Christ Church College for Guides

Before the trip

Ensure you have the group register and emergency contact numbers for all leaders and students
Make sure students have plenty of water. Encourage them to refill bottles with tap water where possible. In their own country they might think tap water is toxic! Educate them.
Make sure you have the tickets you need to enter with your group
Wear the official group T-shirt or hoodie for easy identification
Charge your phone fully and bring a power bank
Review the risk assessment for the day’s route and activities
Remind students to bring a raincoat or umbrella in case of light rain
Take group photos at key locations and share them with the programme WhatsApp group

Downloads

▶️ Risk Assessment for this trip

▶️ More Information about this trip

▶️ Registers for this trip
▶️ Tickets for this trip

▶️ What to do in an emergency?

Where History Meets Hogwarts

Christ Church is one of Oxford's most famous and historic colleges, founded by King Henry VIII in 1546. Unusually, it is both a university college and a cathedral, and it has been a centre of learning for nearly five hundred years.

The college's grand quads, tall stone buildings, and historic spaces give a real sense of what university life looked like centuries ago. But Christ Church is no museum: students still live, study, and eat here every day.

The highlight of any visit is the Great Hall, a magnificent 16th-century dining room still in use today. With its long wooden tables, high ceilings, and portraits of famous former students, it's easy to see why it inspired the Hogwarts dining hall in the Harry Potter films.

Christ Church also has a literary connection: Lewis Carroll, author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, was both a student and teacher here, and the story was inspired by people and places linked to the college.

A visit to Christ Church brings together history, literature, and modern student life all in one place.

The Timetable for the Trip

Start: – Depart School: Meet your teachers and Activity Leaders at the front of the school. Travel together by public transport to Oxford city centre.

00:30 – Arrival in Oxford City Centre. Arrive in Oxford and walk as a group towards Christ Church College.

00:40 – Arrival at Christ Church College: Ticket check, Group organisation, Short introduction outside the College

00:45 – Enter Christ Church College: Students enter the College with their Activity Leaders and teachers.

00:45–02:15 – Visit Inside Christ Church College. The visit includes several stops inside the College, such as the main courtyard (quad), the Great Hall (Dining Hall), a quiet or special space (for example, the Cathedral area). Students stay with their group at all times and follow Activity Leader instructions.

02:15 – Exit Christ Church College: Leave the College together as a group.

02:20 – Return Journey Begins: Walk back towards Oxford city centre and return by public transport

1. Tom Quad (Main Courtyard)

Tom Quad is the largest courtyard in Christ Church College and one of the biggest in the University of Oxford. It has been the centre of college life for hundreds of years. Students have walked, studied, and met here since the 16th century. Look at the tall stone buildings around you and notice how old they are. Imagine what daily life was like for students in the past, without modern technology. Today, Tom Quad is still an important space where students and visitors pass through, showing how Christ Church connects history with modern university life.

2. The Great Hall (Dining Hall)

The Great Hall is the most famous and impressive room in Christ Church College. It was built in the 16th century and is still used today as a dining hall for students. The long wooden tables, high ceiling, and portraits of important people make this room feel grand and historic. This hall helped inspire the Hogwarts dining hall in the Harry Potter films. Film-makers liked the traditional look because it feels magical and timeless. While standing here, imagine students eating together hundreds of years ago, just as they still do today.

3. Harry Potter & Film Connections

Christ Church College is closely connected to the Harry Potter films because several parts of the College helped inspire the look of Hogwarts. The most famous space is the Great Hall, whose long tables, high ceiling, and portraits influenced the design of the Hogwarts dining hall. The stone staircases and historic corridors were also used as inspiration for Hogwarts interiors. Film-makers chose Christ Church because it already looked old, dramatic, and magical, with very little need for special effects. Visiting these places helps students see how real historic buildings can become part of famous film worlds.

4. Christ Church Cathedral

Christ Church Cathedral is special because it is both a cathedral and part of a university college, which is very unusual. Parts of the building are over 900 years old, making it one of the oldest places you will see today. The Cathedral is still used for religious services, music, and important events. When you enter, the atmosphere is quieter and more serious than other parts of the College. This space reminds visitors that Christ Church is not only a tourist attraction, but also a living place of worship and tradition.

5. Meadow View & Daily Life at Christ Church

From some parts of Christ Church College, you can see Christ Church Meadow, a large green space next to the river. This area shows how students balance academic life with time outdoors. For hundreds of years, students have walked, relaxed, and thought here. The Meadow helps explain why Oxford is a popular place to study — it combines learning, nature, and history in one setting. Christ Church is not just a historic building or a film location; it is a place where real students live, study, and enjoy daily life.

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