Cross Curricular Day: First Day at Pit (Jan-Mar 2025)

A cross-curricular, immersive experience during which pupils will certainly get their hands dirty! They will take part in a range of interactive activities, which will give them an insight into the working life of a miner.

Pupils will meet a miner and their mentor (one of our staff in role) who will show them how to make checks (discs used for checking who was down the mine) and introduce the day of work ahead.

Pupils then divide into two groups to take part in two interactive activities:

A: Pupils will explore the Pithead Baths and get to handle Museum objects as they learn about the routine of a miner’s day at work and find out about clothing and safety.

B: Pupils will investigate safety posters from the Museum collection and learn about different jobs done at the mine by handling objects.

In the afternoon, pupils will have a guided tour of the Lister-Kaye Tunnel and meet the Museum’s Horsekeepers  and ponies. They will also have a Q&A session with a Mine Guide – and will get to ask any questions they want to know about mining. 

If you’ve got time towards the end of your visit, explore our Nature Trail and let off steam in our Adventure Playground.

Useful information:

• We are only open Wednesday – Friday for on site bookings (Virtual Workshops are available on Mondays & Tuesdays)
• We have capacity for a maximum of 2 classes per school, per day.
• Schools will need to request an enquiry form using the ‘Enquire’ button to the left, submitting details of your visit and 3 preferred dates in order to book. We will then contact you as soon as possible to confirm.
• Lunch space is included and will be exclusive to your school.

Did you know that we also offer Virtual Workshops in a variety of topics that can be accessed from your classroom? Topics include Meet a Miner, the Victorians and Rocks and Fossils.

You can also use our downloadable resources to aid your pupils learning before and after your visit.

Email our Bookings Assistant, Sharon, on bookings@ncm.org.uk to enquire.

From June 2024, our schools bookings prices have had a slight increase, the first in three years. We have scrapped booking fees and introduced a streamlined price package which includes facilitators, learning resources and lunch rooms (if required) for 30 students. Additional students will incur a cost per child. Any bookings made prior to this point will be honoured at the original price.

The Museum is undertaking major maintenance work between January and March 2025. This means that the underground will not be open and therefore there will be no tours available, this session (running Jan-Mar) will offer students an engaging and immersive day.