IT IS BACK TO SCHOOL TIME! WE HAVE RETURNED TO OUR WEEKDAY SCHOOL TERM HOURS OF 9AM TO 1PM.

How many children can I bring?

Excursions have a minimum of 20 students and a maximum of 100 students.
Schools or centres can book both sessions in one day or across multiple days to cater for larger groups.

The number of students attending, determines the number of groups students should be organised into prior to arrival:

Number of students attending excursionNumber of groups students should be organised into by school
20-302
30-403
40-604
60-805
80-1006

If your numbers are outside of this, please email [email protected] for alternative options.

How much does it cost?

Our guided excursion rate is $15.00/student and our self-guided excursion rate is $10.00/student. All children must be paid for irrespective of being a member. Membership privileges to do not apply to any school excursion held within the Discovery Space.

 

How will we spend our time in the Discovery Space?

For ease and movement around the Discovery Space, students will be split into smaller groups to explore the Early Start Discovery Space experiences across two hours. We will provide maps and we ask that you follow our visit schedule to ensure you get to see all the Experiences and do not overload one area for our other members and guests visiting and using the Discovery Space too.

We have one time slot available for Early Years and Primary school groups with the following visit schedule. Please note that if you have chosen a Guided Excursion, your Guided Experience will go for approximately 40 minutes of your two-hour visit.

Early Years and Primary Excursion:
11:00am                     Arrival and briefing
11:15am – 1:00pm     Play time in Discovery Space
1:00pm                       Departure

High School Excursion:
12:00pm                    Arrival and UOW Academic workshop
1:00pm – 2:00pm      Play and guided activities in the Discovery Space
2:00pm                      Departure

 

We’ve booked a guided excursion, how does this work?

During your two hour visit, our Educators will work with smaller groups of students through a guided, play-based workshop that links to relevant NSW Syllabus documents or Early Years Learning Framework.

Teachers will be provided with maps and schedules so other students spend the remaining duration of their visit rotating around all of our other Experiences independently.

Number of students attending excursionNumber of groups students should be organised into by school
20-302
30-403
40-604
60-805
80-1006

Do you cater for children with special needs?

Yes! All our experiences have been designed to be accessible by all – including wheelchair accessibility – and account for different learning styles. There are internal and external lifts and ramps to support access for al! When filling out the online enquiry form for a school excursion, please do let us know about any students with additional needs that we can plan to support them during their excursion! Alternatively, you can contact us if there are additional ways we can support your visit by emailing [email protected]

Do parents/teachers have to pay?

Accompanying adults with a school group are free of charge. We require a minimum of one adult per group and highly encourage two adults per group, but the more adults the merrier! A ratio of 1:15 adults to child is recommended for children above preschool age, and 1:10 for children between three and five years of age. Please see our FAQ on how many children can attend for recommended groupings based on the number of children you are bringing.

 

How do we pay for the excursion?

There are two payment options available for excursions.

Invoice: after the date of your excursion we will get an invoice prepared and sent to you with the final numbers of who attended on the day
Pay via Eftpos/Credit Card: on the day or over the phone once final numbers are confirmed

 

 

What happens if I need to cancel my excursion?

If you are not able to attend your booked excursion you must advise us within 5 working days to cancel, reschedule your visit, or receive a refund (if any payment has been made). In the circumstance we are not advised of cancellation prior to a booked School Group Excursion, refunds will not be given unless required by law.

 

Do you have a risk assessment?

To assist you in planning your own risk assessment, please see our venue and safety information.

 

What will the students do with their bags?

We encourage schools to leave any unrequired materials (bags included) on buses if appropriate. We do, however, provide trolleys for student to store their bags in and free lockers are available for adults to store belongings if required.

 

Do you have a gift shop that the children can buy from?

The Discovery Space Gift Shop is available for children to purchase any reminders of their excursion, or for educators to purchase resources if you wish. This will not be included in the schedule and will need to be managed by organising teachers. Please note the Gift Shop trading hours differ. See here for current details.

 

Do you provide lunch?

We do not provide lunch but do have an onsite café, The Ugly Duckling where you can purchase food (for large groups, we recommend pre-ordering ahead). The cafe is run independently of the Discovery Space. You can contact the cafe on 4226 4226 or on their Facebook page.

Please note if purchasing coffee, is to be consumed outside in the Discovery Gardens or Circle Garden and is not permitted inside the Discovery Space. We advise students to bring their own lunch. Lunch can be consumed prior to or after your excursions on the University of Wollongong campus or the beautiful Botanic Gardens situated nearby.

 

How do I get to the Early Start Discovery Space?

Information on getting here (including the appropriate bus entrance), can be found on our Getting Here page.
Arrival on time will support smooth running of your excursion. If you are running late please call (02) 4221 3777.

 

Are there any requirements to enter the Discovery Space?

We requires at least one adult per group and highly encourage two adults per group (based on the number of children attending the excursion). Please also ensure you meet the ratio of teachers/caregivers approved by your principal or centre director for your excursion. Our conditions of entry, commitments and expectations can be found in our Terms & Conditions.

It is the responsibility of the coordinating teacher to ensure:

  • All children and accompanying teachers are briefed on the conditions of entry, and expectations and commitments.
  • Principals and centre directors conduct their own excursion risk assessments.

By requesting an excursion you warrant that your principal or centre director has received appropriate consents from the parent or guardian of participating students for their child’s participation in the Early Start Discovery Space activities including the recording and disclosing of personal information for Discovery Space administrative purposes. Any photographs and video taken by children or teachers/carers should be for personal use only. Please respect the privacy of other visitors when taking photographs or video.

 

I have a question not listed here

We’re here to help! If you have any questions or changes to your excursion, email [email protected]

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