Embedded Files
On this page you will find information about:
Coordinators: Essential tasks prior to your arrival
Coordinators: Essential tasks prior to your arrival
Complete the Visiting School's Information form embedded in your Essential Information email and submit, or download the table below and return it to sovereign.hill.sch@education.vic.gov.au at least one week before your program. This will assist Costumed School teachers to plan a program that meets the needs of your students.
Discuss the document Costume in the Museum - Costumed School Program Visiting Teacher Wardrobe Overview with staff who will be dressing in costume (see below).
Ensure students and teachers dressing in costume have the appropriate shoes and socks (see below). We do have a supply of shoes if students and staff are unable to source their own, but not enough for a whole class. Please note: Sovereign Hill is a museum and students and teachers in costume represent the museum to the public.
Read 'Bound for the Colonies' with all students (found under the Pre-visit Activities tab)
Ensure all students complete a Character Profile (found under the Pre-visit Activities tab) and return them to sovereign.hill.sch@education.vic.gov.au as one Word or PDF document for each Costumed School, at least one week before your program
Drinking Water
Drinking Water
Bubble taps are available for student use at all Costumed Schools and around the museum. Students wishing to bring their own water bottle may do so, however it must be of a standard 600ml size or smaller. An appropriate bag will be provided in which to disguise the water bottle.
Please note: bottled water is not included in lunch packages unless explicitly pre-ordered with the catering company.
Visiting Teacher Q & A Sessions
Visiting Teacher Q & A Sessions
Visiting teacher Q & A sessions are held every term for those teachers seeking some clarity about the logistics, procedures and expectations of the Costumed School program. Coordinators will receive an invitation to the webinar and may pass on the details to other teachers who will also be attending.
The video on the left gives pertinent information to staff who will be attending the Costumed School program. Coordinators and visiting teachers may wish to use this slide show in preparation for their upcoming Costumed School visit, and prior to the Q & A session held at the end of each term. Please note: the slide show is intended for staff use only.
Our contact details can be found on the last slide of the presentation. Please note that we are unable to attend to phone calls between 8:45 - 3:30 Tuesday - Friday. Visiting teachers are encouraged to email us with any enquiries.
Visiting Teacher Information Session Recording 2025 - 2026 website.mp4visiting school information.docxVisiting School's Information
Visiting School's Information
At least one week prior to your visit, complete the Visiting School's Information table embedded in your Essential Information email and submit, or download the table to the left and return it to sovereign.hill.sch@education.vic.gov.au
Coordinator's name and mobile phone number
Required changes to school hours, including late arrivals or early departures.
Late arrivals are discouraged. If you must arrive late, please ensure you discuss your school's needs and subsequent changes to the program with the principal on 0497 297 842 at least two weeks before your program.
Students who may require special consideration to participate fully in the Costumed School program. Please include the Sovereign Hill Costumed School they will be attending
Sizes of costumes that may be considered outside a regular range, or students and teachers wishing to dress in the other gender.
Students who have a 'no photo' policy.
Volunteers from your school who will be supporting students
This information will enable Costumed School staff to finalise the details of your program.
Supervision of Students, Emergencies and First Aid
Supervision of Students, Emergencies and First Aid
Visiting teachers are responsible for the supervision of their students at all times. When visiting teachers are changing in and out of their costume, students will continue to be supervised by a member of staff or volunteer from their own school. Please see the Policies tab for a copy of our On-Site Supervision Policy and Procedures. Department of Education supervision policies apply with a ratio of 1:20, and a minimum of two teachers.
NB: When students are supervised by their own teacher, and when their own teacher dresses in costume, their engagement and learning are maximised. Please take this into consideration when allocating supervision to groups.
First aid is the responsibility of visiting schools. Visiting teachers are asked to inform the Costumed School teacher if a student has particular medical needs that may require their assistance.
Students who require specific medication such as Epipens or asthma inhalers must have it with them at all times. They will be provided with an 1850s bag in which to keep it. It is essential that the student's Costumed Teacher knows the anaphylaxis triggers and has access to the anaphylaxis plan.
In the case of emergency, visiting teachers must contact a Sovereign Hill Museum employee (easily visible in costume) who will activate the necessary medical response.
2025 Costs
2025 Costs
Please contact the Sovereign Hill Museum's school bookings team for up-to-date prices at education@sovereignhill.com.au or 5337 1188.
Times
Times
Your experience at the Sovereign Hill Costumed School will begin at 9:00 am and finish at approximately 3:15 pm each day. If you require a later starting time or earlier finishing time, please advise the Costumed School prior to your visit. This will enable teachers to modify your program to suit.
