School trips
Sealife Adventure School Trips
Just £10 per student!
A memorable, easy and great-value experience for every school.
For nursery trips, please click here.
Easy Online Booking
Our online booking system makes arranging your visit quick and simple. Choose your date, arrival time, enter your student numbers (minimum 20) and your trip will be instantly confirmed once payment has been made.
If you have booked, and wish to add more students, you can do so by making another online booking.
However, if you are adding fewer than 20 students, this can be arranged on the day through our Customer Services Team, with payment taken on the day.
How the day works
Sealife Adventure can be enjoyed at your own pace, and students are welcome to watch any keeper talks or feeding sessions scheduled throughout the day, subject to availability. You’re free to stay and explore for as long as you like.
Many school groups choose to visit in the morning, enjoy activities on the neighbouring beach, and then return to the aquarium to continue their visit before their coach departs.
If you book, what next?
Every student receives a wristband giving them access to the aquarium. Students must
wear their wristbands on the left wrist.
Wristbands are posted to your school ahead of your trip for a smooth arrival. However, if your booking is confirmed within 15 days of your intended school trip date, you will need to collect the wristbands from Customer Services on the morning of your visit.
Teachers joining the trip will require a wristband which can be collected on the day at customer services.
Teachers can have up to:
Primary schools: 1 free teacher wristband for every 4 students.
Secondary schools: 1 free teacher wristband for every 8 students.
If additional teachers are required, these can be arranged through our Customer Services Team on the day and paid for at that time.
Please note: Amendments to school trip booking dates are permitted up to 16 days prior to the visit. After this deadline, the booking date is non-transferable.
Teacher preview visits
Once your booking is finalised, teachers are welcome to arrange a complimentary preview visit to carry out their own risk assessment. This allows you to familiarise yourself with our exhibits and facilities in advance, helping you make the most of your school visit.
On arrival for the preview, please check in at the Customer Services desk and inform the team that you are attending a teacher preview visit. You will gain access to the Zooquarium and receive an overview of how your booking will run on the day. Please note that preview visits are limited to two teachers per booking, who must also attend on the day of the visit, and a valid School ID and booking reference number must be presented.
If you require a copy of our Health and Safety Information document please email bookings@stockvale.co.uk.
For further information or assistance, our friendly bookings team is happy to help on 01702 442200.
The Gift Shop Area
A wide variety of gifts are available from our gift shop, with items from 60p upwards (subject to availability).
Cash and card is accepted.
Access for all
The Sealife Adventure building is designed to be fully accessible for all visitors. If you require any assistance during your visit, our friendly team, easily recognisable in their blue uniforms will be happy to help. Toilets are located next to the mezzanine area, upstairs. Fully accessible toilets and baby changing facilities are located next to the Three Shells Café. Additional toilets (including baby changing facilities) are located within the aquarium, near our picnic benches.
The Need-to-knows
Sealife Adventure is open every day from 10am, all year round. We are closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Closing times vary throughout the year.
For any students that have an annual pass they won’t need to be included in the student numbers when you make your booking. The students will need to bring their pass, or a photo of the Annual Pass barcode to gain entry to the aquarium. Please note passes must be activated and in date to get the wristband and gain entry.
- If you need to add 20 or more students, please repeat the online booking process and create a separate booking.
- If you need to add fewer than 20 students, please visit Customer Services on the day of your trip and they will assist you.
Leftover wristbands can be exchanged at Customer Services for a voucher valid until the end of the year. Please note: If this exchange is not completed on the day of your visit, any remaining wristbands will not be redeemable later.
Coach parking is available in the Eastern Esplanade car park, approximately a 1 minute walk from the aquarium.
Yes. As long as your wristband is not removed or tampered with, it will be valid for the duration of the day.
We have several designated areas where your group can enjoy lunch. Your lunch location will be arranged with our Schools Co-ordinator upon arrival. Options include our mezzanine area and outdoor picnic benches (subject to availability) and the beach.
At Sealife Adventure, we believe that everyone should be able to experience the highest level of happiness with us and so we have tried to accommodate to all of our disabled visitors as much as possible.
For further information into our accessibility, please visit Our Accessibility Policy | Sealife Adventure
No, but there are plenty of car parks and street parking bays within close walking distance of Sealife Adventure, including those that are located a little closer to Southend town centre. You will need to pay a small fee. We would recommend downloading the MOBON app when parking at one of Southend Council’s car parks, as it will save you time and hassle on the day.
Firstly, don’t panic! There’s every chance that your item has been picked up by a member of our team and handed in to our Customer Services department. We’ll keep any lost belongings in a secure location for up to 4 weeks, and we’ll make every effort to ensure any lost property is reunited with its owner ASAP. Check out our full Lost Property policy here.
Key Stage Activities
We have a range of Educational Activity Booklets in the series for you to download and use as you journey through the aquarium to discover the answers. There are 7 activity booklets in total, click the link below to download and you can use on your aquarium visit.
The Activity Series – KS1 – Identifying Animals
As you visit Sealife Adventure you will find out more about the different kinds of animals you can find here and see if you can spot the things which help them live in their natural habitat.
The Activity Series – KS1 – Nutrition and Food Chains
All living things need energy and food to live and grow. Plants can get these from sunlight and the soil, whilst animals need to eat. Some animals eat plants – and these we call herbivores. Other animals eat meat, which are called carnivores. Some animals eat both meat and plants, which we call omnivores. During your visit you will find out more about what our animals eat.
The Activity Series – KS2 – Environment in Danger
During your visit to SeaLife Adventure, you will be able to learn more about how our environment and wildlife is impacted by our actions, and some of the steps we can take to protect and support the world we live on. In this activity booklet you will be asked questions related to our environment and the challenges it can face.
The Activity Series – KS2 – Bones and Muscles
Through your trip to SeaLife Adventure, you will learn more about the importance of bones and muscles and how they work, through the questions in this activity booklet.
The Activity Series – KS2 – Habitats and Adaptations
We all live somewhere including the animals of the world. In this activity booklet we will be asking questions about where our creatures live. You will find all the answers as you journey through Sea-Life Adventure.
The Activity Series – KS3 – Evolution and Genetics
You will learn more about the importance of evolution and genetics through the questions in this activity booklet.
The Activity Series – KS3 – Life Cycles and Reproduction
A life cycle can involve an individual being born, living, having offspring and dying or it might involve several stages – for example a frog will hatch from frog spawn into a tadpole before changing into frog and laying more spawn. All life cycles are circular, with the next generation of individuals coming from the previous.
Contact Us
Have a question? Our friendly team is happy to help.
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