Opening Times

For school trips - every day during term time. Visit www.wealddown.co.uk for opening times throughout the year.

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

The Museum is set in 50 acres of the South Downs National Park with a fascinating collection of nearly 50 original historic buildings dating from the 13th to the 19th century, many with period gardens, together with farm animals, woodland walks and picturesque lake. Children will be inspired to question and explore ideas, both amongst themselves and with the relevant adults. By working in small groups and moving around the site, children can develop their ideas and thoughts throughout their visit and follow them up back in their own classroom.

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

Our ‘Open Air Classroom’, set in a stunning location where a wealth of resources exists to intrigue today's children in today's subjects, welcomes well over 20,000 school children each year. Children partake in unique cross-curricular visits that involve hands on, skills based learning in a safe and inspirational environment. The Museum’s Schools Service has recently been award the LOtC Quality Badge.

What are the activities?

The Museum’s Schools Service offers hands-on Museum led workshops including a building construction workshop that requires children to construct a timber framed model or teacher led visits that can be supported by material found on the Schools Services website, web material includes Museum maths trials. Each learning resource has been specifically designed to meet the needs of the National Curriculum.

What is the age range of the activities?

5yrs – college age.

Sample programme of the activities:

Visit www.openairclassroom.org.uk for a programme of activities.

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

We strongly advise that each teacher visits our Schools Services website www.opeairclassroom.org.uk, before the actual visit date, to gather pre and post visit resources. Once a booking is confirmed we send out booking confirmation packs. These packs include site maps, health & safety information, free pre visit passes and, if appropriate, information on workshops booked.

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

The ratio of adults to children is 1:8. 1 adult to every 8 children is admitted free, any additional adults are charged.

Do you have or how do you arrange risk assessment?

Museum led workshops are risk assessed by the Museum’s Schools Services Manager. These risk assessment can be downloaded from our website and are sent out in booking confirmation packs. All teachers are asked to carry out a free pre visit in order to conduct their own risk assessment of the Museum site. Teachers are more than welcome to meet with a member of the Schools Services team during a pre visit. Teachers should use the Museum’s health & safety document; found within their confirmation packs, to help them write their own risk assessment.

Do you offer Teacher familiarisation days?

Yes, we offer free pre visits - free passes are included in booking confirmation packs or simply ring the Schools Services team and we’d be delighted to send some free passes in the post 01243 811459.

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

Picnics can be eaten anywhere outside on the site. If the weather is bad, the Schools Services Manager will endeavour to arrange for you to eat under cover, and provide you with bag and coat storage. The Museum does have a Café if you anticipate using this facility please call in advance to check its opening times.
There are plenty of small items suitable for school children to purchase in the Museum shop, a minimum of £3.00 per child is recommended for children to spend.

Is specific clothing required?

Please make sure the children in your care are suitably dressed for an outdoor site, with uneven surfaces. It is particularly important in winter months or wet weather that they should be warmly clothed, that they bring waterproofs, and that they wear sturdy shoes.

Do you have first aid on site?

A First Aider will always be available on site and some buildings have first aid boxes. Please call in advance to find out where these boxes are located 01243 811459.

Are there any restrictions on photos, copyright etc?

Please call 01243 811363 for further information.