Milestones is a large modern building which houses the museum as well as public service areas and staff offices. The museum displays a range of social history, transport and technology collections from Hampshire’s Victorian and 1930s past. Visitors can walk through recreated streets from the past and visit a variety of buildings which house either period interiors or a modern gallery space.
All materials used to create our scenes are real e.g. bricks and stone. The Victorian part of the museum has a predominantly cobbled floor with tramlines. The 1930s area is flat though some areas of the flooring are textured. Both areas have pavements with drop kerbs.
Please read your Teacher's Pack carefully and ensure that you note and share with your group the key safety information either before you arrive or immediately after arrival at the museum. We have first aiders and a first aid room on site. Please report any incidents, however minor, to a member of staff. Mobile phones may not work well in all areas of the building but there is access to landlines in case of emergency.
Milestones’ staff should be easily identifiable – most carry radios and wear purple uniform with the Hampshire Cultural Trust logo on. There are also Costumed Interpreters on the museum arena.
Risk assessment guidance
All Milestones’ activities and resources are risk assessed in accordance with Hampshire Cultural Trust policy. Milestones is a Hampshire Cultural Trust facility and therefore operates within Hampshire Cultural Trust's rigorous Health and Safety policy. Schools are also required to do their own risk assessments which take into account any specific needs that the group they are bringing may have.
Please see our basic guidance to help you complete your risk assessment for your visit to Milestones on the other tabs on this page. We suggest you take the opportunity to make your own familiarisation visit in order to complete your risk assessment.
Milestones Museum holds the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge accreditation.
What is the LOtC Quality Badge?
If an organisation is displaying the LOtC Quality Badge, schools can be assured that their venue has met required standards, so teachers do not need to carry out their own risk or quality assessments regarding the activities provided.
In addition, applicants must be offering genuinely beneficial services to schools, to support their delivery of the curriculum.
The LOtC Quality Badge is the nationally recognised indicator of good quality educational provision. It provides for the first time a national award combining the essential elements of provision - learning and safety - into ONE easily recognisable and trusted accreditation scheme for ALL types of learning outside the classroom provider throughout the UK. This includes museums, art galleries, adventure centres, nature reserves, science learning centres and farms among many other provider types. The scheme is managed and developed by the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom.
What are the benefits of the LOtC Quality Badge for children and schools?
The LOtC Quality Badge means that Milestones Museum has passed a robust assessment designed to ensure that we are meeting schools' learning and risk management needs. On the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom’s website you will find an information document here outlining what you can expect when using a LOtC Quality Badge accredited provider, and the benefits of doing so. This can be printed off and incorporated into your health and safety procedures or LOtC/educational
General visit
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Hazard identified
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- Risk of traffic accident in car park when entering Milestones
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- Risk of tripping/falling over when travelling downstairs
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- Risk of falling over on uneven cobbled streets or kerb stones
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What we do about it
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- The coach can stop directly outside the door and the children disembark straight on to the pavement
- Appropriate supervision of children through correct ratio of adults to children (KS1 1:5; KS2 1:10)
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- Children to travel on stairs on left hand side in single file holding on to handrail
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- Children asked to walk around museum
- Appropriate level of adult supervision
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- Milestones provides lunchroom facilities for use only by visiting school pupils and accompanying adults in a non public area of the building. Our Upper Education Room has toilets solely for use by schools. Our Lower Education Room requires use of public toilet facilities. Supervised access by school staff is required at all times.
- Milestones has a costume tent which is available for use by both the public and school visitors. All costumes are to be tried on over own clothes (no removal of clothes other than cardigan or jumper). See specific school session Hazard information relating to your schools booked activity.
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- The building is equipped with tested fire alarms
- The group will be given information on evacuating the building during the health and safety briefing
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Facilitated sessions
Specific risks for World War Two, Toys and Games, Transport and Travel, Homes and Discovery, Victorians and LEGO (R) Mindstorms (TM):
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Hazard identified
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- Trying on and removing replica costume over own clothes (no removal of clothes other than cardigan or jumper) risk of inappropriate help by museum staff
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- Some objects from the handling collections are quite heavy/sharp.
- Transport & Travel programme: some vehicles can be boarded but not others
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World War Two programme: Anderson Shelter: Risk of bumping head or accident inside as it is darker inside than out
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World War Two programme: risk of transmission of infection from use of replica gas masks by different children
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LEGO (R) Mindstorms (TM) programme: use of electronic equipment:
- Risk of injury from electronic equipment used inappropriately
- Trip hazard from trailing leads
- Risk of swallowing small LEGO parts
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KS2 Victorians programme (Ingenuity & Change): use of Polydoh mouldable plastic:
- Risk of burns from warm water or warm Polydoh
- Risk of allergic reaction from handling Polydoh
- Risk of child swallowing and/or choking on Polydoh
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What we do about it
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- All costumes are to be put on over own clothes with the support only of school staff in accordance with the schools safeguarding policies. School staff to supervise dressing up at all times.
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- There will be supervision and guidance on how to handle the objects
- The condition of the objects is checked regularly by the facilitator of the session
- Any objects which may pose a health and safety risk are secured in a Perspex box
- The session is appropriately supervised by the facilitator and adult helpers
- Vehicles which can be boarded are clearly indicated by signs and museum staff will invite participants to board
- Please only walk in the museum and take care around the vehicles
- Where clipboards are used (Homes & Discovery) these sheets are already attached in preparation for the activity
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- Shelter built to order and complies with Hampshire Cultural Trust requirements having rubber edging at every edge
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- Facilitator cleans replica gas masks with anti-bacterial wipes after every session
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- Minimum age of 8 years old (Year 4) recommended
- Students supervised by school adults at all times when using electronic equipment and LEGO parts
- Facilitator trained to use equipment correctly
- Students and school staff shown how to use equipment correctly
- Room set up to avoid cables in walkways. Exposed cables covered by rubber cable mats
- School staff to control and be responsible for student behaviour and supervision at all times
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- Students supervised by school adults at all times when using Polydoh
- Minimum age of 7 years old (Year 3) for the use of Polydoh
- Polydoh that melts in 40 degrees centigrade selected as a material for its low melting point
- Facilitators use warm water from the tap only, not from a boiled kettle, to reduce risk of burns
- Facilitators to use the thermometer provided to ensure that the water temperature does not exceed 45 degrees centigrade
- Warm water to be carried and stored out of public view and reach in sealed Thermos flasks until required
- Only the facilitator is to pour the water into the trays from the flask. Visitors to be asked to stand away at a safe distance to minimise the risk of splashing warm water
- Facilitator to check the temperature of the warm Polydoh with their hand to ensure it is not too warm before handing it to a visitor.
- Facilitator not to hand warm Polydoh to children: always to an adult who can pass it to children in their group
- Facilitator to give verbal instructions to children not to put Polydoh in mouth
- Staff to adhere to the instructions given in the Polydoh Material Safety Data Sheet
- Polydoh Material Safety Data Sheet doe snot indicate the product contains latex. Commercially available product.
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