Dutch Coast & Leiden Discovery Classes | School Trips Abroad

Dutch Coast & Leiden with your class

Naturalis is one of the world's leading natural history museums; students work through an evolution-focused biology programme with guided activities and a scientific workbook. The coastal fieldwork session takes them to the shoreline itself, then back to the hostel lab to analyse what they found. Leiden's historic university city adds the historical dimension: a self-guided discovery trail through 2,000 years of Dutch academic and civic heritage.

On the Move is the officially accredited school trips provider for the European Schools in Belgium — every trip has a dedicated project manager with 24/7 emergency support.

Dutch coast and Leiden school science field trip — Naturalis Biodiversity Center and North Sea coastal fieldwork

Trip highlights

01 Naturalis Biodiversity Center

A world-class natural history museum with a dedicated evolution programme, biological activity teams, and hands-on scientific workbooks that students complete during their visit

02 Coastal ecosystem fieldwork

Live sampling along the North Sea shoreline followed by supervised laboratory analysis back at the hostel — science done in the field, not in a classroom

03 Leiden historical city walk

A team-based discovery trail through one of Europe's finest university cities, tracing 2,000 years of Dutch history on foot through the historic centre

Curriculum links

Biology evolution, ecosystems, coastal ecology, marine habitats

Sciences field sampling, laboratory analysis, scientific method

History Dutch Golden Age, Leiden University heritage

Geography North Sea coastline, dune landscapes

Practical information

TransportStudents cycle or use public transport independently between the hostel and Leiden; bicycle hire included

AccommodationYouth hostel on the North Sea coast, with on-site laboratory facilities

Breakfast and dinner provided at the hostel; lunch taken in Leiden or on the coast
Local currency is Euro (€); spending money recommended
Students are divided into cycling and public transport groups based on ability
On the Move is the officially accredited school trips provider for the European Schools in Belgium; every trip has a dedicated project manager with 24/7 emergency support

A day by day

Day 1

Leiden City Walk & Arrival — Arriving in Leiden at midday, students set off on a structured historical city walk in small teams. Late afternoon: transfer to the coastal hostel for check-in. Bicycles allocated. Dinner served in two sittings, followed by a general assembly to brief students on the programme ahead.

Day 2

Science Rotation: Museum & Coastline — Group A heads to Leiden for a full session at Naturalis Biodiversity Center. Group B walks to the North Sea coast for ecosystem fieldwork — observing, recording, and collecting along the shoreline — followed by a two-hour laboratory analysis session back at the hostel. Both groups reconvene for dinner.

Day 3

Science Rotation & Return — Groups swap programmes. Group B travels to Leiden for the full Naturalis session; Group A heads to the coast for their own fieldwork and laboratory analysis. Both groups depart for the return journey in the early afternoon.

✏️ This is an example timetable — we can adapt the destination, programme, duration and budget to suit your group.

Students come home with…

Completed scientific workbooks and field notes from the North Sea shore
A new sense of what real biological research looks and feels like

In pictures

Discovery Classes - your questions

Popular themes include space and aerospace, zoology, natural sciences, industrial heritage and urban regeneration, and technology. We tailor each itinerary to your subject and year group.

Yes. We arrange guided, expert-led visits and hands-on workshops at science centres, museums and research sites wherever possible.

Münster (Zoo School, planetarium) is designed for P5 (ages 10–11). Our other discovery destinations suit secondary years with content adapted to the group's level.

Return travel, accommodation, all entries and workshops, supervision, insurance and your On the Move coordinator.

Discovery trip to Dutch Coast & Leiden