Book a talk for school groups

Learn more about our free talks and presentations
Please note: Presentations for the 23/24 academic year are full and we are not yet accepting bookings for the next academic year. We apologise for any inconvenience and will update this page when bookings resume. You are still welcome to visit as a self-guided visit.

Our talks for schools

Looking to immerse your classroom in the history of the Bank of England? We offer free presentations and interactive storytelling sessions to UK-based . Our talks support a number of curriculum subjects and are a great way to supplement your visit to the museum.

All of our talks and presentations are free and need to be booked in advance. They can be provided in-person (in our museum), and some can be provided online via MS Teams or Zoom. 

Find out more about our offerings for schools. 

Talks for state schools in the UK

Money and the Bank of England

Best for: UK state primary schools – Year 5 and Year 6 (single year groups)
Group size:

15 to 49 people, including teachers (in-person)
15 to 60 people (online) i.e. two classes from the same year group
Format:

In-person (in our museum);
Online (via MS Teams or Zoom). Sessions must be hosted by the school
Length: 40 to 55 minutes 
Days: Monday to Friday
Times: 10.30am and 11.30am
Booking:

Please note: presentations for the 23/24 academic year are full and we are not yet accepting bookings for the next academic year.

  • This presentation supports students’ understanding of English, maths, history and citizenship. It is suitable for cross-curricular learning such as personal, social health and economic (PSHE) lessons. There will be time for questions.

    The talk will explore the following topics:

    • What banks do and what the Bank of England does;
    • money - coins and banknotes;
    • how to spot fake money;
    • different payment methods, and
    • jobs in the financial sector and at the Bank of England.

    See a resources sheet including activities that can be completed before or after the session.

Introduction to the Bank of England and monetary policy

Best for: UK state secondary schools – Key stage 4 and 5 students (aged 15 to 18) interested in economics or business studies
Group size: 

15 to 49 people
Length: 45 to 55 minutes 
Format In-person (in our museum)
Days: Monday to Friday
Times: 2.30pm and 3.30pm
Booking: Please note: presentations for the 23/24 academic year are full and we are not yet accepting bookings for the next academic year.

  • The session will:

    • explore the history of the Bank of England
    • look at the Bank of England’s key roles and responsibilities
    • identify the role of the Bank of England in setting monetary policy and the policy instruments used (interest rates and quantitative easing) 

Storytelling sessions for schools

We've teamed up with Storytelling Schools to develop a series of stories about the Bank and its history. Our resident storyteller will host an interactive storytelling session for state schools that explores different aspects of the Bank’s work and history – some of which might just surprise you!

Designed for children in Year 3 and Year 4, these sessions combine storytelling, drama and role-play to bring to life different aspects of the Bank’s history and provide an opportunity to learn more about some of the Bank of England’s key roles and responsibilities.

The sessions provide an opportunity for children to develop purposeful speaking and listening skills and participate in a dramatic performance.

Take a look at the options below to pick the perfect story for your class.

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  • Step into over 300 years of stories.

    Join our resident storyteller for an interactive storytelling session.

    Explore different aspects of the Bank’s work and history. 

    'The storytelling session enthralled the children; all were engaged and included' - Year 5 teacher, Beckfoot Heaton School

    'It really is a unique experience for all involved' - Year 5 teacher, St Marks CofE Primary School

    'Every student, no matter their ability or prior knowledge, could access the activities' - Year 6 Teacher, St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School

Gold vault break-in

Best for: UK state school groups – Year 3 and Year 4 (single year groups only)
Group size: 15 to 35 children
Length: The storytelling session lasts 30 minutes and is accompanied by a 30 minute gold-vault themed activity
Format In-person (in our museum)
Days: Monday to Friday
Times: 10.30am and 11.30am
Booking:

Please note: presentations for the 23/24 academic year are full and we are not yet accepting bookings for the next academic year.

  • Deep beneath the Bank of England there is a vault full of gold. Impenetrable they say…no gold has ever been stolen… but does that mean that no one has ever broken in?

    This story tells the tale of a gold vault break-in at the Bank of England. Could it be true, or is it a work of fiction… we’ll let you decide.

