A teacher calls to ask whether a class can visit on Wednesday. An available time does not settle the booking. You need to know the programme, everyone entering the building and the preparation between coach arrival and the start of the activity.
This record is an example for organising a booking rather than a particular museum’s visitor policy. Use it to check the offer and reply to the school’s adult representative. Programme details, capacity and admission conditions follow your institution’s actual arrangements.
Choose a programme for the class rather than just a time
An exhibition title and a school session title may refer to different services. Ask about the chosen programme, school stage and purpose of the visit. Children’s names are unnecessary for deciding whether the topic fits. If the school has not selected an activity, explain the distinction between an independent visit, guided tour and workshop.
Establish whether the proposed time means the activity begins or the group meets at the entrance. The teacher needs one agreed version to share with the driver and other accompanying adults. Where a programme needs a particular room or educator, check their availability before replying. A general building calendar cannot replace that confirmation.
A workshop may be limited by working stations, while a tour depends on how many people one guide can accommodate. Group workshop bookings cover that separate case. For a school visit, also establish how accompanying adults take part in this programme and what their presence means for the stated limit.
Record pupils and adults before checking capacity
In this fictional example, 24 pupils arrive with three accompanying adults. That makes 27 people entering, but does not necessarily mean 27 workshop stations.
Establish what the offer’s capacity counts. Do not subtract adults simply because they are not doing the exercise. They can still occupy room or entrance capacity.
Scroll the table sideways to see all columns.
| Item | Arrangement to confirm |
|---|---|
| Pupils | 24 people taking part in the programme. |
| Accompanying adults | Three adults; involvement agreed with the museum. |
| Admission | 27 people in total. |
| Activity limit | Check whether it covers everyone or only working stations. |
If the class cannot fit in one session, discuss a split with the team. Two smaller groups may require two educators or different times.
Do not present this as automatically available after dividing a number in the form. Each part needs its own confirmed organisation, contact arrangement and meeting instructions before the school can rely on it.
Pricing also needs a clear explanation. Distinguish the programme charge, admission and adult participation according to the actual offer. One combined headcount does not create separate ticket categories automatically.
The teacher needs the agreed basis of charging before communicating it to the school. Avoid implying that capacity treatment determines whether an adult pays.
Keep one adult contact and a concise agreement record
The person making the booking should represent the group and be able to confirm a change. Keep the contact details required to organise the visit and the institution name if your process uses it.
The arrival-day phone may belong to another adult; explain that distinction. Do not assume the person emailing will travel with the class.
- Identify the person handling arrangements.Confirm the teacher or other adult school representative and how a proposed change will reach them.
- Record the selected programme.Include the activity name, date, meeting time and separate numbers for pupils and adults.
- Separate questions from confirmations.Keep a group split, room availability or other unapproved arrangement clearly marked as open.
- Send one current version.After checking, provide the agreed headcount and meeting point, and ask the contact to identify any discrepancy.
Do not collect children’s names or health descriptions in a basic booking record. When access arrangements need discussion, offer the appropriate contact channel and ask about practical participation requirements.
A functional note can help prepare the visit without becoming a collection of private information. Your institution determines who is authorised to discuss those arrangements and how they are recorded.
Example after verification: “We have accepted the visit for the local history programme selected for your class. The agreed group is 24 pupils and three accompanying adults; everyone meets at the specified entrance before the activity begins. Please report a headcount change before arrival so the team can review its effect on the arrangements. If delayed, contact reception using the number provided in your agreed visit details.” Replace the programme and entrance description with your own confirmed information. Do not send a template containing details your institution has not agreed. This reply concerns a particular accepted booking rather than a promise to accommodate any school class under similar conditions. Keep the reference to that booking alongside the message so reception can find the applicable arrangement.
Keep an internal note for the receiving team identifying an open question and the person who will resolve it. Avoid turning that note into a second, conflicting confirmation for the school. The teacher’s reply should follow the current accepted arrangements.
Explain the route from the coach to the activity meeting point
“Please arrive at 10:00” leaves a question about where the complete class must be then. Specify the meeting point, correct entrance and activities required before the session.
Your arrangements might include a cloakroom, booking check or gathering everyone together. Distinguish transport arrival from being ready to begin, so the teacher can plan the transition.
Do not calculate walking time solely from map distance. The team knows the approach and entrance conditions for a large group. If coach parking is outside the museum grounds, provide information confirmed by the institution.
Avoid promising a stop directly outside the entrance without agreement. A link to a map does not establish permission to park there.
The teacher also needs a contact if the group is delayed. Explain who to call and which booking details to give. What happens next follows the museum’s policy, so do not guarantee that every delayed group can start later with the complete programme.
Preserve the answer for this particular visit and communicate any approved change consistently to the reception team.
Recheck the arrangements before accepting a headcount change
The day before arrival, the teacher reports 26 pupils instead of 24. Updating a note is insufficient if the number affects programme capacity.
Check whether the larger group can attend, how accompanying adults participate and whether the agreed charge changes. Then send the confirmed version to the contact. A received change request is not itself approval of the new headcount.
- The selected programme and school stage match the offer.
- Pupils, accompanying adults and occupied places are distinguished.
- The adult contact and meeting point are confirmed.
- Open arrangements remain visible before approval.
- A headcount change has been checked and communicated to the team.
A smaller group also calls for checking consequences before promising a lower price. Do not require the teacher to create another booking without a reason. One current record helps inform the educator and reception.
The earlier version should no longer appear to be the applicable confirmation. Make clear which arrangement was superseded rather than leaving two competing versions in circulation.
Move the agreed offer into Meetlead Bookings
In Meetlead Bookings, you can prepare the offer, participant number, adult contact details and notes. Explain in the offer description who the entered number includes.
Notes can retain a short pupil/adult distinction. They do not automatically split a class or calculate different ticket categories. Configure capacity according to the confirmed meaning of a place.
When the team must review the programme, use manual approval and handle pending requests. Configuration needs an account, website and appropriate permissions. Check function access and limits in your Meetlead offer.
Approve the record after actually reviewing the arrangements. A pending request should not be described to the teacher as an accepted visit before that decision is made.
Before sharing, try the example class booking and check that the form does not suggest a different headcount from the description. The contact form guide helps reduce questions, while the online booking system guide covers wider preparation. Use the test to identify the exact point where an adult might count only pupils by mistake.
Questions that arise when booking a school class
Should you collect each pupil’s details? Basic organisation uses group numbers and an adult contact. Do not create a list of children because the form contains a notes field. Address any particular institutional requirement through the appropriate channel, with the person authorised to handle it.
Do accompanying adults occupy places? This depends on what the offer’s limit measures. Establish whether it concerns the room, admission or exercise stations.
Agree adult pricing separately rather than deriving it from the capacity number or assuming a person who does not participate never occupies space.
Does an available time mean the class is accepted? It does not replace review of the programme and complete group. If team approval is needed, keep the request pending. Tell the teacher which element is confirmed and which still needs a decision before travel arrangements depend on it.
Royal Ontario Museum provides a guide for adults accompanying school groups. Its guidance applies to its visits: ROM guide for chaperones.
