School Visits

The School Visit experience at Chelsea Bay is for pupils from Year 4 to Year 13 inclusive.

Years 4-8 - we can accommodate a maximum of 60 pupils and 6 teachers/supervisors per day
Years 9-13 - we can accommodate a maximum of 51 pupils and 3 teachers/supervisors per day
Note there is a minimum booking of 36 participants 
There are three different areas included in the schools program including a guided tour of the Chelsea Factory, a hands-on experience in the Edmonds Baking School, and exploration of our Interactive Zone.  There will also be time during the Interactive Zone session, to have a 20-30 minute lunch break.

The structure and timing for the day at Chelsea Bay is outlined below but please feel free to discuss any special educational requirements you may have, we are happy to help. You can enter this information on your booking form.

Please arrive at Chelsea Bay no later than 9.45am
9.45am-10.00am: Welcome and briefing for the day by our Chelsea Bay Host.  
10.00am-11.00am:   Session 1
11.00am-12.00pm:   Session 2
12.00pm-1.00pm:    Session 3
1.00pm-1.15pm:      Pack up and farewell

Please arrange for your transport to collect you by 1.15pm

• Factory Tour: Includes a one hour tour with our expert guide, travelling around our factory site via the Chelsea Bay train.  The students will be fully immersed walking through the factory floor, learning how raw sugar comes into our factory and is processed ready for the supermarket.  Students will also gain insights into why our Birkenhead site was chosen to become NZ's only sugar factory.  Please note we passenger weight restrictions for the train, hence the maximum number of people listed above we can accommodate per year group.
• Edmonds Baking School: Your students will learn about food safety, the different uses of flour and sugar in baking, and have a hands-on baking experience with our qualified instructor for one hour.  The students take their baking home with a recipe book in a handy pack! Please ensure you let us know if any students require the Gluten free & Vegan cookie when booking so we can prepare the ingredients for them. See below for the ingredients list for their appropriate baking class.  Pupils will bake in pairs.
• Interactive Zone: This takes students into the home of Kiwi Baking with Edmonds and Chelsea.  They will learn how flour is milled and sugar is produced from paddock to plate.  Students can spend time sharing their baking memories and play our fantastic interactive baking game!  Students spend 30 minutes in this area plus a 30 minute food break.

Depending on your group size, we will advise whether you will be divided into two or three groups to rotate around our three activities.

Years 4 to 8 inclusive:

• Two groups - 36 to 44 people (max 40 students & 4 supervisors)
• Three groups - 45 to 66 people (max 60 students & 6 supervisors)

• Two groups - 36 people (max 34 students & 2 supervisors)
• Three groups - 37 to 54 people (max 51 students & 3 supervisors)

Factory Tour Dress Code:

All pupils, teachers and supervisors MUST wear long sleeved top, long trousers and closed-in flat-soled footwear. Other factory safety gear will be provided. You must wear the safety gear provided at all times and in accordance with the instructions for use given by Chelsea Bay staff. Failure to correctly wear and use safety gear could result in injury.

Safety & Risks:

• All visitors must comply with the Chelsea Bay staff instructions
• The Chelsea Sugar Factory is a large industrial food manufacturing site and as such, there are many potential hazards and restricted access areas in the factory. Visitors must not attempt to enter any restricted access areas
• All visitors must stay with the group and on designated walkways at all times
• Children must be fully supervised at all times while on site
• Some areas of the Factory Tour may be noisy or hot – the time spent in these areas is very short and moved through quickly
• There are 80 stairs to walk up and down across the tour therefore, we cannot accommodate wheelchairs or the use of crutches.  Students may participate in another activity
• No food or drink is permitted in the factory
• There are no toilet facilities during the one hour tour
• No bags, phones or cameras are permitted on the tour - pupils can store their bags in the under-seat storage and adults may store their belongings in the secure lockers
• There may be bees’ onsite.  If anyone is allergic, we recommend bringing an Epi-Pen, if required. We reserve the right to decline entry to the factory tour to any people with bee allergy should we consider the risk of a bee sting to be unacceptable on any given day
• You agree that Chelsea Bay will not be liable for any sickness, injury, damage, loss, accident, delay or irregularity which may arise, either directly or indirectly, by reason of any defect or any other cause, or through acts of default by Chelsea Bay people or any other people engaged in the school visit
• You accept the risk of possible injury or harm associated with the school visit
• Chelsea Bay may refuse entry to or evict any person it reasonably believes is adversely affected by alcohol or drugs
• Personal property is your responsibility and Chelsea Bay will not be responsible for any loss of or damage to personal property
• The maximum supervision ratio for Factory Tours by Primary and Intermediate School students is a 1:10 adult child ratio. For Secondary school level the maximum ratio we can accommodate is a 1: 17 adult child ratio.

• Chocolate Chip Cookies: Butter, Soft Brown Sugar, Caster Sugar, Vanilla Essence, Golden Syrup, Self Raising Flour, Chocolate Chips
• Gluten Free & Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies: Coconut oil, Soft Brown Sugar, Vanilla Essence, Golden Syrup, Desiccated Coconut, Gluten Free Flour, Gluten Free Baking Powder, Chocolate Chips
• Yo-Yo Biscuits: Butter, icing sugar, vanilla essence, flour, custard powder