School visits to Blakesley Hal
Plan your school visitTo make the most of your visit, we have provided comprehensive information for teachers bringing pupils to Blakesley Hall.
This page contains the following information, click to jump to that section:
Please ensure that all accompanying adults have read this information carefully before visiting.
About your visit
About Blakesley Hall
Blakesley Hall was built in 1590 for Richard Smalbroke, Birmingham merchant and gentleman farmer. The Hall is a striking timber-framed building, with a 17th century brick kitchen extension. The house is furnished using a 17th century inventory and reflects the lifestyle of a wealthy family of the late Tudor and Stuart period of English history. Blakesley Hall is set within its own grounds which feature a fragrant herb garden, fruiting trees, a vegetable patch and a wildflower meadow.
About our taught session
Our taught session takes place within the historic environment of Blakesley Hall and is interactive and hands-on. The session includes active learning opportunities which are designed to appeal to all learning abilities and styles to enable pupils to investigate the home life, clothes, toys, and leisure time of the families who lived at Blakesley Hall in the past.
Our session is developed with the National Curriculum in mind. Students will develop speaking and listening skills through questions and answers, discussions and will exploring a range of evidence and gain valuable knowledge for subjects such as History and Literacy.
Your students will also be able explore Blakesley Hall, a picture-perfect timber-framed Tudor house which is situated just a few miles from the centre of Birmingham.
Address
Blakesley Road
Yardley
Birmingham
B25 8RN
How to contact us
All visits require advanced booking - this includes teacher previews and taught sessions.
For enquiries or to make a booking, please contact our Bookings Team in the first instance on 0121 348 8001 (Monday - Friday, 9.30am - 4.30pm) or book via our online form.
Self-Guided Visits
Self-guided visits are not available at Blakesley Hall. School groups see the site as part of each taught session.
Terms and conditions
Bookings
- Bookings must be made at least 14 days before the date of your visit.
- We are unable to take provisional bookings.
- If you contact us with a possible date, we can discuss availability and take your details, but please note that your booking is not confirmed until you have received written confirmation from Birmingham Museums Trust.
- Groups arriving at the museum without a confirmed booking may be refused entry.
Invoicing
- The invoice for your confirmed booking will be issued 14 days before the date of your visit.
- Payment is required within 30 days of the receipt of your invoice.
- Once invoices have been paid, they are non-refundable.
Change in numbers
- Please notify us of any changes to your group numbers as soon as possible.
- Please note that no significant changes can be made to your group numbers or invoice within 14 days of the date of your visit.
- If there are exceptional circumstances (e.g. new children joining your school within the 14 day window) please get in touch and we will assess whether we are able to accommodate changes on a case-by-case basis.
Cancellations
- Your booking has a cancellation period of 30 days in advance of the date of your booking. If you cancel outside of this period, you will not be charged.
- If you cancel your booking within 30 days of the date of your visit, you will be charged the full cost of the booked visit.
- If your group does not arrive on the day of your booked visit and you have not contacted us at least 30 days in advance to reschedule, you may be charged the full cost of the booked visit.
Schedule amendments
- Birmingham Museums Trust reserves the right to cancel or alter the schedule of a booking due to unforeseen circumstances.
- If we are unable to deliver your workshop or show due to unforeseen circumstances, we will notify you as soon as possible and amend your itinerary accordingly. You will be refunded for these sessions.
- You will be advised in writing as early as possible; you may request a refund or reschedule your booking. Birmingham Museums Trust does not accept liability for any additional costs incurred.
Before your visit
Pre-visit information
- If it is your first time visiting the museum, we strongly recommend that a member of your teaching staff carries out a pre-visit.
- Pre-visits must be booked in advance by contacting the bookings team.
- Proof of teacher status (School ID badge) must be shown at the ticket desk on entry.
- Pre-visits are available during public opening hours (please see the website for the museum you will be visiting for details).
Risk assessments
- The risk assessment does not cover any time spent away from the site. We strongly suggest you visit us beforehand.
- Download the school risk assessment in the 'Downloads' section below.
Clothing
- All visitors must wear appropriate footwear when visiting. The house has historic floors with an uneven tread. It is advisable that flat footwear be worn.
