Some schools take pupils to museums. Others go on educational trips to Roman ruins. For hundreds of pupils this week, however, their end-of-term trip will involve a day at the Latitude music festival.

In what is believed to be the first initiative of its kind, the Suffolk-based arts and music festival has opened its gates - and its stages - to school visits.

Around 350 primary and 50 secondary pupils will attend a range of specially developed activities at Latitude’s schools’ day this Friday. So pupils will be joining Noel Gallagher,  Portishead, Manic Street Preachers and comedians Alan Davies and Sara Pascoe at the four-day festival.

The schools’ programme has been designed to complement the national curriculum. It includes a human forensics element, investigating DNA, footwear marks and fibres. An event called Geology Rocks will examine volcanic activity, and an astronomy lab will allow children to learn about the planets.

For more artistically inclined young people, there will be musical theatre workshops, run by performers from West End shows. A “jam hub” will allow pupils to perform on electric guitars, keyboards, bass and drums, or they can learn how to beatbox from a professional rapper. And for those who prefer their culture to be more traditional, there will be a Shakespeare workshop.

Children’s author Alexander Gordon Smith will also lead a series of sessions, teaching pupils how to develop storylines and characters.

The programme is targeted at children in key stages 2 and 3. It has been awarded a quality badge by the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom, which guarantees that it meets safeguarding standards.

Sharon Reuben, kids, teen and family programmer for the festival, said: “I want students to explore everything around them, and leave us feeling inspired by science, literature, music, art and the joy of new experiences.”

The pupils have been offered heavily discounted £11 tickets, with accompanying teachers allowed in for free.