Primary Schools
Situated on the World Heritage Site Jurassic Coast, the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre can offer a wide range of opportunities that bring learning to life in the great outdoors.
The Centre itself is an excellent resource for schools with interactive displays, marine aquarium tanks, fossil touch table and the Jurassic Theatre. Located on the seafront at Charmouth with coach parking facilities a short 5 minute walk away there are toilet facilities at both the coach park and the seafront and the Centre has disabled access.Detailed below are brief outlines of the core learning sessions that we currently offer at the Centre. Further information on each session can be found by clicking on the 'read more' link.
The Centre can also adapt some of the activities for those children and young adults with special educational needs. The Warden team are happy to work with teaching staff to provide tailor made trips to suit your own learning objectives as well as our standard activities. All sessions are fully risk assessed.
All sessions must be booked with the Warden team in advance as they are dependent on the tides.
Visit the Centre
Primary Schools
The Centre is an excellent resource for schools, with interactive touch screen displays, fossil touch table, fossil discovery dig, aquarium tanks, and a Jurassic Theatre. It also houses a small shop area with educational materials and souvenirs including many pocket money items for those school trip spends.
Visits to the Centre are free of charge, but you must book your visit in advance as the Centre is busy with organised trips all year round.
Fossil Hunting
Primary Schools
The session starts at the Centre with a short film show entitled “Finding Fossils at Charmouth”, followed by a warden talk around the fossil touch table with top tips on what to look for and how to find it! All relevant health and safety information is given to the children before heading out onto the beach accompanied by the warden to look for fossils. All finds during the day can be taken back to school or home at the end of the session.
Fossil Film Show & Talk
Primary Schools
The Fossil Film Show gives an overview of the geology of the World Heritage Site 'Jurassic Coast', with a focus on how fossils are formed and the types of fossils that can be found on Charmouth beach. There are two versions of the film show available depending on the age of the children. The film is followed by a Warden talk around the fossil touch table, where the children are shown real specimens that have been found on the beach with information about how these creatures would have lived in the Jurassic seas.
Rockpool Ramble
Primary Schools
The group meets the Marine Warden at the large metal anchor by Cobb Gate car park, Lyme Regis before a short walk takes you to the site of Broad Ledge. We then take a ramble over the rocks to discover the weird and wonderful plants and animals that live on our seashore and how they have adapted to living in this challenging environment. All relevant health and safety information is given to the children before heading out onto the rock pooling area. All necessary equipment is provided by the Centre.
Investigating Coastlines
Primary Schools
What makes a coastline, who uses it and what can we see? Using the beach area at Charmouth, how do we use the coastal environment and what natural processes affect it? Coastal mapping, eroding sandcastles, what makes a wave and beach profiles. All relevant health and safety information is given to the children before heading out onto the beach. All necessary equipment is provided.
Aquarium Visit
Primary Schools
A warden guided visit to the Lyme Regis aquarium situated on the Cobb, Lyme Regis. Discover the creatures of the seashore and deeper waters of Lyme Bay. The children will be able to handle live specimens during the visit. This activity links in very well with a rockpool ramble session to make a whole day at the beach. You can extend your visit further in the aquarium with worksheets on request.
Languages
Phone: 01297 560772