Access and SEND

If you are visiting with a Special Needs School or with bringing students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities to visit the cathedral, please take a look at our offers, support and guidance below. We welcome any and all students and hope to provide access for all. 

Booking Support for your Visit

Please let us know of any visual, hearing, mobility and learning needs when booking and we will support students and teachers with any access requirements. 

When booking your guided visit be sure to request our free Access to Learning Bundle to help support your students on their themed workshop. This SEND resource is available for those booking Guided Visits and aims to increase access to our workshop themes and ensure all children are included. 

See what you will find in your Access to Learning Bundle:

-    Ear defenders, timers, magnifiers, torches, squidgy shapes and fidgets 
-    Photo booklets, reading windows, visual story and large print images
-    Specific themed supports for Themed Workshops including; object handling, colouring in and pencils, sound boxes and scent boxes.

One Access to Learning to Bundle available per class.

If you are a self-guided group and would like to use the resource, please get in touch with us at learning@stpaulscathedral.org.uk and we can see if an Access to Learning Bundle is available. Although this is not currently guaranteed, we are hoping provide a similar offer for our self-guided school visits in the future. If you are booking to attend one of our Family Events, please get in touch if you would like to book a bundle. Please click here for other useful resources for your visit. 

Post Covid-19 we ensure our Access to Learning Bundle items are quarantined for 72 hours and then cleaned between bookings.

If you are planning a guided visit with your Special Needs School, please take a look at our workshops and contact us at learning@stpaulscathedral.org.uk to discuss a bespoke visit. We can tailor our workshops and provide additional support using the SEND resource above. We are always happy to work with teachers to adapt visit content in order to meet each group's different requirements. 

If your school or group would like to take part in or watch the lunchtime Eucharist Service, please find an accessible order of service in Makaton here. 

Preparing for your Visit

Use our Accessibility page to help reach us and take a look at our Visual Story to prepare students for their visit.

If you are bringing children with mobility impairments, the south churchyard entrance is step-free and is the recommended access for entry for wheelchair users and people who cannot negotiate steps. This entrance leads to a lift serving the Cathedral floor and Crypt. If you are joining the rest of the class, please go to the meet them at the crypt. You will be provided with a lift fob upon entry.  Please make sure you let us know on the booking form if you have pupils or staff who have such difficulties so that we can send any further information you might find helpful. People with restricted mobility can enjoy visiting the Cathedral and any school workshop, but need to be aware that the Dome & Galleries will not be accessible.