CONDITIONS & INFORMATION FOR SCHOOL VISITS
We want you to have a great time on your visit so please take a look at our conditions and information for school visits.
Before you arrive
- It’s a condition of booking that we have the name and mobile number of your Group Leader for contact whilst in the zoo in case of emergencies.
- Please make all the students and supervising adults in your party aware of these conditions.
- Junior Members are admitted to the zoo free of charge providing they bring their membership card with them on the day of the educational visit. Junior Members aren’t included when we calculate how many free adults you’re entitled to (only paying pupils counted).
- Please note that we don’t accept Blue Peter badges for zoo admission.
Arrival
- On arrival at the coach park, in the autumn and spring terms (until 7th May 2018), you should go to our Guest Experience hub at the zoo’s main entrance where your transaction will be carried out
- On arrival at the coach park, in the summer term, you will be welcomed by a member of our Guest Experience Team. In order to assist you entering the zoo in a timely manner, we ask that you remain on the coach so that the team can confirm the numbers in your party and complete the relevant paperwork.
- If you are paying by invoice, we will give each member of your party an entrance sticker to wear. You can then make your way from the coach to the main entrance and walk straight in via our ‘Group Admission’ gates.
- If you have paid in advance, are paying on the day or are on a free school ticket offer, please take your confirmation letter to our Guest Experience building to finalise numbers and payment. The team will then issue you with entrance stickers for your party, and then you will be able to walk straight in via our ‘Group Admission’ gates.
- Our Guest Experience team will provide additional maps if you require them.
- May to July is our busiest time of the year for school parties and you may experience a short delay in gaining entrance to the zoo. It’s a good idea to factor this in if you’ve booked workshops. We’re constantly improving our entrance procedures and apologise in advance for any unforeseen hold-ups.
In the Zoo: Supervision
- We’re happy to admit a quota of adults free of charge to supervise students in the zoo.
- It’s the Group Leader’s responsibility to ensure effective supervision and behaviour of all students at all times whilst in the zoo.
- In Fruit Bat Forest, students are welcomed but must be accompanied and supervised.
- In the Butterfly Journey, students are welcomed but must be accompanied and supervised.
- Students are welcome to use the play areas but must be accompanied and supervised in all these areas.
- We welcome students in our retail outlets but Year 10 students and below must be accompanied.
- Our Retail teams may ask for large parties of students to enter retail outlets in smaller groups.
- We take every measure to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all our visitors. Instances of disruptive behaviour will be immediately reported and our Security team will take appropriate action. In extreme circumstances this can lead to whole school groups being asked to leave the zoo premises. We will also report poor behaviour to head teachers and school governors in writing and we reserve the right to refuse future admission to schools who have behaved in a disruptive manner during a visit, spoiling the enjoyment of our visitors.
In the Zoo: Supervision in Islands
- Children under 1.2 metres tall must be accompanied at a ratio of 1 adult to 2 children. Teachers can make repeat journeys to help them meet this ratio. Please go the Boat Trip exit and talk to the boat team on the day of your visit.
- Students must be accompanied on the Lazy River Boat Trip also. Boats accommodate up to 17 (therefore a maximum of 16 students plus at least one supervising adult).
- Some boats are adapted for wheelchair users. If you have a wheelchair user in your party, boats will accommodate the wheelchair user plus nine other travellers.
- The Lazy River Boat Trip lasts approximately 15 minutes.
- At busy periods, please factor in queuing for the Lazy River Boat Trip when structuring your educational visit.
- Please factor in the time to get across site if you’ve booked in for educational workshops.
General
- All our animals are on carefully prepared and balanced diets. Please advise your students not to attempt to feed any of our animals. If they do so, this may result in your students being asked to leave the site and to our animals becoming ill.
- At quieter times of year, the zoo’s retail and food and beverage outlets may be reduced.
- Ball games are not permitted within the zoo.
- Whilst you’re at the zoo, we may collect information on your reaction to our exhibits. The information obtained by a designated person helps us to make improvements for the benefit of our visitors and our animals. The zoo operates within a strict ethical framework.
We want you to have a great day at Chester Zoo and look forward to seeing you.