Castle's high honours

The 11th century castle has been awarded the prestigious Sandford Award for Heritage Education.

Conisbrough Castle is visited by over 10,000 school children each year – with the majority enjoying an expert-led Discovery Visit, and many also taking advantage of free self-led school visits, which are both linked to learning objectives in the national curriculum.

Matthew Lester, education visits officer for the North at English Heritage, said: “We are thrilled to receive the Sandford Award, and delighted that the judges recognise that our schools offer at Conisbrough Castle has been enhanced by the 2014 HLF Project and revised programme.

“This is a fantastic endorsement of the hard work that goes into education and its delivery by our dedicated site team and volunteers.

“The Sandford Award provides recognition for our brilliant team of staff and volunteers and their dedication to the delivery of the education programme. It also allows us to highlight our school visits programme, and particularly our expert-led Discovery Visits.

“We have worked closely with local schools to develop the programme and also attract education visits from all over the north.”

Judges revealed they were impressed by the learning programmes on offer at Conisbrough Castle, calling it: ‘a surprising gem of a site, which combines evocative and intriguing structural remains of an impressive castle, and an imaginative and carefully designed education programme, that is an example of what can be done through the combined efforts of the staff, volunteers and the community.”