Essential Information

All school or group visits (including self-led visits) must be booked in advance. Please use our online workshop enquiry form or contact the learning team at South Shields Museum to do this. Telephone 0191 2115599 or email E-mail: stlearning@twmuseums.org.uk

(Please note that the office at Arbeia is not always staffed and our staff team are often busy teaching).

When you enquire about a visit please have the following information to hand:

• Name, address and postcode of school
• Contact name
• Telephone number
• Email address
• LEA
• Number of pupils & year group
• Preferred dates
• Packed lunch requirements
• Access requirements

Entry to all our venues is free. However, charges apply on all our facilitated workshops in venue and those taking place in school. Charges will be clearly communicated to you by the learning team when you make your enquiry.

Bespoke workshops can be delivered in school. Please contact the learning team directly with your request to discuss details.

Self-led visits are free and resources to use when visiting the venue are available to download for free from

Self-led tour resources | Arbeia, South Shields Roman Fort (arbeiaromanfort.org.uk)

Payment:

All facilitated workshops must be paid for in advance of the booked workshop taking place. Once you have provisionally arranged your visit with the learning team, you will be sent a ‘Facilitated Workshop/Visit Confirmation Form ‘to complete and return.

Payment can be made in two ways:

Invoice – Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums will invoice your school for workshop you have booked. If you wish to use this method of payment please email the completed ‘Facilitated Workshop/Visit Confirmation Form’ with the following information:

• School name
• Full address including postcode
• Point of contact (this is usually your school business manager or member of the administration team)

Newcastle City Council Journal request - If you qualify for this method of payment please email the completed ‘Facilitated Workshop/Visit Confirmation Form’ with the following information:

• School name
• Point of contact (this is usually your school business manager or member of administrator team)
• Cost Code and Sub Code

A member of the venue learning team will contact you as soon as possible to discuss the details and options available; we aim to reply within 3 working days, either by email or phone.

Confirmation - Once you have provisionally arranged your visit with the learning team, you will receive a ‘booking’ email. Check all the details on this thoroughly and read the attached Terms and Conditions. If all the information is correct and you want to confirm the booking send back the ‘Facilitated Workshop/Visit Confirmation Form’ within five working days as confirmation.

Failure to confirm your booking within five working days could mean your booking will be cancelled and the slot given to another group.

If you need to amend any details please contact the learning team as soon as possible

If you have to cancel a booking please contact the venue immediately to arrange an alternative date.

If Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums have to cancel and no agreeable alternative or re-scheduling is possible then a refund will be offered.

If the school has to cancel the session then we will endeavour to re-arrange or find an alternative where possible. Refunds will not be offered in this instance.

Pre-booked workshops vary in length from 30 minutes to all day, the duration of each workshop is stated on all material related to the workshop and will be agreed when you when you book your visit. Many schools take advantage of our packed lunch spaces and spend a full day at the venue combining a workshop with a free self led visit.

Yes! We highly recommend you make a preliminary visit to help you get the most out of your trip, especially if you are on a self-led visit. The Learning Team is happy to discuss your visit with you, ensuring you and your pupils get the most from it. Please contact us directly for more information on the resources available or to arrange a meeting to discuss your requirements.

We hope that group visits to the museum will be educational, exciting and enjoyable. The health and safety guidance notes below are designed to help you plan and manage visits as safely as possible.

Planning and Managing Group Visits to Museums

Risk assessment is the responsibility of the group leader which means we are unable to provide this for you. However, we have Hazard IDs, which, along with your preliminary visit, will help you write your risk assessment. For further help please contact the venue Learning Team directly on 0191 2115599 or Email: stlearning@twmuseums.org.uk

Members of staff are always onsite to ensure, as far as possible, the safety of visitors. However, ultimately your pupils are your responsibility; never leave them unsupervised.

Please ensure that your pupils are suitably dressed and are wearing appropriate footwear for the weather and the activities they are participating in.

There is no restriction on the number of adults you can bring on a visit; however we expect all visiting groups to follow current guidelines appropriate for the age and needs of their individual group. It is your responsibility to ensure your pupils safety and responsible conduct whilst visiting the venue. We suggest you prepare your pupils and adult helpers for the visit, ensuring a valuable and enjoyable experience for all.

Certain workshops will have different ratio recommendations, please ask the venue Learning Team for specific information when booking.

Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums actively try to make our venues as safe as possible and any specific hazards will be identified in the Hazard ID documents. However, our venues (especially outdoor sites such as Arbeia Roman Fort) can still be hazardous. Members of staff are always onsite to ensure, as far as possible the safety of visitors. However, ultimately your pupils are your responsibility, never leave them unsupervised. Please ensure that your pupils are suitably dressed and are wearing appropriate footwear for the weather and activities they are participating in.

Please make your arrival known to a member of staff at reception. They will ask you to sign in your group with the exact numbers with you on the day (of staff and adults as well as pupils) and either take you to your base for the day, or let your facilitator know you ready.

Lunch spaces are available but limited and due to high demand all visiting groups must book a lunch space when making their booking. Confirmation of your lunch space booking will be sent to you on your booking information.

Outdoor picnic areas are also available during the summer months.

There is a small shop on site. Please let us know if you intend on visiting the shop, we ask that a maximum of 10 children with a supervising adult, visit at any one time to help ensure a quick and efficient experience.

Arbeia has accessible male and female toilets, but only one of each so please be aware of this when managing breaks for your pupils.

Hazard IDs

Learning Resources

To ensure you are up to date with the latest opportunities from TWAM make sure you sign up to our e-flyer on the homepage of Schools Online.

TWAM also regularly hosts free twilight teacher CPD sessions both in school and in venue. These sessions include CPD sessions which are subject specific and linked to specific exhibitions.