Terms and conditions: school visits

Eligibility for education rate tickets

• Historic Royal Palaces offers subsidised tickets, known as education rate tickets for domestic and international students in full time education in establishments such as schools, colleges, and universities. We also extend our subsidised tickets to nurseries and UK home educators.   

To qualify for education rate tickets, you must:  

• Visit on a weekday within UK term time dates as defined by HRP.   
• Be part of a school/college/university with a registered DfE number or be a nursery or full time UK Home Educator.   
• Be visiting one of our sites for an educational trip to enhance learning.   
  
  
  
• Uniformed groups (e.g. Brownies, Scouts, cadets), youth groups, special interest groups, summer schools or educational providers offering part-time or evening adult learning courses are not eligible for education rate tickets. They may be entitled to a group discount ([email protected]) OR qualify as a community group, please email [email protected] for more information or check eligibility on our website Communities | Historic Royal Palaces.   
  
  
• If you are a third-party provider, purchasing tickets on behalf of an education organisation such as a school, you will be required to provide the details of the organisation you are purchasing tickets on behalf of, to ensure they are eligible for these tickets. It is your responsibility to ensure that all information is passed on to the educational organisation, including these terms and conditions.
  
  
• We regret that HRP membership, Blue Peter badges, and HRP’s £1 ticket initiative cannot be used as part of an education booking.  

Payment of an educational visit

• If payment is required, you will receive an invoice attached to your booking confirmation email. 
  
  
• Please ensure that your finance team have received your invoice and are aware of the payment terms detailed on your invoice and when it is to be paid by. As the person making the booking, it is your responsibility to ensure that your finance team have received the invoice, and that it is paid on time. 
  
  
• Our preferred payment method is BACS. If you are making payment via bank transfer, please note that any bank charges incurred because of currency fluctuations, commission fees or other costs shall be payable by yourselves. You should take any such bank charges into account when making payments to HRP and such charges must not be deducted from the invoice total due to us. To help us allocate payment to your account please send any remittance advice to [email protected]   
  
  
• In the unlikely event that your invoice is not paid by your payment due date, you will be chased for payment by our finance team. All outstanding invoices must be settled before any further bookings will be made for your school or company.  
  
  
• We retain the right to cancel your booking, or refuse entry, if payment is not made on time. We reserve the right to charge interest in line with The Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998. 
  
  
• Your deadline for payment, cancelling or amending your booking is 42 days (6 weeks) prior to your visit date. If you need to make any amendments to your booking, or need to cancel for any reason, you must let us know in writing before this date. If you inform us of a cancellation after this date you will still be charged for your visit as per your latest invoice and will not be refunded for any payment that has been made. 

Amendments to an existing booking

• If you need to add extra people to your booking, please let us know before your amendment deadline date. We will not amend your booking after this date. 
  
  
• If you need to reduce the number of people on your booking you must let us know before your amendment deadline. If you let us know after this deadline you will still be charged for the full invoice as per the numbers, you originally booked. 
  
  
• Should it be necessary to change the ‘School Contact,’ ‘Lead Teacher’/’Group Leader’ or ‘Finance Contact’ on your booking you must notify us via email, using the details found on your booking confirmation. 
  
  
• If you need to change the date of your visit, you must notify us in writing at least 6 weeks in advance of your visit if you wish to reschedule free of charge. If you notify us within 6 weeks of your visit date you will be liable for the full cost of your original invoice.  

Supervision of students during educational visits

• Pupils and students must be supervised at all times according to our supervision ratios. You are responsible for ensuring that all adults in your group are aware of the supervision requirements. Adult supervisors are responsible for the behaviour of pupils. If pupils misbehave or are not adequately supervised, Historic Royal Palaces (HRP) has the right to ask the whole group to leave the site. You are responsible for any damage caused to HRP property by any member of your group during your visit. Our staff reserve the right to refuse entry to groups who do not meet these ratios, with no possibility of a refund.  
   
  Supervision ratios 
  Early Years Foundation Stage = 1:4  
  Key Stage 1 = 1:5 (ages 4 -7) 
  Key Stages 2, 3 & 4 = 1:10 (ages 7-15) 
  Key Stage 5 and up = 1:15 (16 +)  
  
  
• Small groups - For key stages 2-4, each booking must have a minimum of 2 accompanying adults. We will not accept the booking if only 1 adult intends to come with the group. 
  
