Book a School Visit
Introduction
Visit Kettle’s Yard to inspire, ignite curiosity and foster creativity. From free facilitated visits, exploring the Kettle’s Yard house with discussion and drawing activities, to cost-effective artist-run workshops, curriculum-linked sessions, and online resources. We welcome visits from Early years through to Higher Education. We can tailor your visit to Kettle’s Yard to meet your students’ learning needs and enrich your teaching.
Types of Visit
Explore Kettle's Yard - Facilitated Visit
Join us for an introductory exploration the Kettle’s Yard house and temporary exhibitions. Our Learning team will guide your students through discussion and drawing activities encouraging them to look and connect with artworks, ideas and the unique spaces around them.
Sessions tailored and recommended for all year levels from Primary to Higher Education.
FREE to all UK-based state schools / £75 per class for fee-paying schools
Look / Make / Talk
For a deeper engagement Look/Make/Talk takes the Kettle’s Yard house and collection as a stimulus. Through this, students will learn and apply critical and creative thinking skills to make connections, observations and explore ideas before making their own artworks to take with them.
Sessions tailored and recommended for EYFS, Primary, Secondary and Sixth Form year levels.
£75 per class for UK-based state schools / £125 per class for fee-paying schools.
Artist-led Workshops
Following an exploration of Kettle’s Yard house and temporary exhibitions, get creative with an artist-led workshop inspired by themes, ideas or materials explored.
These sessions can be tailored for your specific class or learning outcomes and are delivered with our learning team and one of our associate artist facilitators.
£180 per class for UK-based state schools / £230 per class for fee-paying schools.
Self-led visit
Self-led school or tertiary visits can be booked during our regular opening hours. You must book in advance via schoolbookings@kettlesyard.cam.ac.uk. Groups must have a staff member or supervising adult and have a ratio of minimum 1 supervisor for every 10 students for KS2 – Tertiary and 1 supervisor for every 6 students for EYFS and KS1.
FREE for ages 25 and under with accompanying adults
FREE for university students aged 25 and over if arranged with their tutor or class as a sessional visit.
Arts Award Discover Morning
Discover Kettle’s Yard through guided exploration and drawing activities then share what you enjoyed and learnt to gain your Arts Award Discover. As an Arts Award Centre Kettle’s Yard will coordinate the delivery and moderation.
£5 per child for moderation for state schools / £75 per class & £5 per child for moderation for fee-paying schools.
Language School & Other Educational Group Visits
It is essential to book any group visit in advance (including self-led groups). To do this please email schoolbookings@kettlesyard.cam.ac.uk
We will then get in touch to discuss your visit further and subsequently send a booking confirmation with final details.
Groups are very welcome to visit Kettle’s Yard galleries. Please note there needs to be 1 accompanying adult for every 10 students. House visit enquires for small groups must be received a minimum of 3 weeks in advance and cannot be guaranteed.
Planning Your School Visit
It is essential to book any group visit in advance, including self-led groups. Please try to book your visit at least 4 weeks in advance. To do this, email schoolbookings@kettlesyard.cam.ac.uk detailing:
- Your date and time preferences – include 1st, 2nd and 3rd choices so we can check against our booking calendar. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings are set aside for schools, academies, colleges and universities.
- The approximate student and staff numbers.
- The student year level.
- What type of visit (eg., Look / Make / Talk, facilitated session or artist-led workshop), you would like for your group, or ask your questions about the types of visit to help us tailor your visit.
Frequently Asked Questions
We recommend the following ratios for supervising adult and pupils:
- Early Years Foundation Stage & Key Stage 1–2 (3-11 years old): 1 adult for every 6 pupils
- Key Stages 3–5 (11–18 years old): 1 adult for every 15 pupils
- Further Education / Higher Education: 1 adult for every 15 pupils
- All self led language school or school visits: 1 adult for every 10 pupils.
Please note that teachers are responsible for the behaviour of their group at all times during their visit.
As the house is a small space, we require that group sizes over 15 pupils are be divided into smaller session groups for the house and gallery exploration. Each group must have a supervising adult.
If you are looking for activities pre-visit you can explore some of the learning resources related to the collection, including the Light, Space or Nature resources which provide inspiring introductions to key themes in Kettle’s Yard. Alternatively, explore 5 key objects from the Kettle’s Yard collection in an interactive digital resource A Handful of Objects.
There is also a virtual tour of the house and a visual story to assist prepare for your visit.
Find teachers’ resources relating to our temporary exhibitions on our past exhibition pages.
For education groups participating in a facilitated session with our learning team you can securely cloak small bags and items in the Clore Learning Studio. We can supply each pupil with a clipboard, paper and pencil for their gallery and house exploration.
No wet materials or sharpeners, erasers, pens or water bottles are permitted in the Kettle’s Yard house and many exhibitions so these must stay in the Clore Learning Studio during your session.
For self-led groups you will cloak small bag items and jackets/coats at the main reception area upon arrival and you will be required to bring your own drawing materials (pencil and paper only) if required.
You are welcome to take photographs of artworks and spaces, without flash, using mobile phone cameras or small camera devices. No tripods please.
You are welcome to use St Peter’s churchyard neighbouring Kettle’s Yard or alternatively, the grassed area in front of the cottage on Northampton Street. There are also local parks including Jesus Green nearby. Education groups participating in a session led by our learning team are also welcome to use the Clore Learning Studio, if it is available. Although this must be booked in advance with Kettle’s Yard and supervised by the school teachers. Email us to enquire: schoolbookings@kettlesyard.cam.ac.uk
Yes, you can download our risk assessment as a guide to help prepare for your visit.
Kettle’s Yard is located at Castle Street, Cambridge CB3 0AQ. Our main entrance, accessible via pathway from Castle Street or stepped pathway from Northampton Street, is used for all visitors, including school groups. Click here for further information on access.
We are open to the public 11am – 5pm, Tuesday – Sunday. If you are arriving prior to 11am for your school group visit our learning or reception team will meet you at the main reception area and assist you with entering the building.
Find out more about getting to Kettle’s Yard here.
There is some limited on-street metered (pay) parking in the surrounding area. Alternatively, there is paid parking station at Castle Hill. Coaches can drop off at Northampton Street and return to collect later.
There is one accessible toilet in the Clore Learning Studio. There are two additional sets of public toilets on the ground level and level 1 of the main Kettle’s Yard building.
You are welcome to continue exploring the exhibitions at Kettle’s Yard in the temporary gallery spaces following your booked session. These exhibitions are always free. You are, however, unable to access the Kettle’s Yard house outside of your booked session as house tickets are pre-timed and pre-booked slots.
Access and SEND at Kettle’s Yard
Kettle’s Yard is committed to offering inclusive learning opportunities to all young visitors. Please let us know of any access requirements and your visit objectives upon booking and we can work together to tailor your visit. We have facilities and opportunities to support you and your pupils.
Teachers
Other Group Visits
