Blenheim Palace donates over 800 Annual Passes to local schools
Blenheim Palace is making more than 800 free annual passes available to local school pupils and their families as part of its Associate Schools Scheme.
The scheme, which includes 25 nursery, primary and secondary schools, aims to provide increased support to local schools, working with them to create exciting and valuable experiences for their students and their families.
A total of 814 passes have been made available so far; 380 to families with secondary aged children and 434 to those with primary aged children.
The Associate Schools Scheme takes in schools from the three nearest Oxfordshire County Council school partnerships; Woodstock Partnership, Eynsham Partnership and Kidlington Partnership.
“This Associate Schools Scheme is a fantastic way for us to engage our local schools and the communities they serve, supporting their learning and allowing them to benefit from everything Blenheim Palace and the wider Estate has to offer,” said
Alice Kirk, Head of Education at Blenheim Palace.
“We’re absolutely committed to working with the local community to make both the Palace and the wider Estate accessible to as many people as possible.
“Blenheim is not just a beautiful place to visit, but a valuable resource for our communities and it’s an absolute privilege for us to be able to share this amazing place with them,” she added.
Blenheim Palace welcomes more than 30,000 students every year. This summer they are also making 500 free tickets available to schools for their Shakespeare theatre productions as part of the Rose Bursary Scheme.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site, who stage the Sir Winston Churchill Public Speaking Competition, are working closely with their associate schools to develop exciting new educational opportunities. This includes a project exploring 1st Duke of Marlborough and the impact of Blenheim to support the primary history curriculum and engage students in their local history.
The in-house Education Team offers a range of opportunities for schools, youth organisations, clubs and societies to conduct talks and lead sessions on a number of topics relating to Blenheim Palace and local history.