1. Human Resources Information and guidance for teachers Contents Learning Objectives Lesson plan Plan a route Suggested activities to link with session Things to arrange prior to visit The day of your trip: arriving at the Zoo Your teaching session Helping UK wildlife - Harvest mouse re-introduction at Chester Zoo

2. Back to top One of our Discovery sessions in action! Human resources Learning Objectives After attending this session, students will be able to: Understand the role and mission of Chester Zoo Name a variety of job roles at Chester Zoo and list the key responsibilities of these positions. Give a brief Description of the Zoo’s staffing structure. Outline the process by which Chester Zoo recruits, trains and develops its staff. Lesson Plan ▪ Based around a PowerPoint presentation the following areas will be covered: ▪ The Mission of Chester Zoo ▪ Chester Zoo as a charity ▪ Annual visitor numbers for the last decade ▪ Sources of income (includes figure for various sources) ▪ The kinds of jobs available at Chester Zoo ▪ Management structure ▪ A closer look at the structure of a division within the larger management structure ▪ Communication (A-Level only) ▪ Filling a mammal keeper vacancy (job description, person specification, advertising and interview. This section includes an interactive group activity, Assessing CVs for interview candidates ▪ Induction ▪ Staff training ▪ Staff development and perks ▪ Grievance procedures (A-Level only) Our male Sumatran Orang-utan, Puluh ‘Marmot Mania’ at Chester Zoo!

3. Plan a route Species discussed during this session will be largely led by students. We discuss the hiring of a mammal keeper with reference to sealions and Anoa. Sealions – Next to the Aquarium and penguins Anoa – On the island opposite the Waterbus stop Back to top Asoka – Chester Zoo’s male Asiatic Lion Click here to download a Zoo Map

4. One of our young Sumatran Orang-utans born in 2004 Suggested activities to link with session Before visit Some background knowledge of the above concepts would be useful to maximise students learning opportunities on the day Additional resources are available for booked groups. These can be requested before, during or after your visit. Send us a CD stating the subject/s you are interested in along with a SAE and we will do our best to get the information to you before your visit or give it to you on the day of your visit. Or if you bring a CD and SAE with you we will send the information back to you as soon as possible. Have a look at our website, in particular our annual reviews.annual reviews During visit We ask that you do not carry out surveys of our visitors during your visit. Ask a member of staff a question ( please restrict this to one question per member of staff ). As students go around the Zoo they can tick off the jobs from the list that they see being done. Students list the staff they see and the jobs that they are doing as they go around the Zoo. Use clues from around the Zoo to come up with a list of behind the scenes staff or staff filling jobs that they might not initially expect for a Zoo. A visit to the Visitor Information between the lion and tiger enclosures might help, there are lots of publications that will give clues. At enclosures, who supplies the food you can see? Who plants the gardens? Who designs the enclosures? Who organises weddings and other events? Continued on next page…

5. One of our Critically Endangered Blue-throated Macaws After visit Run through filling a vacancy for a range of Zoo jobs this could be done in groups. Group 1 write the job description and person specification, group 2 writes the advert (consider where the advert will go and how much it will cost) group 3 write a series of CV and cover letters of applicants, group 4 devises interview questions and group 5 decides which applicant should be interviewed (from group 3’s CVs and letters) Visit Chester Cathedral and make a comparison between Chester Zoo and the Cathedral as tourist attractions. Chester Cathedral is a former Benedictine monastery with exceptionally well preserved monastic buildings and woodwork. It is a thriving place of Christian worship with an Education Department that enables school groups to study many aspects of the National Curriculum including Citizenship and Enterprise. As a business enterprise, interesting and thought provoking comparisons can be made with the business that is Chester Zoo. Back to top

6. Things to arrange prior to visit Please check details on confirmation letter, any queries please call 01244 650205. Arrange a pre-visit to the Zoo, contact us 01244 650205 for details. Arrange appropriate number of group leaders and collate contact details. Assign students to a group leader, ensure students and leaders know the running plan for the day, have staff contact details and map of the Zoo (click here).click here Ensure group leaders have a plan for the day including; student names, time and location of teaching session (e.g. a copy of the confirmation letter) and where to meet, if necessary, after the session as well as a map of the Zoo. Running plan for the day Time and location of teaching session Time and location to meet for teaching session Time and location to meet for lunch Time to visit Twilight Zone (all students under 16 must be accompanied through the Twilight Zone) Time for students to visit the gift shop (the shop at the entrance is open all year round, opening times of the other 2 shops vary throughout the year) All students under 16 should be accompanied in the gift shops Time and location to meet when leaving the Zoo Back to top A visitor favourite: ‘Boris’ the chimpanzee

7. Back to top One of the most popular animals at the zoo – the Californian Sealions The day of your trip: arriving at the Zoo Please help us to make your entrance to the Zoo as smooth as possible Allow plenty of time to get to and into the Zoo, it can take over 30 minutes to enter the Zoo and reach the Education Centre, particularly at busy times of year. On arrival the group leader only should approach the main gate with the confirmation letter. Students and other staff should remain on the coach. This provides an ideal opportunity for another member of staff to run through itinerary for the day with students and helpers, to hand out work sheets, information, maps, talk times etc. Once the paperwork has been completed the group leader can collect the group from the coach to be counted into the Zoo by Gate Staff. There are toilets at the main entrance both inside and outside the Zoo. Rainy day – indoor enclosures The Aquarium, Tropical Realm, Twilight Zone, Spirit of the Jaguar, Islands in Danger are all undercover, indoor exhibits. Additionally, macaws, Chimps, orang-utans, giraffes, elephants, rhinos, Monkeys, Miniature Monkeys all have undercover viewing.

8. Your teaching session Sessions are run in 3 classrooms all located in the Education Centre next to the Spirit of the Jaguar exhibit. Please be aware that it can take 30+ minutes to cross the zoo particularly at busy times of year. On arrival at the Education Centre please wait outside the appropriate room (Cook, Columbus or Cousteau), as stated on your booking confirmation, for an Education Officer to greet you. Please don’t block doorways to education classrooms as there may be classes about to leave. Each teaching session will last approximately 50 minutes. There is plenty of open space for lunches outside the Education Centre. On rainy days there is an indoor picnic area (Arara Picnic Lodge) past the Spirit of the Jaguar exhibit. There are toilets opposite the Spirit of the Jaguar house just past the Education Centre. If you are delayed for any reason and may be late for your teaching session please contact 01244 650205, we may be able to help! If you have found this information useful or think there is something that we could add to help your day run smoothly please let us know at education@chesterzoo.org education@chesterzoo.org Back to top Meeting ‘Beaky’ the quail during a Discovery session