Risk Assessment

We are unable to supply a standard risk assessment to visiting schools or youth groups. The nature of our work means that potential risk factors are constantly changing as we create new areas and animal exhibits are changed.

Group leaders of pre-booked groups can make an appointment to visit the Park at any time during normal open hours, to complete a risk assessment prior to their visit. We do not charge for such preliminary visits but ask that you give us at least five working days notice of your visit by contacting our Education Co-ordinator before your proposed free visit. (Contact details below)

The following points should be taken in to account when compiling your risk assessment:

Before you travel

• A reminder that we require you to supervise all pupils, who are 16 and younger, throughout your visit. To enable you to do so effectively, we give you a free adult entry for every five pupils. We will ask schools that do not supervise their pupils to leave the Park.
  
• Check for possible fur/feather allergies in your group.
  
• Name-tags or stickers for each child, incorporating the mobile phone number of the Group Leader.
  

Vehicles within the Park

• Car park and the movement of vehicles (both visitor and park vehicles).
  
• Train tracks, crossings and getting on and off the train.
  

Other physical dangers within the Park

• The adventure playground.
  
• Climbing on barriers, trees and raised gardens, all of which are against the Park’s regulations.
  

Close encounters with animals

• The importance of not touching the plants or animals, unless in permitted areas.
  
• Entering and exiting buildings with subdued lighting (bat and reptile houses).
  
• The need to ensure that pupils wash their hands after visiting walk-through enclosures, such as the tropical house, children’s farm and Madagascar.
  
• The need to get pupils to wash their hands before eating.
  
• Remind the children that litter is dangerous to many of our animals.
  
• The lemurs have learned that bags mean food, thus we require the pupils and staff to leave their bags outside the Madagascar enclosure.
  

Meeting points within the Park

• Arrange a meeting point within the Park, in case of separation from the group.
  
• Deciding where you will eat any food you may bring or purchase.
  
• Remember the location of the first aid room within the manor house, (please see the Park map).click here to download a copy of the Park’s map in .pdf format
  

The Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens make every effort to ensure that your visit is safe and enjoyable. However, the Park is a working environment in which unexpected events can occur. We rely on the common sense of teachers and other adults and on good supervision of visiting groups to ensure that potential hazards do not result in accidents.

We do have a number of staff with first-aid training and a well-equipped first-aid room situated in the manor house.

The Cotswold Wildlife Park carries Public Liability Insurance in excess of £10 million.

If you have any general enquiries or queries about compiling your risk assessment, please contact the Education Co-ordinator on 01993 825720 or email to education@cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk.