School Talks - Key Stages 1 to 4
Our range of school talks supports our paper-based and online resources and is designed to help you get the most from your visit to the Park.
Your pupils can take part in various structured activities that are linked to the National Curriculum at Key Stages 1, 2, 3 & 4. For example, our Road Safety event links to the PSHE and Citizenship curricula at KS1 and 2 - 'developing a healthy, safer lifestyle' and also covers two of the five outcomes from the Government's Every Child Matters agenda - 'stay safe' and 'enjoy and achieve'.
Key Stages 1 & 2 - Road Safety
The standard road safety talks available throughout the season will cover key principles of road safety and help to raise awareness of potential risks. Talk content will include a look at how pupils can stay safe as a pedestrian, how to cross the road safely, the basics of The Highway Code and the identification of dangers relating to different environments and conditions such as darkness and weather. Ultimately, we want children to develop a safer lifestyle by helping them to understand how to behave responsibly on the roads. The green cross code will also be used and the children will learn a road safety rap, which hopefully will stick in their minds for when they are crossing roads. BE SAFE!
Visit www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk
Key Stages 3 & 4
Marketing
Includes a brief history of the Park, followed by a description of how the various owners of the park have invested in it over the past 20-25 years. We then discuss advertising and promotion, the objectives of the Marketing dept, the 4 P's and business characteristics. The talk can be geared towards specific marketing topics if required - for example Corporate Events and ride launches.
Customer Services
This talk discusses the importance of excellent customer service - both to external and internal customers. We talk about the tangible and intangible aspects of the product, the type of feedback we get, and what we can do when there is a breakdown in service. We can also cover the Alton Towers' Standards and Values.
Human Resources
This talk touches on planning, recruitment and selection of fixed-term and permanent staff, as well as current legislation relating to Human Resources. We discuss performance management, training and development and describe staff benefits. If required, we can go into greater detail about job roles and functional areas of the Park. Additionally, we can discuss the Alton Towers' Standards and Values.
Health and Safety
This talk discusses Alton Towers' Health & Safety Policy and Regulations. We go on to talk about our Security operation, the First Aid Centre, and the necessary provsions for our disabled guests and their carers. We then look at three departments that are particularly concerned with H & S: Rides, Technical Services and the H & S Department itself.
Design and Technology
Using examples of some of the best known rides at the attraction this talk focusses on key areas of Planning, Structures, Mechanisms and Systems and Controls.
Planning: looks at the background work that needs to take place before a ride is constructed; such as research, site location, environmental considerations, ride theming and planning permission.
Structures: investigates different types of structural forms and the various forces that are exerted on each structure, giving examples of Alton Towers&' rides to demonstrate.
Mechanisms: explains the key types of mechanisms e.g. pulleys, belts and gears and details how and where these are utilised on the rides.
Systems and controls: Looks at systems and controls
in operation on many of the rides at Alton Towers.
ICT
Subjects covered include call handling, the admissions system and park communication We also look briefly at how IT is used by various departments, including Rides, Retail, Finance and Administration, and discuss its role in market research, advertising and promotion.
