NATIONAL COAL MINING MUSEUM
for England
Practical Information for organising a visit We want you to have an enjoyable and memorable visit and have prepared this information to help you organise your pupils and group leaders. It is really important that all adults responsible for groups on site have read this information prior to your visit. Supervision Pupils should be accompanied by an adult at all times and remain the responsibility of their group leader. Around the Museum site, we recommend the supervision ratio of one adult to every ten children. Supervision on the underground tour The cage has the capacity to take twenty people underground at any one time. School groups have underground tours in groups of nineteen, which must include two adult supervisors. It is essential that two adults are available in the event that a pupil decides not to go underground at short notice. Tours will not take place without suitable adult supervision. Underground tour Duration Whilst an hour is spent underground, groups will require 1 hour 20 minutes in order to allow time to collect and deposit hard hats and cap lamps. Parties descend at 15-minute intervals. Please arrive on time for your underground tour. If a group arrives more than 15 minutes late, they may lose their slot and be allocated a tour at a different time during the day.
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Conditions The temperature underground is approximately 12째C all year round. Warm clothing and sensible footwear are essential. Contraband It is not safe to take cigarettes, matches or battery-operated items underground. We advise that you leave these contraband items on your coach or in one of our lockable storage cupboards, or they will be retained in a locked drawer for safekeeping in the lamp room whilst you are underground. Hope Pit site The Hope Pit site is approximately 5-10 minutes walk from Reception. To reach the site, follow the pedestrian lines next to the train tracks. Please be aware of traffic and always walk within the pedestrian lines. Risk assessment advice We cannot write risk assessments for you, but are happy for you to use our risk assessment advice document to help you with your paperwork. This can be downloaded from our website: www.ncm.org.uk/learning
Insurance The Museum has in place and maintains insurance cover in respect of public and product liability. Fire/emergency evacuation On arrival at the Museum, please familiarise yourself with the nearest fire escapes and fire-assembly points. The assembly points are signposted on the site map. Reception staff will also be able to help you with this. In the event of an emergency evacuation, please make your way to the nearest fire-assembly point and await instructions from a member of the Museum staff. Take a register of your group members and inform the fire brigade/member of staff if there is anyone missing. Accidents and first aid All accidents should be reported to Reception, where appropriate action can be taken. There are trained first aiders on site and a dedicated first aid room.
Indoors, Outdoors, Explore!
SEN pupils Every effort will be made to include students with special educational or medical needs. Any special requirements should be taken into account at the planning stage and highlighted on your booking form. All areas of the visitor centre are accessible to visitors in wheelchairs, including the library, galleries, shop, cafeteria and toilets.The majority of the surface is accessible. A shorter underground tour is provided for wheelchair users or those with Dress The extensive Museum site is a varied mobility disabilities. For safety reasons the number of wheelchair users environment and conditions may underground at one time is limited sometimes be muddy. Please dress appropriately for an outdoor industrial to two. In exceptional circumstances the Museum reserves the right site with uneven surfaces.Trainers to refuse admission underground. with flashing lights must not be worn Decisions will be made based underground for safety reasons. on public safety. Vehicles Lunch facilities There are times when there can A picnic area is available for packed be moving vehicles and contractors lunches, weather permitting.There is on site. Please use pedestrian also a shared space where pupils can crossings on site and warn your eat their lunch, which will be allocated pupils to exercise the same care to you on arrival. We ask you leave as if in a public area. these areas clean and tidy after use. Ponies Please note that animals can be unpredictable. We request that the ponies are not petted or fed.
Code of conduct Please read and disseminate our code of conduct, which outlines our expectations of group leaders and the behaviour of their students. Please note that when underground, the guide reserves the right to return to the surface with a group if there are signs of dangerous behaviour. Our code of conduct can be downloaded from our website: www.ncm.org.uk/learning
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Coat and bag storage Lockable cupboards are available for coats and bags in the shared lunch area. However, space is limited, so if possible please leave belongings on the coach. Please be aware that the Museum cannot take any responsibility for items left in the cupboards. Museum shop The Museum shop stocks resources for teachers and items suitable for children. Goody bags are available on request. Supervised groups of up to ten pupils can visit the shop at any one time. Cancellation of bookings Please inform the Museum if you wish to cancel your visit. If a workshop is cancelled with less than five days’ notice, the full amount will be payable. This is to cover staff costs and does not apply to self-guided activities.