Visits
Tarmac welcomes school visits to most of its operational quarries. Before you plan your visit please read the following Frequently Asked Questions and then locate your nearest quarry using the Quarry Finder.
What size of group do you like for a visit?
The ideal size for a group is between 10 and 15 students.
Occasionally larger groups can be accommodated but you do need additional support staff for safety reasons.
What days, time of day, or time of year is best for a visit?
The best time of year for a visit is probably from April to July and September to November. The best days would be in the middle two weeks of these months and the best time is in the morning from 9am onwards.
We know that in the Earth Science curriculum, quarrying/minerals are taught in early January and schools have often requested a site visit in January, however we normally have to decline as the weather and ground conditions have been too bad for a successful visit.
How long should the visit be?
Ideally the tour should take about an hour and a half at the most including the “Play Safe Stay Safe” video.
Can I meet you to plan my visit?
No problem. Just call the quarry office and we can arrange a convenient time to meet and discuss the visit, and also have a dummy run of the site tour to make sure all relevant aspects and risks are covered. We can arrange a risk assessment at the same time.
What are the facilities for children on site (toilets, picnics) etc?
This does vary from site to site and most have limited facilities for children, but there are toilets available.
What are the parking arrangements?
The parking of any mini-buses or teachers cars would be in the quarry office car park.
What clothing should the children wear?
Old Clothes — no designer gear please!!! Good walking boots or Wellingtons and a Kagool or jacket in case of rain. Hard Hats, high visability vests and safety spectacles will be provided.
Do you have any restrictions on age, size etc?
There are no real restrictions on age and size of the group. However we would suggest students should be no younger than 8.
What are the arrangements for disabled children?
There are some obvious limitations to being able to cater for the disabled in the quarry. In some sites we can arrange the whole tour from their mini-bus. We can also arrange for machines to come a bit closer to the bus so that the students can get a better view and we can gather sand and gravel samples for the kids to touch and feel in the bus.
Is there anything else I should think about?
- Weather – Site visits can be cancelled at short notice due to extremes of weather i.e. heavy rain or strong winds.
- Teachers and support staff should ensure that students do not wander off, throw stones etc, and listen to the safety advice given by the visit leader.
- The school will be required to supply their own mini-bus.
If you have any other questions please contact the P.R. manager