School Trip Area Choices
/ Isle of Wight Trip Activities / Animal Attractions / Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary
ANIMALSA registered charity providing a secure, peaceful and happy home for donkeys, horses and ponies which have been neglected, abandoned or are in need of lifetime care.
Each donkey is a real character and visiting them is always a joy for animal lovers.
Schools can book a hands-on session to get up close and personal with these lovely creatures.
Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary is ideal for all ages
Here's some of the most frequently-asked questions about school visits to Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary, posed by teachers and other group leaders
There are toilets close to the main courtyard area
Yes - a self-service cafe and gift shop
On arrival the coach will be directed to a reserved parking spot, and you will usually be met by a member of staff who will deliver an introductory briefing.
Follow staff directions with regards to your visit. If you have pre-booked hands-on activities with the animals, you will be asked to split into small groups and undertake them in a round-robin fashion in accordance with a timetable that will be presented to you.
Most of the donkey sanctuary is outdoors, and some areas can occasionally be a little muddy. Go prepared.
The sanctuary is a 50/50 mix of outdoor pasture and indoor barns so is suitable for all weathers.
There is picnic seating available in the courtyard area
If you are taking a casual visit there is no charge but we would hope that school would make a donation on the day (collection points are available), sponsor a donkey for a year, or frequent the gift shop which helps fund the sanctuary. If you are experiencing an activity visit we will arrange payment on your behalf in advance so you just turn up on the day and your tour guide will take over.
There are picnic tables in the courtyard (farm yard) and often there is a gazebo for shelter. There is also an indoor cafe serving hot meals, snacks and ice cream. Schools that are pre-booked spanning lunch time are allocated a half hour slot for the use of the picnic tables on busy days and this will be advised on arrival.
There are hand washing and sanitiser stations throughout the sanctuary. Please ensure that hands are thoroughly washed before eating and again before leaving the facility especially after handling animals.
The majority of the sanctuary is on the level and there is a wheelchair accessible toilet. However due to the nature of the attraction footpaths can get a little muddy from time to time and the paths that allow you to walk right into the centre of the main paddocks are grassed.
Ostensibly there are two types of visit. First is a casual visit where you come along to see the animals in their paddocks and have a walk around the sanctuary. For this type of visit we recommend reserving a couple of hours. Second is an activities visit, where the children get to undertake supervised hands-on activities with the animals, and for this you need half a day - ideally a morning as at 4pm the animals are taken indoors for dinner and bedtime.
The following Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary educational resources are FREE to use when you book your trip with Education Destination. Some include pre or post-visit classroom work, others are on-site activities. All are accompanied by detailed Teacher Notes and some even have sample lesson plans!
Prepared by our expert team of teachers with local Island knowledge, each resource addresses a specific National Curriculum topic. Click on any image for full details.
... but thinking about a different destination? Check out:
Head of Travel & Tourism with a group of 17 KS4 students
KS2 SEND Teacher with a group of 12 Upper KS2 students
KS1 Teacher with a group of 62 KS1 students
KS2 Teacher with a group of 26 Lower KS2 students