- Blakesley Hall becomes very cold between October and March and all visitors are advised to dress warmly in the winter months. Coats will need to be worn in the house.
Shop
- There is a museum shop which is very well stocked with a good range of pocket money priced items.
- If your group would like to visit the shop, this must be booked in advance and added to your itinerary. Alternatively, goody bags are available to pre-order.
Sensory Bag
- School Trips can be overwhelming. Our sensory bags are a great resource to support the experience of neurodivergent students with sensory needs.
- The bags contains a range of resources such as fidget toys, a magnifying glass, ear defenders and interactive picture books to help keep pupils engaged and calm during their visit. See photos below.
- Please ask your Learning Officer at the beginning of your trip if you would like a sensory bag for one of your pupils.
Image gallery
On the day information
Arrival
- School groups should arrive 15 minutes before the start of their first taught session. This will allow for pupils to disembark from the coach, drop off lunch bags and visit the toilets.
- Late arrival may result in your taught sessions being shortened. Sessions may not be carried over due to other groups visiting.
Coach drop off and parking
- Please arrange for the coach to drive down the drive and drop off in our car park.
- Free coach parking is available to the rear of the visitor centre on the car park or overflow car park.
Schools entrance
- Enter by the visitor centre to the rear of the house. Please knock the door for admittance.
Classroom
- The classroom is situated in a 17th Century converted barn with views of Blakesley Hall.
- There are accessible toilets, hand washing facilities and coat hooks in the barn.
Lunch area
- We are a small heritage site and have no designated lunch area, however one class can have lunch in the classroom on site. There is no café on site.
Cloakroom
- There is not a dedicated school cloakroom but teachers and students may leave their belongings in the classroom which is a secure space, but it is recommended to keep high value items on you at all times.
Toilets
- Accessible toilets are available for schools to use in the classroom. There are no toilets within the house itself.
Photography
- Photography is permitted.
- If you are taking photographs in your taught session please let the Learning and Engagement Officer know.
Code of conduct
Conduct and responsibilities
- To ensure that everyone has a safe, enjoyable visit, we ask that all groups follow these guidelines:
- You are responsible for the supervision and conduct of pupils in your group at all times (including during any workshops or shows).
- It is important that pupils are never left unattended or allowed to wander around the building alone.
- Severely disruptive behaviour may lead to the group being asked to leave the museum.
- Please show respect to our staff, our exhibits and other visitors in the museum.
- Please keep all mobile phones in bags or pockets during workshops and theatre/planetarium shows.
- We strongly recommend that if your school has a uniform, it should be worn on the day of your visit to the museum. If your students will not be wearing a uniform, please ensure that they are wearing something that makes them easily identifiable as being part of your group (e.g. lanyard, branded high-vis vest etc.)
- Please do not run in the museum.
- Please only eat or drink in the designated packed lunch or café area – food and drink are not allowed in other areas of the museum.
- We request that groups use the stairs if they are able, to enable those with access requirements to use our lifts quickly and easily.
- Please do not climb on the exhibits.
Workshop
- Please arrive at the location of your booked workshop on time.
- If you arrive at the location of your workshop up to 15 minutes late, we will endeavour to deliver the session, but it may have to be shortened.
- Regrettably, if you arrive more than 15 minutes late to the location of your booked workshop, you will forfeit that session as the learning officer delivering your session will have other sessions immediately afterwards which they will need to be on time for.
- We expect adult helpers with your group to actively participate in our workshops.
Access information
Access information
- If your group has access needs, including SEND requirements, please tell us as early as possible so we can discuss what may be available on the day.
- Our workshops and shows can be adapted to accommodate a variety of needs – a call can be arranged with a member of our learning team ahead of your visit to discuss any access needs or adaptations which may be required. If would like to arrange a call, please contact the bookings team.
- The gardens and ground floor of the house are accessible by wheelchair users, however, as a Grade II* listed building we have been unable to install a lift within the house. Therefore those in wheelchairs will be unable to access the upper floors of the house.
- Visit our accessibility information page on our website for further details.
We hope you have an enjoyable and rewarding visit!
