Schools & groups
Health & Safety
The safety of your group or staff and pupils is our primary concern. Please read carefully and download the resources available on this page.
Risk assessments
We’ve made two risk assessments available for you to download below, one for schools and groups, and another specifically for educational activities for schools.
To ensure you’re fully prepared, we recommend downloading and carefully reviewing all the additional resources provided, so you can follow our health and safety guidelines with confidence. We also highly recommend that group leaders visit the farm ahead of time to help with your own risk assessments.
Scroll down for more details on familiarisation visits.
Downloads
-
Schools & groups risk assessment 0.34 MB
Uploaded: 28/06/2025
-
Educational activities risk assessment 0.23 MB
Uploaded: 11/07/2025
-
Access to farms – avoiding ill health at open farms 0.44 MB
Uploaded: 28/06/2025
-
Rare Breeds Centre handwashing leaflet 0.38 MB
Uploaded: 28/06/2025
-
RBC Health and Safety summary – 2025 0.47 MB
Uploaded: 16/05/2025
Familiarisation visits
- We allow two free adult visits per booking to allow you to conduct a self-guided familiarisation visit.
- Once you have booked your visit, simply contact us on 01233 861493 x 221 or click on the button below to email us.
Safety on the farm
Handwashing
- We have handwashing facilities in several locations, including a welly wash station. These are all marked on the map.
- Wash hands thoroughly after touching animals or their pens, before and after eating and when entering or leaving the farm. Follow our hand washing leaflet guidelines
- Follow our Animal Contact Advice to maintain good hygiene while visiting the farm.
Downloads
Animals
- Animals should only be touched at the supervised ‘Meet the Animals’ sessions.
- Outside the ‘Meet the Animals’ sessions, the animals should not be touched and people should not put fingers into cages, fences or wires.
- Pregnant women should avoid contact with sheep and goats during lambing season.
Downloads
Clothing
- Ensure all group members are dressed appropriately for a visit to the farm and the weather of the day. Wellies are advisable!
First Aid
- There are always trained first aiders on duty.
- We have a first aid room available.
Farm machinery/Vehicles
- The centre is a working farm so all group members must be aware of tractors and vehicles moving around the farm and car parks.
- Do not allow children to climb on farm machinery/vehicles.
Fire Procedure
- In case of fire, please go directly to the nearest fire assembly point.
Supervision
- It is the responsibility of the group leader and accompanying adults to ensure the supervision and good behaviour of their group throughout their visit.
- The group leader is responsible for ensuring the correct ratio of adults to children.
Lost children
- If a member of the group is lost, they must go to the Gift shop. Please ensure that all group members are aware of the meeting point.
Our Staff
- Our staff are all DBS checked.
