar risk assessments for all visiting groups and encourages teachers and leaders to make preliminary visits.  Upon booking, group leaders are sent a voucher code that enables two people to book online free of charge.

Preliminary visits can also be arranged prior to booking by contacting Drusillas Education Department on 01323 874117 or by emailing education@drusillas.co.uk

Education Department contact details are:

Telephone: 01323 874117 Email: education@drusillas.co.uk   

Head of Education, James Woodward can be contacted on 01323 874117 or by emailing james.woodward@drusillas.co.uk 

Drusillas Park offers large discounts to education groups on term-time weekdays.

*Winter deal – entrance discounted to £9.20 per pupil during Jan, Feb, Oct, Nov & Dec.

No specific clothing, please just be suitably dressed for the weather as only part of the zoo is undercover.

Drusillas Park always has First Aiders available on site.

Three shops

Five catering outlets – lunch box or hot meal ordering service available

Parking (free of charge)

Outdoor and undercover picnic areas

Outdoor and indoor play areas

Eden’s Eye (maze)

Splash pad

Toilets, including a Changing Places facility, plus baby changing rooms

Wheelchairs available to hire

Lockers (small charge applicable)

Drusillas is DDA compliant.  There is parking for disabled visitors near the zoo entrance, the zoo route is fully wheelchair accessible, and many enclosures feature low-level viewing, aiding visibility. Our train has a carriage suitable for wheelchairs and wheelchair users can enjoy our Rainforest Carousel ride here by using the dedicated turtle carriage which can be accessed via a ramp.

There are disabled toilets in four locations around the Park and we have a modern Changing Places facility.

A limited number of wheelchairs are available for use (advance booking is recommended).

Drusillas Education Department can tailor education sessions to meet a group’s needs.  James Woodward, Head of Education, has over 25 years’ experience of working with groups.

Drusillas is open 362 days per year, only closing Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Opening times are 1000 – 1700 (last admission at 1600).

A very big thank you to you and all the staff at Drusilla’s, Bodiam School had the best visit ever yesterday. Both children and staff had a fantastic day of learning and fun. The learning experiences in particular were perfect, and complimented our learning topics beautifully.  Bodiam C of E Primary School 

Our children had such a great time thank you. All of the staff at Drusillas were fantastic and really helpful.  Peacehaven Heights Academy

We all had a fabulous day, with one teacher saying it was the best school trip she has ever been on! Danehill C of E Primary School

Thank you again for another successful trip, the children loved the workshops ! I will be in touch next year to book again.  Newick C of E Primary School

We had a great visit today. The rainforest session was very well run, engaging and the correct level for our age children.  St Ronan’s School

The children loved it all – the whole day was great. They have asked to come again.  Shinewater Primary School

It was great as always – thank you. Buckswood School

A wonderful, educational visit.  Hilden Grange School

We loved the visit and are coming back next year! Thank you!   Caterham Prep School

Overall, it was a fantastic day, and the children were in awe of all the animals they saw. There were plenty of toilets around the site, the picnic area was a great size with plenty of bins and disabled access for one of our students.  Sir Henry Fermor C E School 

Feedback from the parents and children was extremely positive, with everyone saying they’d had a lovely day.  Horam Pre-school

For the pupils it was a great chance to combine a lot of their learning of science and geography. They thoroughly enjoyed the trail and experiencing the educational session.  Stone Cross School

Drusillas Park Education Department regularly holds Teachers Open Days, to receive notifications about these and other education news and offers, please email education@drusillas.co.uk

Please also email or telephone 01323 874117 if you have any queries about our service, we’re always happy to help.  Education sessions can always be created or tailored to meet a groups needs.

Further details can also be found at http://www.drusillas.co.uk/education-at-drusillas