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INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR FORTHCOMING VISIT
The following information is to prepare you and your helpers for the visit that you have arranged to Cardiff Castle.
Please ensure that all adults leading the groups are aware of the following points:
UPON BOOKING
- You will be sent a confirmation letter stating the time(s) of your workshop(s) and tour(s) if booked as advised upon time of booking. Please bring this with you, with copies for all helpers who should be made aware of its content and the times of all activities before arrival.
BEFORE ARRIVAL
Risk Assessments
- Information to assist with your risk assessment is available in the “Education” section of our website– www.cardiffcastle.com . If you require additional information, please contact Elizabeth Stevens on 029 2087 8110.
Familiarisation Visits
- We welcome teachers to come and look at the facilities to familiarise themselves with the site before their visit and carry out a risk assessment. Please contact the Education Officer on 029 2087 8110 to arrange this.
Group Sizes
- For reasons of conservation, school groups have restricted to a maximum of 35 per tour of the Castle (including teachers/ adult helpers). Please ensure that groups are split up in advance to save time when you arrive.
WHEN YOU ARRIVE
- The main entrance to the Castle is on Castle Street. When there are not any events taking place at the Castle, we also open the North Gate, which leads into Bute Park.
- It is no longer possible for coaches to drop off directly outside the Castle. The nearest coach drop-off points are in the layby on North Road (going North), just beyond the Castle and outside the National Museum of Wales. A map of these and coach parking areas is available upon request and information is on the Visit Cardiff website – www.visitcardiff.com
AFTER ARRIVAL
After arrival, the teacher in charge of the group will need to go to the Ticket Office to confirm numbers and pay or sign the relevant documents for an invoice to be sent. The group will be directed to a safe place to gather and leave bags.
Bag Storage
- For conservation reasons groups are not allowed to carry bags with them whilst on tour. A member of staff will advise where you can leave your bags. This will depend on how many other groups are visiting the on the day of your visit.
- Please ensure that bags are placed as neatly as possible to give room for other groups who may also need to use the same area. Do not place them on chairs or tables.
Timings of Tours and Workshops
- Please be ready for your tour or workshop at least five minutes before the start of any tours or workshops you have booked.
- Groups taking a guided tour are requested to make their way onto the Tours Gallery and along it to the gate at the end, where your guide will meet you.
- Please allow plenty of time before your scheduled activity for children to visit the toilets or gift shop to be ready to start the activity on time. Late arrivals will have shortened tours and sessions and it may not always be possible to accommodate late arrivals.
Toilets
- The largest toilets are the Education Centre toilets which are down the stairs near the Education Centre. These are for sole use by school groups. If you are using these, please ask your pupils to enter the area as quietly as possible as there may be sessions taking place in the Education Centre. We would be grateful if you could ensure that children have turned off taps after use.
- Other toilets are in the Interpretation Centre, the Black Tower (male) and Clock Tower (female).
Lunch
- We do not have a dedicated lunch area but always do our best to find undercover space for school groups to eat their lunch. Please note that in certain circumstances, the children may be asked to sit on the floor to eat their lunch as tables may not be available. You will be advised of your allocated location and time upon arrival. Please ensure you keep to the set times for lunches. Please do not leave bags or coats on benches or tables before or after your lunch slot.
Bins
- Bins are located around the site for your use; however, we would be grateful if pupils could take rubbish home to recycle. If you do require bin bags, please ask a member of staff.
Shop
- Pupils are very welcome to visit the shop but please split classes into small groups and ask the children to have their money ready at the till to avoid delay.
The Café
- Please feel free to use the café – The Keep Terrace – for takeaway teas, coffees and food. Tables both inside and outside the café are reserved for café customers – we regret that they cannot be used by school groups.
Feedback
- We would greatly appreciate your feedback about your visit, which will help us to continually monitor our service. A simple questionnaire for both teachers and pupils is available on our website.
If you would like a copy of this information then a Word document is available for download.
This content is also available in Welsh / Mae’r cynnwys hon hefyd ar gael yn y Gymraeg
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