Teacher’s
Information Pack
Contact: Laura Ferguson, Education Development Officer, laura.ferguson@oldham.gov.uk or
0161 770 4643 or via Firstclass.
Welcome
How to use this resource
This resource contains all of the practical information you need to organise, plan and
get the most from your visit to Gallery Oldham. These include:
o Gallery Oldham & its collections
o Planning and booking a visit
o Essential information for your visit
Gallery Oldham and its Collections
Gallery Oldham, a local authority Art Gallery and Museum in the heart of Oldham town
centre welcomes 95,000 visitors per year. We offer an extensive programme of
exhibitions, events, courses and talks, schools workshops and family activities.
We have been collecting artworks and objects since 1883 and are still collecting today.
Our fantastic and diverse collection spans fine and decorative arts, social and natural
history. The current collections include over 12,000 social and industrial history items,
more than 2,000 works of art, about 1,000 items of decorative art, more than 80,000
natural history specimens, over 1,000 geological specimens, about 3,000
archaeological artefacts.
Planning your visit
Central to the Gallery’s work is the delivery of curriculum focussed workshops offering
high quality learning opportunities for all schools, colleges and universities.
Artist led workshops
We offer a wide range of curriculum focused artist led workshops which provide a
range of experiences from natural history to textiles, printing to music. Our
workshops are led by professional artists and educators and cover all areas of our
collections of Art, Craft, Social History and Natural History. All sessions include
time exploring the collections and exhibitions in the galleries with an accompanying
practical session in our large education suite. All materials and resources are
provided. To ensure that you get the most from your visit, we provide pre and post
visit resources to connect the workshop to your wider learning.
All gallery workshops are subject to availability, are two hours long and charged at
£100 for classes up to 35. Please note, for cancellations made up to two weeks
prior to your visit, charges will still apply.
Self guided workshops
In addition to our artist led workshops, we also encourage self guided visits and
can arrange resources for your visit when booked in advance. New for this year we
have developed a range of three KS1 based Natural History inspired explorer
sacks which can be used during a self guided visits. The explorer sacks are free if
charge, must be booked in advance and cover the following three areas— Garden
Wildlife, Oldham Owls and Maths in Nature.
Museum on the Move
If the rising prices of transport costs are preventing you from visiting the gallery, our
popular outreach service is a fantastic way to bring history to life in the classroom
Contact: Laura Ferguson, Education Development Officer, laura.ferguson@oldham.gov.uk or
0161 770 4643 or via Firstclass.
using our museum objects and artefacts. Travel back through time to meet
characters from the past in our brand new Museum on the Move sessions. Bring
history to life in your classroom as we tell stories from the past using museum
objects, drama and literacy. All workshops are subject to availability, are two hours
long and are charged at £100 for classes up to 35.
Bookings
Due to the popularity of the programme, please get in touch with a range of dates
as early as possible to avoid disappointment. To make an enquiry, please
complete the ‘Bookings Enquiry Form’ return to Laura Ferguson via
laura.ferguson@oldham.gov.uk or via Firstclass. The Education Team will aim to
process your enquiry within five working days and get back to you with further
details. For more information and additional copies of our booking form, please
visit our website www.galleryoldham.org.uk/learning Please note, for
cancellations made up to two weeks prior to your visit, charges will still
apply.
Once your booking is confirmed, you will receive a letter of confirmation,
information pack for teachers, risk assessment and PEEP (personal emergency
evacuation procedure) form. If the PEEP form is required, please complete and
return prior to your visit.
Our Education Team are always happy to meet with teachers to discuss your
visit, offer advice and share ideas about future work. We look forward to
welcoming you back to Gallery Oldham in the autumn term.
From led workshops and self guided visits to family friendly activities and talks, our
extensive range of programmes cater for all ages and styles of learning, enabling you to
get the most out of your visit.
Contact: Laura Ferguson, Education Development Officer, laura.ferguson@oldham.gov.uk or
0161 770 4643 or via Firstclass.
Planning and booking a visit
Our dedicated Education and Outreach Team are always on hand to support your visit,
facilitating both led and self guided workshops. Our Schools Programme detailing the current
range of workshops we offer can be downloaded from our website
www.galleryoldham.org.uk/learning
Bookings
Due to the popularity of the programme, please get in touch with a range of dates as early as
possible to avoid disappointment. To make an enquiry, please complete the ‘Bookings Enquiry
Form’ return to Laura Ferguson via laura.ferguson@oldham.gov.uk or via Firstclass. The
Education Team will aim to process your enquiry within five working days and get back to you
with further details. For more information and additional copies of our booking form, please
visit our website www.galleryoldham.org.uk/learning Please note, for cancellations made up
to two weeks prior to your visit, charges will still apply.
Once your booking is confirmed, you will receive a letter of confirmation, information pack for
teachers, risk assessment and PEEP (personal emergency evacuation procedure) form. If the
PEEP form is required, please complete and return prior to your visit.
Our Education Team are always happy to meet with teachers to discuss your visit, offer advice
and share ideas about future work. We look forward to welcoming you back to Gallery Oldham
in the autumn term.
From led workshops and self guided visits to family friendly activities and talks, our extensive range
of programmes cater for all ages and styles of learning, enabling you to get the most out of your visit.
Contact: Laura Ferguson, Education Development Officer, laura.ferguson@oldham.gov.uk or
0161 770 4643 or via Firstclass.
How to book
To avoid disappointment, please get in touch as far in advance as possible as our schools
programme is very popular. We have a New Booking Enquiry form which can be found in our
schools programme and on our website. When completed, please email to Education
Development Officer, Laura Ferguson, laura.ferguson@oldham.gov.uk or via
Firstclass
The Education Team will process your enquiry and check availability for the selected dates. If
you have requested an artist led session, we will need to check the availability of the artist(s)
and we aim to get back to you within five working days. For both led and self guided visits,
please provided a range of dates and the team will be in touch.
Confirmation
Once the booking is confirmed, you will receive a confirmation letter which outlines the
details of your visit, a copy of our risk assessment and PEEP (Personal Emergency
Evacuation Plan) form. If appropriate, the PEEP form will need to be completed and returned
to the Education Development Officer prior to your visit. We strongly advise that you visit the
Gallery prior to your visit to familiarise yourself with the building and spaces and conduct your
own risk assessment.
Please note, for cancellations made up to two weeks prior to your visit, charges for
artist led sessions will still apply.
Self guided visits
Self guided visits are free of charge but must be booked in advance. Here are a few tips to
help you get the most from your self guided visit.

