These Terms and Conditions apply to The Ultimate STEM School Trip (school visits to Winchester Science Centre), The Ultimate STEM School Takeout (in-school experiences delivered by Winchester Science Centre) and hire of our Mobile Planetarium.

Book with Confidence

We understand the need for flexibility due to the unpredictability of COVID-19, so to help you to book with confidence we are pleased to say:

• no advance payments are needed for booking in the school year 2021/22
• if your booking is unable to go ahead due to COVID-19 you can rearrange or cancel free of charge
• to amend your booking more than 48 hours before your visit please email education@winchestersciencecentre.org
• to amend your booking less than 48 hours before your visit please call our school hotline on 01962 891903

Additional COVID-19 Safety Measures

To ensure the safety of the students, teachers and our staff, we will:

1. Ask our staff to undertake twice weekly COVID-19 testing, in line with current school adult protocols.
2. Maintain social distancing and wear face coverings, as follows:

   a. When addressing the class/assembly our staff will always wear a visor and maintain a 2-metre distance.

   b. When delivering a workshop our staff will wear a visor and a face mask and maintain a 1-metre distance.

3. Ensure our staff carry out regular hand washing and sanitisation.
4. Ensure kit/equipment is sanitised in advance and that all contact points are sanitised between workshops and at the end of the day.

When booking The Ultimate STEM School Takeout, we require:

1. That your school operates in accordance with government COVID-19 guidelines and maintains obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
2. Activities need to be delivered in a well ventilated area, preferably a school hall or equivalent
3. That you inform us of any further COVID-19 related protocols and procedures you have in place, to ensure the smooth running of the day's activities.

Ultimate STEM School Takeout

(In-school activities delivered by Winchester Science Centre)

Before you book, please familiarise yourself with the following information and requirements:

Before we visit:

1. Digital resources for your school to take part in before and after our visit will be made available to you. These activities are not compulsory, but will deepen and enhance the learning experience of your students on the day.
2. Risk assessments of the workshops and assembly will be provided digitally ahead of our arrival.

About our visit:

1. A workshop is designed for a single class of up to 40 students.
2. Your workshop/programme will be confirmed in advance and cannot be changed on the day.
3. Each workshop has a unique pre-prepared resources kit. Our staff member will only bring the kits that are required for the booked workshops.

During our visit:

1. On the day, one of our staff members will attend your school at the agreed arrival time to deliver The Ultimate STEM School Takeout experience you have booked. They will need: 

   a. A reserved parking space as close to the school building as possible, to support the easy transport of our science kit.

   b. Step-free access to the venue in order to transport the workshop kits by trolley. If the rooms are not on ground level, they will need either access to a mechanical lift or support from school staff to help transport the kit to the venue.

   c. Exclusive access to the venue allocated for the workshop/s one hour before the first session is due to start to set up for the day.

   d. A dedicated storage area roughly 3m x 3m, away from students (this could be a spare room or corner of your school hall), to store kit. Please ensure kit storage is communicated with your staff.

   e. Easy access to a sink with running water where we can dispose of simple chemicals and wash hands.

2. Students will need to follow all instructions given by our member of staff. Instructions are there to ensure safety and enjoyment.
3. Teachers and school support staff will be required to remain with the students at all times to support behaviour management and share in the experience. If there is any dangerous behaviour we reserve the right to ask any student to leave the room, with the support of your school staff.

The Ultimate STEM School Trip

(School visit to Winchester Science Centre)

Before you book, please familiarise yourself with the following information and requirements:

1. Digital resources for your school to take part in before and after your visit will be made available to you. These activities are not compulsory, but will deepen and enhance the learning experience of your students on the day.

2. Risk assessments of the workshops and assembly will be provided digitally ahead of your visit.

3. Winchester Science Centre will be open exclusively to schools and groups on the day of your visit. Unless your school has booked exclusive use of the Science Centre, please expect to be sharing the space with other school groups.

4. The minimum group size is 15 students. If you wish to bring a smaller group, you can, but minimum charges (based on 15 students) will apply. However, if you are a SEND school and wish to bring a small group, this minimum charge may be waivered. Please contact education@winchestersciencecentre.org to discuss your booking.

5. The first activity will start at 10.30am. Please allow extra time to park your vehicle, make your way to the building, deposit coats and packed lunches in the allocated tubs, and for all members of your group to sanitise hands. The Science Centre opens at 9.45am.

6. Car parking is provided for educational groups free of charge. However, we do not accept responsibility for any damage/theft to/of/from vehicles whilst parked at our Centre.

7. We work hard to ensure that all our exhibits and shows run well and provide a great experience. However, there may be times when exhibits, shows or experiences have to be removed, altered or closed. If we are unable to provide your booked activity we will try to provide an equivalent experience for you.

On the day of your visit, information and requirements:

1. To ensure your day runs as planned please arrive at your workshop, Planetarium Show and Explorer Space sessions at your allocated time. If you arrive late, we may have to shorten or cancel the session.

2. Students will need to follow all instructions given by our members of staff. Instructions are there to ensure safety and enjoyment.

3. All children age 14 and younger must be accompanied and supervised by an adult and remain within their sight at all times whilst at the Science Centre.

4. We reserve the right to refuse entry or to remove any person whose behaviour we believe is having, or will have, a detrimental effect on the enjoyment or safety of other visitors and staff. If such person is under 14, this will apply to their responsible adult.

5. Students' belongings remain their responsibility, including those that are kept in open storage tubs, on the exhibition floor. Lost property is kept for one month, unless it is perishable or we believe it presents a risk to health and safety.

Mobile Planetarium

Requirements on the day

1. We need a clear area of at least 8m x 8m with minimum 4m vertical clearance (taking light fixtures and similar into account) with flat, solid and clean (dust-free) floor. 
2. The Planetarium must be set up in a safe environment protected from the elements (wind, rain etc) and also protected from curious passers-by. Children must not have access to the outside of the dome without supervision by responsible adults.
3. Nearby access to a mains power socket (preferably two but one will do) is required.
4. Unloading and parking facilities (also see next item ref unloading). If parking charges apply, please discuss in advance to ensure the Science Centre staff are aware and ready to pay on the day. Any parking charges will be added to travel costs for invoice.
5. Access is required to unload and move heavy equipment by trolley via a flat route. This route can include ramps/lifts (with prior agreement) but not steps. Please discuss any potential issues in advance of booking confirmation to ensure access will be possible. Potential issues may include (but are not restricted to) narrow corridors and tight corners.
6. We will need safe, secure storage for equipment to be stored when unattended (e.g. overnight for multi-day bookings). This area must be protected from the elements. The hirer is liable for any theft/damage while the equipment is in storage on site.
7. Venue staff are responsible for and must accompany all children not otherwise supervised by an adult guardian (e.g. in schools all classes must be accompanied by a teacher or other appropriate adult).
8. For public events where children are supervised by guardians not associated with the venue, venue staff must be within vocal calling distance unless otherwise agreed in advance of the event (for most events it is possible to agree contact by telephone). The Science Centre must be made aware prior to booking confirmation if venue staff will not be accompanying each group into the planetarium.
9. The Mobile Planetarium has limited throughput of air and so temperatures will rise while people are inside. If the room itself is hot, then this can cause difficulties. If internal temperatures rise above 30ºC, shows will be adapted so that the presenter spends no more than 25min at one time inside the dome followed by at least 5min in a location under 28ºC. At temperatures over 33ºC, shows will be halted until cooled to 26ºC or lower, with an option of Q&A in classrooms or other spaces as an alternative activity. Where showings are cancelled by Winchester Science Centre for this reason, a relative percentage of the booking charge will be waived (e.g. if half the shows are cancelled, only half the normal charge would be invoiced). The calculation of this reduction is entirely at the discretion of Winchester Science Centre.

Payment and booking

1. We will invoice your school within five working days of your visit.
2. Payment is due within 30 days of the date of invoice.
3. You will be invoiced for the number of students confirmed at time of booking. If you arrive with fewer students than confirmed, we will issue general admission vouchers for each student unable to attend, up to a maximum of 10% of your total group booking. The vouchers will carry an expiry date one year after the date of your visit.
4. If you wish to bring more students or adults than originally booked you must let us know at least 24 hours in advance to ensure we can accommodate them and confirm your revised booking. You will be invoiced for the numbers confirmed on your revised booking.
5. If you need to cancel or amend your booking for any reason not related to COVID-19 the following charges will apply in addition to any charge for a new booking.
6. The charges detailed below will not apply if:

   a. you have to cancel for reasons outside of your control including, without limitation: bad weather preventing travel, significant transport delays;

   b. you reschedule your visit for a date within six months of the original booking;

   c. your cancellation is due to COVID-19, when the book with confidence terms will apply.

Time Frame

Cancellation

Amendment

Time Frame:

Two weeks or less from date of visit

Cancellation:

100% of original booking value

Amendment:

50% of original booking value, plus new booking value

Time Frame:

Less than one month and greater than two weeks from date of visit

Cancellation:

75% of original booking value

Amendment:

35% of original booking, plus new booking value

Time Frame:

Less than two months and greater than one month from date of visit

Cancellation:

50% of original booking value

Amendment:

25% of original booking, plus new booking value

Time Frame:

Over two months from date of visit

Cancellation:

No charge

Amendment:

No charge

Our liability

1. Except for fraudulent misrepresentation, personal injury or death caused by our negligence, for which our liability is unlimited, our liability to you is limited to the price you paid for your ticket.
2. We have no liability for any loss of or damage to your belongings or your vehicle whilst visiting our Centre.
3. Except as we have set out here we will not have any liability for delay or failure to comply with these terms where the delay or failure is due to causes beyond our reasonable control.

General

1. When we say "WSC", "us" or "our" we mean Winchester Science Centre. We are a company number 201 4929 and a registered charity number 294582. When we say our "Centre" we mean the whole site including the building, grounds and car park.
2. These terms set out the entire agreement between you and us in relation to your purchase of tickets and your visit to our Centre. It overrides any previous communications, electronic, verbal or in writing between you and us.
3. Nothing in these terms gives anyone other than you, the purchaser of the tickets, a right against us.
4. If it is decided by law that any of these terms are invalid, void or unenforceable then that term will be removed and it's removal will not affect the validity of the other terms. It will be replaced by a term that is a valid provision that closely matches the intent of the original and the rest of the terms shall continue to be enforceable.
5. If you break any of these terms and we decide to take no action at that time, that does not mean we will be unable to take action at a later date for that or any other breach of these terms.
6. These terms are governed by and shall be construed in accordance with English law and subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.