School children can now visit Chester Zoo for free with 30,000 tickets up for grabs

Chester Zoo is offering free visits to thousands of school children in a bid to inspire a new generation of conservationists.

The educational scheme has been running since 2017 and has welcomed tens of thousands of children into the zoo over the years.

And this year, 30,000 more school kids will get the chance to explore conservation up close at the charity’s 128-acre zoological gardens.

Conservation education experts from the zoo are especially keen for the tickets to help schools in disadvantaged areas, with them saying the visits are designed to ‘spark a passion for saving species’.

Chester Zoo

They are also leading calls for educational reform and are championing a move to see conservation education – which includes issues such as climate change and sustainability – embedded into the curriculum nationwide, having already seen it work successfully in the north west of England.

Charlotte Smith, director of conservation education and engagement at Chester Zoo, said: “With so many species threatened with extinction, it’s crucial now, more than ever, that we all play our part in creating a more sustainable future.

Read More: Chester Zoo help bring rare ‘tequila fish’ back from extinction and reintroduce it into the wild

“Learning about animals with our educational experts in the amazing setting of our zoological gardens can create a lifelong connection to nature, inspiring young people to take action and make a difference to the future of our planet.

“Children and young people have experienced so much disruption during the last couple of years and it’s important that they have opportunities spend time in nature, which has a whole host of mental and physical benefits.

@chesterzoo / Instagram

“With an increase in young people’s awareness and desire to be involved in conservation, zoos and schools play an important role in giving them the skills and knowledge to protect the incredible biodiversity of our planet.”

Visits will be available on weekdays between November 1st 2022 and February 28th 2023. Home educators are eligible to apply as a group through a Home Educators’ Network.

If you know a school that should apply, all you need to do is download the application form and send it to learning@chesterzoo.org by February 28th 2022.