The earliest possible time to finish in the classroom on Day 2 is 12:00 pm, with students out of costume by 12:15 pm. Please take this into consideration when booking buses.
A reduced time in the classroom will result in a modified program.
Costumes
Costumes
Girls are to come with their hair in 2 plaits if long enough and they are to have all nail polish removed. Girls are required to wear knee-high white or black socks or tights with no logos, patterns or writing. Small stud earrings or sleepers can be worn.
Boys are not to wear earrings. We can cover these with tape if removing them is an issue. Boys are required to wear plain brown, black, grey or white socks with no logos, patterns or writing.
Both boys and girls are to wear plain black or brown lace-up shoes, pull on boots, gum boots or school shoes. Shoes are not to have logos or other colours on them. We do have a range of shoes that students can borrow if they do not own suitable shoes, however there is not enough for a whole class.
Both boys and girls are encouraged to wear plain bike shorts and a plain white t-shirt/singlet top under their clothing.
Students who identify as LGBTQI+ may choose a costume in which they feel most comfortable. As students attending Sovereign Hill Costumed Schools become a living exhibit of the Sovereign Hill Museum, they must portray an 1850s school child with historical accuracy. This means, a student in a girl's costume will sit in class with the girls and do girls' activities; a student in a boy's costume will sit in class with the boys and do boys' activities.
To support students with anxiety or sensitivity, costumes can be posted to the school two weeks prior to the program. This allows students to wash the clothing in their own detergent and to wear the costume at home, supporting increased comfort and confidence. Coordinators must contact Sovereign Hill School at least two weeks prior to make arrangements.
Modifications to costumes may be made to accommodate the needs of students with accessability considerations. Coordinators are asked to contact the principal of Sovereign Hill School at least eight weeks prior to their Costumed School program to discuss their student's needs. Every effort will be made to support students with alterations to costumes.
Parent letter, costumes.docxStudent Costumes - Parent Information
Student Costumes - Parent Information
This letter explains the items of costume that students will need to bring with them to Sovereign Hill Costumed School. We recommend that it is sent home to parents/guardians approximately 4-6 weeks prior to your visit.
Teachers in Costume: pre-visit information
Teachers in Costume: pre-visit information
Teachers who dress in costume (maximum of 2 per Sovereign Hill Costumed School) play an important role in their students' Costumed School experience. When in costume, teachers and students become a part of Sovereign Hill Museum and must therefore wear it with integrity, as advised by the musuem's Wardrobe Department.
Please share Costume in the Museum - Costumed School Program Visiting Teacher Wardrobe Overview with staff who will be dressing in costume whilst at Sovereign Hill. This will ensure that the fitting process is efficient and staff have a good understanding of the role that costume plays during the program and the way in which to wear it with fidelity. It is best to share this document during a pre-camp staff meeting so that all staff have the opportunity to discuss and clarify the information together.
Teachers who choose to dress in costume are advised to:
remove nail polish and facial piercings, and cover visible tattoos, prior to the program
ensure jewellery is historically accurate
bring their own shoes/boots that are either plain black or brown with heels less than 2.5cm (see below for examples of appropriate shoes).
keep mobile phones hidden and on silent, and must not be used whilst in costume.
Visiting teachers dressing in costume must be well-known to the students that they are supervising and have a sound knowledge of each child's learning, behaviour, medical and wellbeing needs. Student learning and wellbeing are maximised when their class teacher dresses in costume.
Please do not hesitate to contact Sovereign Hill School for more information 0497 297 842
COSTUMED SCHOOL PROGRAM WARDROBE OVERVIEW 2025.pdf
SHOE STYLE GUIDES - December 2022.pdfVisiting Teacher Shoe Style Guide.
Visiting teachers are asked to bring their own pair of shoes or boots reflective of the 1850s. Please read the style guide to the left to determine if your shoes are appropriate. We do have some spare shoes that teachers may borrow if needed.
Sovereign Hill Costumed School Allocation
Sovereign Hill Costumed School Allocation
Prior to your visit, please allocate students to the Sovereign Hill Schools that you will be attending. You will be prompted by a computer generated email entitled 'Participant Details' asking you for student numbers, gender breakdowns and special requirements. This document will also list the Costumed Schools that you have been allocated.
Meeting Place - schools staying onsite
Meeting Place - schools staying onsite
You will meet your Costumed School teachers at 9:00am each morning at the designated meeting place.
Please note: there is a different meeting place for schools not staying onsite.
