FAQs

Please browse our FAQs below:

• Do you accept American Express?

  No, we cannot accept American Express payments at this time. 

• Do you offer discounts for Carers?

  Yes, disabled visitors can bring one Carer, free of charge.

  If you purchase a Membership and require a Carer we can add them to your Membership.

• Can home educators visit as a group?

  Yes, Home Educators qualify for the school rate when coming as a group of registered Home Educators. This group must consist of 10 or more paying visitors. Proof of the education status of the children may be required at the time of booking the visit.
   

• What will happen to the Birds of Prey when the Birds of Prey Experience closes?

  We are happy to announce that new homes have already been found for all of our birds of prey.

• What will be replacing the Birds of Prey experiences?

  We are looking at a number of options to replace the display, including pig washing and pig feeding! Check back for details.

• I have an existing booking. Is this still valid?

  Yes. We will be contacting everyone with a booking to arrange your experiences to take place by July 24th before the closure of the Birds of Prey. Please contact us at [email protected] with any questions.

• Will there be any other animals leaving the Rare Breeds Centre when the Birds of Prey Experience closes?

  No, no other animals are affected.

• Do you have a risk assessment?

  • Yes, we have a general risk assessment and one for educational activities. Both are available to download from the Schools - Health & Safety page.
  • The HSE Code of Practice for Teachers which gives advice on how to avoid ill health on farms is also available to download from the Schools - Health & Safety page.
  • The journey to the Rare Breeds Centre offers the perfect opportunity to remind the children of key health and safety issues.

• Can I make a pre-visit?

  • Yes, we allow 2 adults per school booking to visit our centre for a familiarisation visit. Simply call us on 01233 861493 and tell us the names of the people visiting and the date of the visit.
  • Pre-visits are self-guided.

• Do you have educational activities, or do we just do our own thing?

  • The choice is yours. Schools are welcome to visit the farm and do their own thing but we also offer educational activities.
  • For Nurseries and Pre-Schools we offer an Animal Faces Craft Activity.
  • For School Reception and Key Stage 1 classes we offer Animal Talks, Pond Life (April – September) and Bug Hunting (April – September).
  • The educational activities must be pre-booked, incur an additional charge and availability is limited.
  • These activities have been developed by CEVAS (Countryside Educational Visits Access Scheme) trained staff and all staff are DBS checked.
  • Teachers are responsible for the supervision and good behaviour of their group throughout their visit and for ensuring the correct ratio of adults to children.

• How long do the educational activities last?

  • All activities last 20 minutes but allow 30 minutes per session.
  • Please be on time. If you are late for your session it cannot be extended.

• Do you offer worksheets/educational resources we can use?

  • Yes. Worksheets and trails sheets, which can be used before, during and after your visit are available to download here.
  • Remember to bring clipboards/pencils if you are going to use them.