Opening Times

April-October 10.00 - 17.00 daily
November - March 9.30-16.00 Friday & Saturdays, 11.00-16.00 Sundays

What makes this a great venue for School group Fun or Educational Visits?

Blaenavon Ironworks has substantial remains of five early blast furnaces and associated workers' housing, dating from the late eighteenth century onwards. Two of the Engine Row cottages are furnished, and other cottages in the row contain an exhibition and models of the site and surrounding landscape, and a re-created 'company shop'. A leaflet with information on the cottages and photographs can be downloaded here:

http://www.cadw.wales.gov.uk/upload/resourcepool/Blaenavon%20ENG5275.pdf

Two cottages in Stack Square are furnsihed as typical second world war homes.

What are the Curriculum Topics or Benefit to the students from a visit?

Seeing the scale of the Ironworks, and the housing the workers lived in, brings home to young people the hardship of life in the 18th & 19th centuries. This site was one of the places where the industrial revolution began, and where workers from all over Britain came to work. The iron they produced was exported all over the world, and the Bessemer process, which made the production of stronger and purer cast iron possible, was invented here.

What are the activities?

The site also has a 'Discovery Room' equipped with 5 discovery stations intended for use at Key Stage 2 to learn more about what life was like for the rich and poor at blaenavon ironworks, by looking at food, clothing, pastimes and small objects. There are also 30 neoprene cubes which can be assembled into 2 separate sets of 6 pictures, for teachers to use to compare and contrast images relating to the site, to be used as puzzles, or seating while lunch is being eaten.

What is the age range of the activities?

The Discovery stations were designed for use by Key Stage 2 groups, but Key Stage 3 groups would also learn from the resource, and carefully managed Foundation Stage children would gain a great deal from looking at, handling, and discussing the various artefacts.

What materials to you provide or suggest groups bring to support the visit?

Flat sturdy shoes - the site has some steep areas and narrow staircases. Waterproof outer wear - Blaenavon is on the windward side of the hills, and is often rainy!

What are the minimum and maximum group sizes and the free Teacher Ratio?

There is no charge for educationakl visits, which must be pre-booked. Maximum group size is 60. Pupils must be supervised for the whole visit, at the following teacher to pupil ratios: 1:2 for under 5s; 1:6 for 5-7 years; 1:10 for 8-16 years, and 1:15 for 16+

Do you have or how do you arrange risk assessment?

Risk assessments must be written by group leaders, as risks will vary according to activities undertaken on site and make up of group. Free teacher pre-visits are offered to support teachers in planning visits and writing risk assessments.

What facilities are there for school groups for food and drink, shop etc?

There are toilets on site, and a small shop.

Is specific clothing required?

Waterproof outer wear and strudy shoes are recommended.

Do you have first aid on site?

All Cadw site staff are first aid trained, but we require each group to bring at least one first aider, as in the event of an incident, the group may be some distance from the visitor centre.

Are there any restrictions on photos, copyright etc?

Permission must be sought for commercial use of photographs, personal and educational use is acceptable.

Additional information.

Why not make a visit to Blaenavion Ironworks a whole day visit by also visiting Blaenavon World Heritage Centre?

http://www.world-heritage-blaenavon.org.uk/en/Homepage.aspx

where you can research some of the characters that lived and worked in the Ironworks, and learn about other aspects of 18th & 19th century life in Blaenavon.