About this workshop
Imagine every child in your class becoming an astronaut, exploring the depths of space through Virtual Reality. Our Space in VR workshop offers a journey where the entire class simultaneously pilots research vessels around planets and moons, delving deep into the wonders of the solar system.
Using a fully networked class set of headsets and our own software, the facilitator leads an immersive experience that enhances learning and boosts fact retention. Because every headset is on the same network, the class explores together so key learning points are absorbed together.
Perfect for British Science Week, World Space Week, or any point in the year when your school wants to go further into the solar system than a textbook allows.
How the session runs
What happens
- 01
Mercury
We start at Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun and the smallest in the Solar System. The class flies low over a surface covered in craters, where a day is baking hot and a night is freezing.
- 02
Venus
Next we cross to Venus, the hottest planet of all, wrapped in a thick atmosphere that traps the heat. Pupils see a world about the size of Earth, with thousands of volcanoes across it.
- 03
Mars
We land on Mars and find out why it looks red - iron in the rock and dust. The class looks up at Olympus Mons, one of the largest volcanoes in the Solar System, and meets its two moons.
- 04
Jupiter
We travel out to Jupiter, the giant of the Solar System, and watch the Great Red Spot turning - a storm wider than Earth. Pupils meet its four big moons, volcanic Io and icy Europa among them.
- 05
Saturn
We fly through Saturn's rings and see what they are really made of: ice, rock and dust. The class stops at Enceladus, a moon with an ocean hidden beneath its frozen surface.
- 06
The Solar System
We pull back to see all eight planets orbiting the Sun together. The class watches Earth spin through a day and travel a full year, held in its orbit by gravity.
- 07
Museum
We finish in the museum, for a self-guided exploration of key facts and some interactive surprises.
What pupils will learn
The science they take away
Every session has been built around your curriculum objectives.
- 01The order, relative size and scale of the planets in our solar system
- 02Why Earth sits where it does and what makes it habitable
- 03How the Moon orbits Earth while Earth orbits the Sun
- 04What causes day, night and the seasons
- 05How moons differ from planets, with examples they have just flown past
- 06The vocabulary of space science, used in context rather than copied from a board
Curriculum links
What this covers in the National Curriculum
Science - Earth and space
- Understand that the Earth is one of eight planets in our Solar System and that the planets orbit the Sun.
- Understand that the Sun is a star and is at the centre of our Solar System.
- Understand that the Earth rotates on its axis and orbits the Sun, creating day, night and a year.
- Recognise that the Moon orbits the Earth.
- Understand that planets vary greatly in size, temperature, atmosphere and surface conditions.
- Understand that gravity is a force that affects planets, moons and other objects in space.
In your school
Pupils do not learn the order of the planets. They fly past them.
Logistics
What we bring, what you need
We bring
- A fully networked class set of VR headsets
- Our own space content, written for the primary curriculum
- A DBS-checked facilitator to lead every session
- Cleaning and hygiene kit used between every class
- A speaker, cabling, charging and a spare headset
You provide
- A school hall or a large, clear indoor space
- A parking space close by so equipment can be unloaded
- A member of school staff present in each session
- A timetable of class rotations agreed in advance
Questions schools ask
Before you book
- Is VR safe for primary-aged children?
- Yes. Sessions are short, pupils stay seated, and headsets are cleaned between classes. Any child who would rather not wear one takes part on the big screen instead.
- How many children can take part in a day?
- Typically six sessions of one class each, which covers a one-form-entry school in a single day.
- Do we need internet access?
- No. The headsets run on our own network, so nothing depends on your school wifi.
- What if a child feels unwell in the headset?
- Sessions are kept short for exactly this reason. Pupils can lift the headset at any time and our facilitator watches the group throughout.
Feedback from schools
What schools said
Five-star Google reviews of Education Group, who deliver our workshops. Reviews naming this workshop come first.
We have had a number of experiences from the Education Group and are always impressed by the quality of the workshops. We return to them time after time because we know that the planning, content and age-appropriateness of their sessions are absolutely right for the children.
Fantastic! Our Year 5 children absolutely loved this. The VR headsets were amazing and the instructor was very well informed and engaging. We will definitely book for next year!
Excellent, fun. so much science covered, interactive, the kids enjoyed it, and scientific skills such as making predictions and conclusions were practised throughout.
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