  
• To support students with additional needs, education groups can bring, free of charge,1.1 staff who are supporting students with Special Educational Needs and/or disabilities. Any additional adult tickets, beyond our designated supervisory ratios and not for 1.1 support, will be charged for and should be stated at the time of booking.  

On the day of your visit

• If you are late on the day of your visit you must call us on 0203 166 6646 to confirm your estimated time of arrival.  
  
  
• If you have booked a session: Due to the number of sessions that presenters deliver during the day, please be aware that if you are between 15 and 30 minutes late you will receive a shortened session. Groups who are more than 30 minutes late will forfeit their session. 
  
  
• We will not give refunds for late cancellations or non-arrivals. 
  
  
• If you arrive on the day with more people then you have booked for, we will make arrangements to invoice you post visit. Payment for additional people at the subsidised education rate cannot be made on arrival.  
  
  
• Palace routes, exhibitions, and on-site experiences are subject to changes and occasional last-minute closures. We cannot give refunds or discounts for such closures. 
  
  
• We do not tolerate abuse of staff for any reason and will terminate an education visit in the event of abusive behaviour. 
  
  
• Intellectual property rights and copyright of any materials provided or delivered during any education sessions belong to Historic Royal Palaces and may not be utilised or re-purposed without our permission.  
  
  
• In respect of any dispute, the laws of England and Wales will apply, except in respect of Hillsborough Castle and Gardens bookings where the laws of Northern Ireland will apply. 
  
  
• If you are a school or educational establishment, or home educator you may not without our consent sell education rate admissions other than to members of a club, school, or association. Sales must be in line with our learning rate admission prices as sold to you. Our consent is at our sole discretion. 
  
  
• Agents may sell education rate admission only as part of a package comprising the education rate admission and other elements such as accommodation and/or transport. Any package which includes education rate admission must offer "good value for money". It must be sold for the price which the Visitor would reasonably expect to pay for a similar package. 
  
  
• We reserve the right to withdraw our education rate should we uncover practices which contravene these terms. 

Refunds and cancellations

• We regret that no credit notes can be given for cancellations, or for amendments made less than six weeks in advance of your visit. This includes non-arrivals on the day.  
  
  
• In circumstances where a credit note is issued for £25.00 or less, we cannot offer a refund, but this can be used against a future booking in the following academic year.  
  
  
• Historic Royal Palaces (HRP) have the right to cancel bookings at any time. In such a situation, HRP will endeavour to provide as much notice as possible but shall only be liable to refund you the booking payment only. Any other costs incurred are at your risk. 

Online sessions

• Online sessions must be booked a minimum of 6 weeks in advance. 
  
  
• Our online sessions are suitable for a single class of 35 students or less. 
  
  
• No refunds, cancellations, or rescheduling will be permitted in the event that your school experiences technical issues, you provide incorrect contact information on your booking form leading to issues/delays, your internet connection/speed is not suitable for a live online session, you are late or miss your session time. 
  
  
• The lead teacher must ensure they can meet the technical requirements for hosting the session. HRP cannot accept any responsibility for technical problems at the school.
   
• If you arrive late to your session your will receive a shortened session. If you are more than 15 minutes late you will forfeit your session. 
  
  
• Some of our online sessions are delivered by our partner organisation Zoom Through History (part of Ceridwen Theatre Company Ltd). As part of the booking process, we will share the details you supply on your booking form with them. This will be made clear on the booking form itself. You can find our full Privacy Policy here.
   
• Your time slot and 'Zoom' meeting link will be confirmed by email. This link must not be shared with any third party. 
  
  
• We require a teacher to be present in the session. Students taking part in online sessions must be always supervised. 
  
  
• In the exceptional circumstances that we are unable to deliver your booked online session (e.g. due to staff illness or technical difficulties) you will be offered the option to reschedule or receive a refund. 
  
  
• It is the responsibility of the lead teacher to read the Online Session Safeguarding Risk Assessment before the session. Teachers are responsible for the behaviour, safeguarding, health and safety, and supervision of all students taking part in the online session. 
  
  
• The filming of online sessions is not permitted.