The Etches Collection Museum of Jurassic Marine Life

What We Offer Visiting Schools:

Running since 2021, The Etches Collection Educational programme is tailored to all ages, from nursery to undergraduate, and to those pupils with special educational needs (SEN). Visits last between one and five hours, depending on the age of the pupils and the learning outcomes set by the school. Visits typically consist of three parts:

• TALK – 30-60 minutes with a break as appropriate. Subjects include fossils, rocks and Mary Anning, while examples are handled by each pupil. The talk reinforces the national curriculum and provides context for the gallery tour, which follows. Questions are encouraged!

• TOUR – 30-45 minutes. Pupils are split into smaller, manageable groups (15 or fewer) and expertly guided around the collection, where several hundred fossils are displayed beneath giant CGI screens that show the animals as they would have looked in Jurassic oceans. Depending on the age of the pupils and the needs of the school, the tour includes various concepts, such as food chains, adaptation, evolution and exceptional preservation.

• ACTIVITIES – 30-45 minutes. Running in parallel with the tour, these interactive activities are delivered by knowledgeable museum staff to smaller groups, typically no more than eight pupils in size, and include:

o fossil/rock inspection using the powerful museum microscopes
o creative art where pupils design their own prehistoric animals
o a timeline of Earth history (Year 6 and above)
o a fossil reptile ID game (Year 10 and above)
o a timeline of The Jurassic Coast (Year 10 and above)

For Year 6 and older, a guided tour of nearby Kimmeridge Bay is an option; a wonderful example of The Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site and an excellent opportunity to find fossils.

SEN pupils are welcome, and itineraries are agreed with schools prior to an educational visit. Previous visits by SEN pupils – including blind, deaf and those with severe autism and/or mobility issues – have been very successful.

During an educational visit, there is a large, dedicated classroom area used exclusively by the school for the talks, activities, lunch and breaks. For older pupils, the area is also available for any additional activities – such as planning, writing and drawing – required by the school. Adjoining the classroom is a large balcony, also available for exclusive use by the school.

Why Choose Us for an Educational Visit:

• Built in 2016, a modern, fully accessible museum
• World-class fossils, telling the story of Earth’s deep time
• Fully flexible content, with hands-on specimens and interactive activities that reinforce and build on the national curriculum
• Amazing displays and CGI that give children a day they won’t forget
• Around 100 educational visits per year, with an average feedback rating of 4.8/5
• As well as the content, teachers have praised the enthusiasm of staff, the appropriate pitching of the material, the easy and friendly booking process and the strong engagement of their classes. 95% of schools that have visited us have revisited the following year

Subjects and Topics Covered:

• General science
• Environmental science
• Life science
• Earth science
• Geology and geography
• Natural history
• Coastal erosion
• Food chains
• Habitats
• Adaptation
• Evolution
• Fossil formation and preservation
• Fossil discovery, excavation, preparation and curation
• Rocks and soils
• Mary Anning
• Social history
• Art

Accreditation and Awards:

Arts Council Accredited and Designated Museum

Group Sizes Catered For:

Up to 50 during a single visit. Larger groups, i.e. up to 100, can be accommodated by splitting the visit into two groups, half a day each.

Itineraries, Resources, and Workshops:

Visits are tailored to suit the school, and typically consist of three parts:

• TALK – 30-60 minutes with a break as appropriate. Subjects include fossils, rocks and Mary Anning, while examples are handled by each pupil. The talk reinforces the national curriculum and provides context for the gallery tour, which follows. Questions are encouraged!

• TOUR – 30-45 minutes. Pupils are split into smaller, manageable groups (15 or fewer) and expertly guided around the collection, where several hundred fossils are displayed beneath giant CGI screens that show the animals as they would have looked in the Jurassic oceans. Depending on the age of the pupils and the needs of the school, the tour includes various concepts, such as food chains, adaptation, evolution and exceptional preservation.

• ACTIVITIES – 30-45 minutes. Running in parallel with the tour, these interactive activities are delivered by knowledgeable museum staff to smaller groups, typically fewer than eight pupils, and include:

o fossil/rock inspection using the powerful museum microscopes
o creative art where pupils design their own prehistoric animals
o a timeline of Earth history (Year 6 and above)
o a fossil reptile ID game (Year 10 and above)
o a timeline of The Jurassic Coast (Year 10 and above)

For Year 6 and older, a guided tour of nearby Kimmeridge Bay is an option; a wonderful example of The Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site and an excellent opportunity to find fossils.

During an educational visit there is a large, dedicated classroom area used exclusively by the school for the talks, activities, lunch and breaks. For older pupils the area is also available for any additional activities – such as planning, writing and drawing – required by the school. Adjoining the classroom is a large balcony, also available for exclusive use by the school.

SEN pupils are welcome, and itineraries are agreed with schools prior to an educational visit. Previous visits by SEN pupils – including blind, deaf and those with severe autism and/or mobility issues – have been very successful.

Risk Assessment:

Risk assessments, updated annually, have been produced for two areas:
• Inside the museum
• Outside the museum, i.e. the optional visit to Kimmeridge Bay

Education Department Information:

Nick Nugent is the Education Coordinator: nick.nugent@theetchescollection.org
Nick has a science degree and has been teaching for over 20 years. In the last five years Nick has built the museum’s Education Programme and leads its delivery, supported by museum staff. As the number of visiting schools has grown, the museum has recruited additional teaching staff.

Pricing Information:

Costs range from £7 per pupil to £10 per pupil, depending on age and optional activities. Primary school standard visits are £7 per pupil, with all support staff free of charge.

Facilities:

• Dedicated classroom, with adjoining balcony
• Museum galleries, displaying Jurassic fossils
• Two large, powerful microscopes
• Toilets
• Shop
• Kitchen with tea/coffee facilities, available on request

Accessibility and Disabled Facilities:

• Fully accessible museum, located across two floors, with lift
• No steps from car park into museum
• Hearing loop

Opening Hours:

General opening hours are daily, 10am to 5pm. Educational visits can also be made outside these times, by special arrangement