Drayton Manor
Drayton Manor
Drayton Manor is a fun-filled theme park near Tamworth with rides like Apocalypse, Maelstrom and Pandemonium, animals and of course Thomas Land, home of Thomas the Tank Engine. There's even a 4D cinema and a Dino Trail.
School Visits
Drayton Manor is the favourite day out for schools and colleges. History, heritage, nature and conservation, science, Business and leisure and Health and Safety – there's a host of educational opportunities – plus real value for money!
Key Stage 1 Workshops
We have a number of workshops designed for younger children. They are interactive and hands-on, with learning points broken up by fun activities and discussions. These workshops are not suitable for nursery children.
Animal Encounter (30 mins, max 35 per group)
A chance for children to meet and interact with the animals in our Discovery Centre. The education officer will introduce the children to the animals along with some fun facts about them! Children will get to touch some of the animals and handle our biological artefacts which could include leopard fur, hippo teeth, monkey skull, alligator skin, ostrich eggs, elephant tusks and much more.
Feathers, Fur and Scales (45 mins, max 35 per group)
This is an interactive session where children can investigate the appearance of animals, using live animals and a variety of artifacts. We will look at the features of furry animals, feathery animals and scaly animals through hands-on experiences and a selection of group activities.
Dinosaur Discovery (45 mins, max 35 per group)
In the role of a palaeontologist pupils will investigate a range of dinosaurs to discover what they ate, how they moved around, what they looked and felt like and the fact that they are now extinct. They will then conduct their own fossil dig to find and assemble a 2D dinosaur skeleton. Within this interactive workshop pupils will even meet one living reptile!
Primary Workshops
Variety of Life (1 hour) Session covers:
This session gives an overview of the main groups in the Animal Kingdom. Children will learn the difference between vertebrates and invertebrates, as well as the main characteristics of the mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and insects. Pupils will look at the smallest and largest animal in each group and think about how the groups are different from each other. We will also look at some weird creatures!
Habitats & Adaptation (1 hour) Session covers:
This session gives an overview of habitats and animal adaptation, using case studies to demonstrate these principles. Children will learn what a habitat is and the different world habitats, characteristics of the rainforest, grasslands, and desert, as well as looking in depth at how some of our Discovery Centre animals are adapted to these familiar habitats. We will also take a quick look at some weird creatures!
Teeth & Eating (1 hour) Session covers:
This session gives an overview of the main different types of feeding strategies an animal can have: carnivore, herbivore and omnivore. It also looks at how an animal’s teeth are adapted to their diet, with the use of real skulls to demonstrate mammal teeth names. Other adaptations that animals have to catch their food, as well as escape being eaten will be discussed using animal artefacts to highlight features such as camouflage and weapons. The term insectivore will be briefly introduced as another type of eating strategy.
Secondary and College Workshops (1 hour)
All talks are interactive, involving several group tasks to help engage students. A maximum group size may apply, please speak to an education officer for more information.
Drayton Manor as a Business: Session covers:
- Basic background info on the business
- Mission statement & objectives
- Organizational structure & functional areas
- Advertising to customers and the 4 P’s of marketing
- Marketing department and campaigns
- Retaining customers – good customer service and its importance
- Recruitment & selection process incl. interviews & training
- Finance Overview
Customer Service: Session covers:
- Background of the business
- Mission statement and organizational structure
- What is customer service?
- Customer service principles
- Why customer service is important
- Meeting customer needs & expectations
- Market research
- How we ensure good customer service incl. emergency procedures
- Staff training & motivation
- Handling customer complaints
Marketing: Session covers:
- Basic background info on the business
- Mission statement & objectives
- Competitors
- Marketing Campaigns
- Researching and meeting customer expectations
- Promotional and advertising methods
- Marketing Mix (4 P’s)
- Measuring and evaluating strategies
- Product life cycle
- SWOT and PEST (additional if required)
Human Resources: Session covers:
- Basic background info on the business
- Mission statement & objectives
- Role of HR Department
- Recruitment and selection process
- Applications
- Interviews
- Training and motivating the team
- Maintaining standards – monitoring & disciplinary procedures
- Difference between seasonal and permanent staff
ICT at Drayton Manor: Session covers:
- Basic background info on the business
- Mission statement & objectives
- Role of ICT department
- Information systems in the park - ticket system and till system.
- Website design and maintenance
- Graphic design
- ICT use on the rides - PLC's
Land Use & Sustainability: Session covers:
- Mission statement and organizational structure
- The Peel Estate
- Restoring Drayton Manor land
- Early years of Drayton Manor Park
- Ride and rollercoaster history
- Recent and future changes at Drayton Manor
- Sustainability and the impacts of tourism
- Drayton Manor and being green
- Sustainability of our business as a tourist attraction
Rollercoaster Design Session covers:
Please note Design a Ride booklets are £1 each
One booklet is needed per group of 5 students
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How rollercoasters work -energy using K'Nex
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Where rollercoasters come from
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How rollercoasters are designed
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Design a rollercoaster in groups
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Share ideas
Ride Mechanics
Brand new session coming soon!
Design a Diner: Session covers:
- Overview of Drayton Manor Park and our catering department
- Pupils decide theme of new diner, considering decoration & food type
- Pupils create a logo for their diner
- Pupils design a menu, promotion deals and prices
- Pupils draw the outside of their diner and plan the inside layout
- A chance to share their ideas with the rest of the group
Please note an Animal Encounter is also available for secondary school pupils.