FAQs

What is free and what do I have to pay for?

Everything is free of charge to school groups except Discovery Visits (great value site-based and hands-on activities at just £75 per group). The free site entry scheme includes entry to the site for all children and accompanying adults plus many useful resources (see below) that can either be downloaded from the website or sent by post once you have made your booking. It also includes the use of any site-based resources, such an education room, costume boxes, discovery boxes, art boxes, etc., which you can reserve when booking. (Please ask about availability when booking). All you need to pay for is the transport to get you to and from the site.

Is there any group membership fee to pay?

No. Our free entry scheme is probably unique in that it is genuinely free – there are no hidden costs like the membership fees often required by other organisations.

If my group is not a school is it eligible for free entry and Discovery Visits?

Home educator groups, adult learning groups, scouts, guides and many more are all eligible to use our sites. Simply give details of your group on the booking form.

How many adults do I need to accompany my group?

The ratio is 1:6 for years up to year 3 (8 years and under) and 1:15 for all other groups.

How many children can we bring at the same time?

There are some limits at sites for health and safety reasons – please contact the regional office if you are in doubt.

Where can I get further information and/or resources?

We can provide you with some information about the site beforehand and you can also download Teacher’s kits, hazard information sheets and other useful information from our website.

Visit www.heritageexplorer.org.uk for KS 1-4 digital classroom materials (including superb, copyright-free images) on which you can base lessons on the historic built environment before and after your trip to the site. Choose from -

• Images supported by ideas, work-sheets and whiteboard downloads
• Images grouped into curriculum-based topics

How can I book free entry to or a Discovery Visit at an English Heritage site?

Book free entry online - www.english-heritage.org.uk/onlinebooking and if you would also like to book a Discovery Visit, indicate this in the special requests box. Alternatively, you can book by phoning the education team in the relevant regional office or sending us a free site entry form by fax or by post.

When should I book?

A minimum of two weeks in advance of your chosen date - the sooner the better to ensure the greatest flexibility with dates and times . T here is no limit to how far ahead you can make a booking; most are made between one and six months before the date of the trip.

How do I pay for my Discovery Visit?

Your school will be invoiced directly for the cost of the Discovery Visit. There is no need to bring cash or cheques to the site to pay for it.

My group has specific requirements – can these be met?

We are very flexible! Let us know of any specific needs or ways that we could make your visit more effective when booking and we’ll do our best to accommodate you.

How can I make my trip cross-curricular?

Contact your regional education team for advice on the many exciting possibilities and challenges available for cross-curricular work.

Can I see the site before visiting it with the group?

Yes, we strongly advise you to do so as it will help you make the most of your visit, especially if you have not seen the site before. Nothing can beat first-hand knowledge of the site. You will be able to look at any resources in situ, plan activities more effectively and sort out practicalities like the location of toilets and where the coach will be able to drop you off. Staff on the site will be happy to answer any questions you may have and a pre-visit will also help to ease the burden of writing your risk assessment easier (see below).

How do I get in free of charge?

Simply show your visit permit to staff and you will be given free entry to explore every nook and cranny of the site.

How else can I use the visit permit?

Show your permit for a 20% discount on the site guidebook.

What if I need to cancel my trip?

If you need to cancel your visit to a site for any reason other than bad weather, please let us know as soon as possible. If you cancel your Discovery Visit more than two weeks or ten working days before the date booked no charge will be made. If cancelled less than two weeks before the intended visit we may still have to charge you for it as we will be unlikely to be able to re-book your slot at such late notice.

What if I need to make a change to my booking?

Please call the regional office and we will do our best to accommodate you.

What happens if the weather is foul just before or on the day of the visit?

Visits can go ahead in light rain as cover is available at many of our sites. If we have to cancel a Discovery Visit due to extreme weather conditions you will not be charged and we will do our best to re-arrange it. Very occasionally a site will have to be closed due to heavy rain or high winds. If this happens we will try to contact you as soon as possible. If you are concerned that a site may be closed, you can call the site direct to check.

Is a risk assessment available?

We can supply a risk assessment of Discovery Visit activities, but not of the site and trip as a whole as risk assessments for these are your responsibility. Download site hazard information sheets to make this task as easy as possible.

What shoes and clothing should I tell the children to bring?

Visits are likely to involve a fair amount of walking on uneven ground. Stout walking shoes are recommended in all seasons. Some sites are in fairly exposed areas and may have limited cover so warm, waterproof clothing is also recommended. In hot weather sun cream, sunhats and bottles of water are useful.

Can children visit the shop?

Children are very welcome in our shops but we ask that you hep staff by supervising them. They can choose from a great range of items – from 50p rubbers to more expensive items such as chain mail – all providing excellent souvenirs of the visit. Goody bags containing items up to pre-agreed values may be made up in advance at some sites. For further information about a site’s shop (and, for instance, the cost of goods for sale in it) please talk to site staff when you make your pre-visit.

Can we visit on an event day?

Sorry no - we cannot offer free entry to educational groups on special event days.

Can we visit more than one site?

Yes. There is no limit to the number of free entry or Discovery Visits you may make.

Can we have an audio tour?

Audio tours are not available as explained in the booking form.

Can we bring our guide in with us?

Free entry visits must be led by the class teacher, not by a third party.

What happens if we are going to be late for our visit?

If you are going to be late for any reason – break-down, traffic etc – don’t panic! Please call the site (the number is on your permit and site information sheet) or call the regional office and we’ll do our best to make sure you still get the most out of your day, however, at some busy sites where you have booked a specific slot it may be difficult to accommodate you if you are very late

Some students in my group can become bored or boisterous. Could this be a problem?

Probably not. Responses like one student’s “the best day out I’ve ever had” and another’s “History is OK” prove that even those who find subjects ”difficult” or “boring” can enjoy and benefit from site visits. Children have been so absorbed that at lunch time they’ve asked if it is time for the mid-morning snack!

Is it worth staying all day at one site?

Yes, in sites where there is plenty of space and adequate facilities children often enjoy using the skills and ideas gained in morning Discovery Visits to great effect in afternoon tasks prepared by the school. Please contact the appropriate regional office to check on the site facilities.

Where can I find out about residential centres for my group if I’m thinking about traveling quite a distance?

Some residential or field centres are conveniently located near prime sites such as Hadrian’s Wall . Although we are unable to endorse individual centres, for lists of field study centres throughout the country ask the appropriate LEA or visit http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/GrowingSchools/region