Educational visits

Welcome to Llandaff Cathedral’s Education programme. Our aim is to enable schools to use the rich resources of the Cathedral as a learning experience, and to encourage children to feel at home in their cathedral. Here children and young people can experience awe and wonder, reflect on their values, develop their sense of belonging and of their identity and their place in history.

The tours are led by our team of guides and we offer a range of topics as detailed below. If you are looking for something different, however, do get in touch and discuss it with us. We will do our best to help.

There are four tours outlined below, with suggested curriculum links.

It is best to make your enquiry well before the date when you hope to visit so that we can book you into the diary.

Click here to complete a booking form

Life Events Tour – Baptism, Holy Communion, Marriage, Funeral
Sensory tour of Llandaff Cathedral
Exploring the meaning of the Cathedral
My Pilgrim Journey

In this tour we explore the meaning of each life event, looking at the symbols used in each, enacting the event together, hearing a story from Scripture relating to each one, and reflecting on their relevance to everyday experiences (eg sharing food, keeping promises, starting afresh).
The tour can be adapted for children of any age from 7 years up.

This tour links to these elements of Curriculum for Wales:

Humanities: Enquiry, exploration and investigation inspire curiosity about the world, its past, present and future.

Progression Step 1: I can, through play, explore, discover and begin to ask simple questions and offer possible answers based on previous experiences.
Progression Step 1: I have experienced a range of stimuli that have enthused and inspired me to imagine and be curious about my locality and Wales, as well as the wider world.
Progression Step 2: I have experienced a range of stimuli, and had opportunities to participate in enquiries, both collaboratively and with growing independence.
Progression Step 3: I have actively engaged with a range of stimuli, and had opportunities to participate in enquiries, both collaboratively and independently.

Humanities: Events and human experiences are complex, and are perceived, interpreted and represented in different ways.

Progression Step 2: I am beginning to recognise other people’s feelings and viewpoints about familiar events or experiences.
Progression Step 3:I can use evidence to explain how aspects of the past have been represented and interpreted in different ways.

Humanities: Human societies are complex and diverse, and shaped by human actions and beliefs.

Progression Step 2: I can explore my identity and compare it with those of others, recognising that society is made up of diverse groups, beliefs and viewpoints.
Progression Step 3: I can describe and explain similarities and differences between people’s lives both in the past and present.

RVE: The Journey of Life lens

RVE: Identity and Belonging lens

Health and Wellbeing: How we engage with social influences shapes who we are and affects our health and well-being.

Progression Step 2: I can recognise that there are similarities and differences between people’s values and attitudes.
Progression Step 3: I have an understanding of the rules, norms and behaviours of different groups and situations, and I recognise that these have an influence on me.

Through the medium of our five senses, children explore ideas of faith, spirituality and holiness. Using each sense in turn, we discover what may be found in the Cathedral. We do a practical activity for each (eg lighting a candle, ringing a bell) and we hear and reflect on a linked story from Scripture.
This tour can be suitable for children of any age, including children with additional learning needs.

This tour links to these elements of Curriculum for Wales:

Humanities: Enquiry, exploration and investigation inspire curiosity about the world, its past, present and future.

Progression Step 1: I can, through play, explore, discover and begin to ask simple questions and offer possible answers based on previous experiences.
Progression Step 1: I have experienced a range of stimuli that have enthused and inspired me to imagine and be curious about my locality and Wales, as well as the wider world.
Progression Step 2: I have experienced a range of stimuli, and had opportunities to participate in enquiries, both collaboratively and with growing independence.
Progression Step 3: I have actively engaged with a range of stimuli, and had opportunities to participate in enquiries, both collaboratively and independently.

Humanities: Our natural world is diverse and dynamic, influenced by processes and human actions.

Progression Step 1: I can recognise why places are important to me.
Progression Step 2: I can recognise the distinctive features of places, environments and landforms, and how these may change.

RVE: Identity and Belonging

RVE: Search for Meaning and Purpose

This tour would also aid children’s spiritual development, specifically their understanding of ‘Beauty’ and the ‘Beyond’, linking to the Church in Wales Spirituality framework.

Each topic takes 20-25 minutes. 15 minutes is also needed for an introductory and a concluding session for prayer and reflection. All topics are adapted to the appropriate age of the students.

Topic 1 – Discovering the artefacts found in a Cathedral, learning their names and how they are used in worship.

Topic 2 – Discovering special food, drink and clothes in worship

Topic 3 – What is a Saint? Who was Saint Teilo?

Topic 4 – The growth of the Cathedral Church at Llandaff AD 560- present day

This tour links to these elements of Curriculum for Wales:

RVE: Identity and Belonging

RVE: Authority and Influences

Humanities: Enquiry, exploration and investigation inspire curiosity about the world, its past, present and future.

Progression Step 1: I can, through play, explore, discover and begin to ask simple questions and offer possible answers based on previous experiences.
Progression Step 2: I have experienced a range of stimuli that have enthused and inspired me to imagine and be curious about my locality and Wales, as well as the wider world.
Progression Step 2: I have experienced a range of stimuli, and had opportunities to participate in enquiries, both collaboratively and with growing independence.
Progression Step 3: I have actively engaged with a range of stimuli, and had opportunities to participate in enquiries, both collaboratively and independently.

This is an experiential visit to the Cathedral when children will learn about pilgrimage to a holy place, and will be encouraged to see their lives as a pilgrimage, a journey of faith.

On the visit children will wear a simple item of pilgrim clothing, collect stickers in a ‘pilgrim passport’ at each stopping point, and reflect on their own lives as a journey. The last section gives them an opportunity for creative artwork on this theme.

The visit takes 2 hours and works best with a maximum group size of 30 children.

On request, a space for lunch before or after the visit can be provided.

This experience is aimed at children aged 7-11 years.

This tour links to these elements of Curriculum for Wales:

RVE: The Journey of Life

RVE: Identity and Belonging

RVE: Search for Meaning and Purpose

Humanities: Human societies are complex and diverse, and shaped by human actions and beliefs.

Progression Step 2: I can explore my identity and compare it with those of others, recognising that society is made up of diverse groups, beliefs and viewpoints.
Progression Step 3: I can describe and explain similarities and differences between people’s lives both in the past and present.