Terms and Conditions: Educational Visits

We look forward to welcoming your educational group to Noah's Ark Zoo Farm. To help ensure a safe, enjoyable and well-organised visit for everyone, please read the following Terms and Conditions before making your booking.

1. Bookings

• All educational visits must be booked in advance to qualify for the educational admission rate.
• Bookings remain provisional until you receive a written confirmation email from the Noah's Ark Zoo Farm Education Team.
• Once a booking confirmation has been issued, your booking constitutes a confirmed reservation and these Terms and Conditions apply.
• We recommend booking workshops and educational sessions as early as possible, as availability is limited.
• Students with additional needs: Please let us know at the time of booking if any students have additional needs. Prior to your visit, we will discuss any requirements with you to help ensure the best possible experience for your group.

2. Group Size and Supervision

• The group leader and supervising adults are responsible for the behaviour, safety and welfare of students throughout the visit.
• Early years providers must maintain the supervision ratios set out in their own educational visits policy.
• Primary school groups must maintain a minimum supervision ratio of one adult to every six students.

Supervision Guidelines for Secondary Schools

• Maintain a minimum supervision ratio of one adult to every ten students.
• Students should explore the site in smaller groups to support effective supervision and engagement.
• Teachers do not need to accompany each smaller group at all times but must remain available and positioned appropriately around the site to maintain effective supervision.
• Please designate a central meeting point where a member of staff remains available throughout the visit. This will:
• Provide a place for students to report issues or seek assistance.
• Act as the main point of contact for Noah's Ark Zoo Farm staff if required.

3. Workshops

• Workshops must be booked and confirmed in advance and are subject to availability.
• Students with additional needs: Please let us know of any additional requirements when booking your workshop so that we can provide the best possible experience.
• Please arrive at your workshop location at least five minutes before the scheduled start time.
• Late arrival may result in a shortened session or, where scheduling does not allow, the session being cancelled.
• Groups arriving significantly later than their booked arrival time may be unable to receive all booked activities or may experience changes to their planned itinerary.

4. Payment Terms

• Unless otherwise agreed in writing, payment is not required before your visit.
• Payment may be made by cash, card, cheque or invoice.
• Where payment is made by invoice:
• An invoice will be issued after your visit based on the final visitor numbers confirmed by the group leader at the Ticket Office on arrival.
• Payment is due within 28 days of the invoice date unless alternative arrangements have been agreed in advance.
• The group leader is responsible for confirming final attendance numbers and any additional extras at the Ticket Office upon arrival. Once confirmed, these numbers will normally form the basis of the invoice and cannot be amended except in exceptional circumstances agreed by Noah's Ark Zoo Farm.

5. Cancellations and Amendments

• If you need to cancel or amend your booking, please notify the Education Team in writing by emailing [email protected].
• We ask that cancellations or significant amendments are made at least 14 days before your scheduled visit. This enables us to manage staffing levels, educational resources and visitor capacity effectively.
• Visitor numbers may continue to be amended up until arrival at the Ticket Office on the day of your visit.
• A significant amendment includes the cancellation of pre-booked activities within 14 days of the visit. The full cost of any pre-booked workshops cancelled within 14 days of the visit, or not attended on the day, will remain payable.

·        Groups that cancel with less than 14 days’ written notice or fail to attend on their booked date without providing prior written notice, will be charged 50% of the total cost of the booked trip.

• We recognise that exceptional circumstances beyond a school's reasonable control may occasionally arise, such as official government-issued weather warnings, emergency school closures or significant transport disruption. In such circumstances, Noah's Ark Zoo Farm may, at its sole discretion, agree to transfer the booking to an alternative date instead of applying cancellation charges. Any rearranged visit must normally take place within the same academic year (September to July) and is subject to availability.

6. Familiarisation Visits

• Group leaders may arrange one complimentary familiarisation visit for up to two members of staff.
• Any additional visitors will be required to purchase standard admission tickets.
• Familiarisation visits must be booked in advance with the Education Team.

7. Responsibilities of School Group Leaders

The group leader is responsible for:

• Obtaining any necessary parental or organisational consent for the visit.
• Managing the behaviour, welfare and supervision of the group throughout the visit.
• Completing an appropriate risk assessment before the visit.
• Ensuring suitable supervision ratios are maintained at all times.
• Informing Noah's Ark Zoo Farm of any relevant medical, behavioural or accessibility requirements that may affect the visit.

8. Site Rules and Health & Safety

• All visiting groups must comply with zoo signage and follow any instructions given by Noah's Ark Zoo Farm staff.
• Climbing over barriers, entering restricted areas or feeding animals outside authorised sessions is strictly prohibited. Some animals may be fed only using food purchased from Noah's Ark Zoo Farm.
• Noah's Ark Zoo Farm reserves the right to refuse admission or require any individual or group to leave the site where their behaviour is considered to pose a risk to the safety, welfare or enjoyment of visitors, staff or animals.
• In the event of an emergency or evacuation, all visitors must follow the instructions of zoo staff.
• If using designated lunch areas, groups are responsible for leaving these areas clean and disposing of all rubbish appropriately.

9. Changes or Cancellation by Noah's Ark Zoo Farm

Whilst every effort will be made to deliver all booked educational visits as planned, Noah's Ark Zoo Farm reserves the right to amend, postpone or cancel a visit where this is necessary due to animal welfare requirements, operational reasons, severe weather, health and safety concerns or circumstances beyond our reasonable control.

Where reasonably possible, we will offer an alternative date for your visit or refund any payments already received. Noah's Ark Zoo Farm shall not be liable for any indirect or consequential losses, including transport or other third-party costs incurred by the visiting group.

10. Liability

• Visitors bring personal belongings onto the site at their own risk. Noah's Ark Zoo Farm accepts no responsibility for the loss of or damage to personal property unless caused by our negligence.
• Nothing in these Terms and Conditions affects any rights that cannot be excluded by law.

If you have any questions or require further information, please contact the Education Team.

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: 01275 852606