Schools staying onsite
Each morning, you will be greeted by the Costumed School staff at the Sovereign Hill Schools Student Entry located to the side of the Sovereign Hill Hotel car park (near reception), just off Magpie Street. Students and staff will make their way through the hotel car park and into the grassed meeting area. Please see the map to the right to determine the safest walking route through the hotel.
Students are asked to assemble in two lines for each Sovereign Hill Costumed School they have been allocated; a girls' line and a boys' line.
To ensure a smooth start to your experience, please make sure your students' morning tea is sorted into their Costumed School groups prior to 9:00 am.
Meeting Place - day excursions and schools not staying onsite
Please note: this is a NEW procedure. Make sure your bus driver is aware of the new drop off and pick up point.
Schools participating in the Costumed School program who are not staying onsite must adhere the following:
· Drop off students in the car park of the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades (the old Gold Museum) in Bradshaw Street. Buses can remain here for the day.
· Schools electing to have parents drop off and pick up students can do so in the main carpark of the museum and must ensure active and appropriate teacher supervision in the car park AT ALL TIMES.
· Once everyone is assembled, walk students across the road to the museum and wait at the gate just to the right of the front entrance (see photo).
· Ensure students are standing in two lines (boys and girls) for each allocated Costumed School with their lunch and morning tea wrapped in a tea-towel or inside a plain brown paper bag.
· Costumed School staff will collect students at 9:00am unless previously arranged.
· At the conclusion of the Costumed School program, visiting teachers will supervise students as they depart the museum through the front entrance and meet their buses in the the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades, or thier parents in the main museum car park. Teachers must ensure active and appropriate supervision of students at all times.
If you have any queries or questions regarding these new procedures, please feel free to contact Sovereign Hill School on 0497 297 842.
Photography
Photography
Photographs of students taken by teachers & supporting adults
As Sovereign Hill is a museum, all people dressing in costume must accurately portray the people of the Victorian goldfields. Teachers and supporting adults who choose to dress in costume are not able to use their phones or cameras. However, they are able to interact freely with the students.
Teachers and supporting adults who are not in costume are able to take photographs of the students, but are limited in their interactions with students in the Costumed School environment.
Photographs taken by visitors to the Sovereign Hill Museum
Once in costume, students and teachers become a living exhibit of the Sovereign Hill Museum and as such, may be photographed by tourists from afar. In their induction, students are instructed on strategies to use to become unrecognisable in photographs or to politely decline a photograph being taken by Sovereign Hill Museum visitors.
Professional Photography
Every student will have their individual portraits taken by Sovereign Hill's professional photographer unless explicitly advised, and a group photograph (weather permitting). Please see the documents below to determine the option that would be most appropriate for your students.
Please note:
Coordinators are asked to note students who have a 'no photo' policy on the Essential Information form. It is best that this is clarified with parents prior to your attendance. Any child who is listed as having a 'no photo' policy will not be included in the class photo nor have their individual photograph taken by the professional photographers.
Photographs taken by the Red Hill Photographer will not available for public viewing nor utilised in any social media or online presence.
It is not appropriate for visiting teachers to take photographs of students whilst the Sovereign Hill Museum photographer is doing so.
Please contact the Red Hill Photography studio directly for all enquiries about professional photography on 5337 1128.
Costumed School Photography Information.pdfPhotography Options for Costumed School Experience 2024.pdfCatering
Catering
If your students are bringing their own lunch and morning tea, please consider the following:
food is to be wrapped in either a plain brown paper bag or a tea-towel. No modern day packaging is acceptable. Fresh whole fruit, biscuits, scrolls or slice are best. Please avoid packets of chips or popcorn, and yoghurt in tubs or pouches.
bubble taps are available for student use at all Costume Schools and around the museum. Students wishing to bring their own water bottle may do so, however it must be of a standard 600ml size or smaller. An appropriate bag will be provided in which to store the water bottle.
If your school is taking advantage of meals provided by Peter Rowland Group, please consider the following:
catering is organised by the Sovereign Hill Museum Education Bookings team. All queries can be directed to them at schoolbookings@sovereignhill.com.au
collect your morning tea whilst in the cafe for breakfast; and collect your afternoon tea whilst in the cafe for lunch
Before 9:00 am, we strongly suggest that you organise your student's morning tea into their Costumed School groups, taking particular care to include food for those students who have special dietary requirements. This will allow for a smooth start to your Costumed School experience. Please contact the Costumed School on 0497 297 842 if you would like to borrow some baskets in which to place each class's morning tea.
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