    A resource sheet accompanies the session. Storytelling sessions can accommodate a maximum group size of 35 children plus staff.  Larger groups will be divided into two and provided with a gold-themed teacher-led activity to complete inside the Museum. Each small group will have the opportunity to participate in the storytelling session and complete the activity.

    Please note that school staff are required to supervise both groups for the duration of the visit.  

    The Storytelling sessions can be adapted for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Simply email us at education@bankofengland.co.uk, or call us on 020 3461 5545 (Monday to Friday), between 10am and 4pm after submitting a booking request so that we can discuss how best to do this.

Women at the Bank

Best for:
 UK state school groups – Year 3 and Year 4 (single year groups only)
Group size:
 15 to 35 children
Length:
 The storytelling session lasts 30 minutes and is accompanied by an activity sheet that explores the role of women at the Bank of England, including those on our banknotes.
Format:
 In-person (in our museum)
Days:
 Monday to Friday
Times:
 10.30am and 11.30am
Booking:

Please note: presentations for the 23/24 academic year are full and we are not yet accepting bookings for the next academic year.

  • The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street sits high above the entrance to the Bank of England watching the comings and goings. She had watched closely since the Bank was founded in 1694. She kept a close eye to make sure that the Bank of England worked for the good of all people.  But by 1894 she was beginning to wonder…why had she never seen a woman working at the Bank of England?

    Join us to find out what happened when the first woman, Janet Hogarth, arrived at the Bank of England. What did her arrival mean for the men at the Bank? How did it reflect the changes that were sweeping the country in the early 20th century? And in what way does Janet’s legacy live on in the Bank today? 

    A resource sheet accompanies the session. Storytelling sessions can accommodate a maximum group size of 35 children plus staff. Larger groups will be divided into two and provided with an activity sheet that explores the role of women on banknotes and coins to complete inside the Museum. Each small group will have the opportunity to participate in the storytelling session and complete the activity.

    Please note that school staff are required to supervise both groups for the duration of the visit.  

    The Storytelling sessions can be adapted for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Simply email us at education@bankofengland.co.uk, or call us on 020 3461 5545 (Monday to Friday), between 10am and 4pm after submitting a booking request so that we can discuss how best to do this.

If you are looking for a more technical talk for a GCSE or A Level school group (or one that can be delivered online), please consider requesting a Bank Ambassador talk. 

If you are looking for a talk for a group which is not associated with a school, please check out our community group page.

If you would like to organise a talk for people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), please send us an email so we can discuss your requirements further.

Please note, we reserve the right to cancel a talk at the last minute if the group does meet our minimum size requirements. 

On rare occasions it may be necessary to cancel presentations at very short notice (on the day) due to staff shortages. In these circumstances we can provide school groups with activity sheets that can be completed independently as part of a self-guided tour of the Museum.

For more information, email us at education@bankofengland.co.uk, or call us on 020 3461 5545 (Monday to Friday), between 10am and 4pm. If the line is busy, please leave a message and we will call you back.

  • When you request a presentation, the Bank of England (‘we’ or the ‘Bank’) collects personal data about you. This information includes your name, contact information and the name of any organisation or group for which the booking is being made.

    Why we need your personal data

    We collect your personal data to process requests for a presentation and to be able to communicate with you to ensure that we provide the most appropriate presentation for your group, on the agreed date and time. This is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of our official authority as the Central Bank of the United Kingdom.

    What we do with your personal data

    We use your information to arrange for the presentation. We may also send you, as a representative of your school, information about activities we believe you may be interested in. This may involve sharing limited contact information with printing and mailing companies to send these related materials. 

    We use a third party provider, Microsoft, based in the United States, to provide the Forms survey tool. Where personal data is transferred to the United States, a mechanism recognised by UK data protection law is used to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place (standard contractual clauses or international data transfer agreement). More information about Microsoft's privacy policy.

    We will keep your personal data in accordance with the Bank’s Records Classification Scheme.

    Your rights

    You have a number of rights under data protection laws (for example, you have the right to ask us for a copy of the personal data the Bank holds about you. This is known as a ‘Subject Access Request’). You can ask us to change how we process or deal with your personal data, and you may also have the right in some circumstances to have your personal data amended or deleted. To find out more about those rights, to make a complaint, or to contact our Data Protection Officer, please see our website at bankofengland.co.uk/privacy.

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This page was last updated 08 March 2024