Brantwood School Group Visits

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Brantwood offers unique educational opportunities to a range of audiences and groups. Activities for schools are available in the house and grounds. Please get in touch if you would like a teacher’s pack sending to you.

Key Stage 2 Visiting Groups

For Key Stage 2 groups Brantwood has much to offer. We have devised educational activities for the house and the estate. The activities have been designed to be self-led by groups, but where possible Brantwood will provide volunteers to help and assist groups with these activities.

These activities have several aims and objectives which are to;

• Give pupils knowledge and understanding of John Ruskin, an eminent Victorian, and great thinker.

• Give pupils an opportunity to engage with some of John Ruskin’s ideas.

• Give pupils an insight into life in Victorian times.

• Give pupils access to see real artefacts and objects from Victorian times.

Access
Brantwood is one of the most beautifully situated houses in the Lake District and is perched above the eastern shore of Coniston Water. Access is via the narrow East of Lake Road from Coniston Village, or by boat from Coniston boatlandings or Monk Coniston. Both Coniston Launch and Steam Yacht Gondola have regular sailings to Brantwood jetty.

Brantwood’s estate comprises of woodland, mountainside gardens and our lakeside gardens. Many of the paths around the estate are steep and accessed via stepped paths. Please ensure that your pupils and adult helpers wear suitable footwear and have adequate waterproof clothing.

Information about access for our disabled visitors is enclosed in the pack.

Parking
Brantwood’s car park is free of charge, but space is limited. If you come by coach, we recommend you either come by small to medium sized coach and approach from the north (via head of lake) or park at Coniston boatlandings and use the ferry services.

Risk Assessments
Please remember you are responsible for carrying out your own risk assessment for your visit. Our teacher pack includes an example of a risk assessment written by teachers from Greengate Junior School, Barrow-in-Furness, which you are welcome to use as a starting point.

Be aware that access to the lakeside gardens and the route from the jetty to the house both require you to cross a road with your group. The estate also has streams, a small pond and two small reservoirs.

Ratio of adults/children
Please observe the LEA recommended ratio of adults to children.

House Rules
Please impress upon your pupils that Brantwood is open to the public during your school visit and we ask your group to move around the house and grounds in a manner that shows consideration for other visitors and a care for the objects on display.

Brantwood is a treasure house of Ruskin artworks and personal possessions and many are displayed as he would have had them when he lived here. The house has the feeling of being someone’s home, therefore many items are not behind glass. If your students are taking notes or doing an activity that involves writing, please ask them not to rest their work on house furniture and displays.

No food or drink is to be consumed within the house. We also do not allow photography inside the house, although there is no restriction outside.

We would appreciate it if mobile phones could be switched off or set to `silent` during your visit to the house.

Lunch spot
If the weather is fine, Brantwood has 250 acres of estate to enjoy, with space to have a packed lunch for example, in the Painter’s Glade. If the weather is bad, we have a small activity room called the Linton Room which is available to school groups to eat their lunch. Please ensure that all rubbish is collected up and taken home.

Toilets
Brantwood’s public toilets are located adjacent to the house in the Linton building and include disabled facilities. Please ensure that pupils are supervised when using these facilities.

First Aid
Several of Brantwood’s staff are trained in emergency first aid. We have an accident book on site and require you to report any accidents, incidents or near-misses to a member of Brantwood staff.

Dogs
Please be aware that dogs are allowed on a lead in Brantwood grounds and help dogs are allowed in the house. Although dog litter is not generally a problem, we advise group leaders to bring a suitable cleanser in case contact is made with animal waste.

We look forward to welcoming you at Brantwood
To make a booking please contact Brantwood, Coniston, LA21 8AD, Cumbria.

If you require further information or have any queries before you visit please do not hesitate to get in touch. Telephone: 015394 41396, or email: enquiries@brantwood.org.uk

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