FAQs

Please call Emma Bourner, the Director of Learning, on 01962 857224 or email her at emma.bourner@winchester-cathedral.org.uk

Once you have had a conversation with one of the Learning Team and you have booked your visit, a booking form will be sent to you to fill in the week before your visit. We know that you may not know the answers to some of our questions until closer to the time. Please download and have a look at the Teacher’s Pack at the top of this page before your visit. If anything is unclear, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

In the unlikely event that you have not received anything from us and your visit is next week, please get in touch with us. You may also need to speak to your school admin or school trip team if they have booked your visit.

You will be told in advance where you need to meet us as this can vary depending on what you have planned for the day. Usually, schools meet the Learning Team at the Learning Centre and are shown into their base room and given an introduction by one of the team. We will talk everyone through the timetable for the day, point out toilets and talk through fire alarms ect.

You are welcome to have a quick snack and a toilet break before we start the day however, if you arrive late the sessions and tours will need to be shorter. Please be aware that we rely on volunteers who give up their time to ensure that tours and workshops can be facilitated.

As the Learning Team will need to prepare resources and volunteer support for the number of students you have said you will bring, there will be a charge for any students that do not attend on the day. 50% of the cost per student will be charged for any students who do not attend.

We provide risk assessment guidance on our website for you to use to inform your own risk assessment process https://www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk/learning-and-outreach/schools/

Yes! School staff are welcome to take images during your visit. Just as we would do with children, please ask the staff and volunteers from the Cathedral for permission before taking images of them. If you are bringing older children who have their own devices, they are welcome to take images of objects in the Cathedral when it is appropriate to do so. This will be explained further during your introduction when you arrive at the Learning Centre.

Yes! Please do let us know in advance if you plan to include the shop in your day so that we can ensure that time is allocated for this in your timetable and so that our shop staff know to expect you. Small groups will need to be sent if you have a large number of pupils with you.

Yes, if you have booked the whole day with us, a usual school visit is from 10am-2pm, you will automatically be assigned a lunch space and base for the day. If you are self-led you will need to let us know that you would like a space and there will be a small fee for its use.

Yes! However, please let us know if you wish to have a self-led element as part of your day and if you would like to book a lunch space. Self-led tours and workshops must be booked through the Learning Team as the Cathedral may be closed or extremely busy on the day you wish to visit. Schools who turn up on the day without a booking may not be able to enter.

Possibly. Visitors are allowed to bring well behaved dogs on leads into the Cathedral. If you think this could be an issue for anyone you are bringing along, please let us know.

What should I do? If you cannot find the workshops or tours that you have booked in the past, please contact us.

Yes! The Christmas Market for 2025 will take place between Friday the 21st of November until Monday the 22nd of December inclusive. Please note this on the booking form if this is something you would like to do so that we can factor it into your timetable for the day.