Make a preliminary visit to the Gallery to familiarise yourself with the spaces,
exhibitions and toilets etc. Our Education Team are always happy to meet with
teachers and show you around the gallery during a preliminary visit.

We can provide clipboards, paper and pencils and have a wide range of resources to
support your self guided visit – all must be booked in advance.

Brief all accompanying staff and adults prior to the visit on what you will be doing and
if there are specific objects that you will be focusing on.
Ratios for self guided and led workshops
Ratio of children to adults, at least:
o Aged 2 - 3 years: 1 adult to 4 children
o Aged 4 - 8 years: 1 adult to 6 children
o Aged 9 - 12 years: 1 adult to 8 children
Contact: Laura Ferguson, Education Development Officer, laura.ferguson@oldham.gov.uk or 0161 770 4643 or via
Firstclass.
Essential information for your visit
Gallery Oldham is open Monday – Saturday 10.00am- 5.00pm (last admission 4.45pm) closed
on Sunday and Bank Holidays.
As a public gallery, school groups will be sharing the gallery spaces with general visitors. Please
ensure that all members of your group familiarise themselves with this information prior your
visit.
o
Upon arrival, you will be met by a member
of the Education Team in the foyer and
asked to sign your group in.
o
The adult to pupil ratio must be met or
the session will cease immediately.
o
You will need to bring an up-to-date list of
your group (including children, teaching
staff & parents) to the gallery when you
visit.
o
All staff, adult helpers and pupils must
listen carefully to the health and safety talk
upon arrival.
o
You are responsible for your class at all
times and must not leave your group for
any reason.
o
Should it be necessary to leave your group
during a led session, you must inform the
workshop leader and confirm which
member of school staff holds responsibility
in your absence.
o
No shouting – acoustics in the gallery can
be problematic and it can get noisy.
o
No running – floors are slippery and
children may fall and hurt themselves,
someone else or damage an artwork.
o
No food or drink is permitted in the public
gallery spaces.
o
The use of art materials is limited in the
galleries- please discuss when booking for
self guided visit.
o
Please be careful not to touch objects and
artworks unless otherwise stated. Even the
cleanest fingers can leave a mark or cause
irreversible damage.
o
Toilets are situated on the ground floor and
on level one. Pupils must be escorted to
the facilities by an adult.
o
In the event of a fire alarm, people must
make their way out of the nearest exit, as
directed by Gallery staff and gather outside
the main entrance. Please keep you class
register with you to check you group.
o
General visitors are not always permitted
to take photographs in the galleries, due to
the large volume of loaned works on
display. Please check if photography is
permitted in the areas you wish to
photograph.
o
Teachers and pupils are allowed to take
photographs in the Education Suite.
Contact: Laura Ferguson, Education Development Officer, laura.ferguson@oldham.gov.uk or 0161 770 4643 or via
Firstclass.
New Booking Enquiry Form
Please fill in the new booking enquiry form below at least two weeks before your proposed visit
and email to Education Development Officer, Laura Ferguson laura.ferguson@oldham.gov.uk
or call 0161 770 4643.
The Education Team will process your enquiry and check availability for the selected dates. If
you have requested an artist led session, we will need to check the availability of the
artist(s).For all enquiries, we aim to get back to you within five working days.
Name of Institution:
Address and postcode:
Contact name:
Job title:
Telephone number:
Email:
Potential date(s) of session(s)
Am or Pm session required:
Please tick: Am (10.00am-12.00pm)
or Pm (1.00-3.00pm)
Year group & current topic:
Number of pupils:
Self guided /led workshop
Preferred led session:
Access requirements/special
needs:
Contact: Laura Ferguson, Education Development Officer, laura.ferguson@oldham.gov.uk or
0161 770 4643 or via Firstclass.
Contact: Laura Ferguson, Education Development Officer, laura.ferguson@oldham.gov.uk or
0161 770 4643 or via Firstclass.