Primary School Learning Programme - Wakefield · • Presentation of site images Duration: 1 hour 30 min Venue: Pontefract Castle You can extend your visit to the castle by taking

$Page 1: Primary School Learning Programme - Wakefield · • Presentation of site images Duration: 1 hour 30 min Venue: Pontefract Castle You can extend your visit to the castle by taking$
Primary School Learning Programme

http://museumslearning.blogspot.co.uk/

Wakefield Museums and CastlesSessions for SchoolsSeptember 2018 - July 2019

www.wakefield.gov.uk

School Learning Programme

Our programme uses the museums’ rich collections, local landmarks and history to create memorable and interactive learning experiences. All sessions are flexible and can be adapted to meet your needs.

If you don’t find the topic you are looking for, just let us know. We always welcome suggestions for new topics and ways to help you.

We look forward to welcoming you and your pupils.

For enquiries or more information, please email: [email protected]

Information about our existing workshops, news sessions and ‘Specials Weeks’ will be shown on our learning blog:


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Workshop costs

£59 for workshops delivered at one of our sites

£114 for ‘special’ sessions (such as those lasting 4 hours or more)

£104 for workshops delivered in-school (£156 for two, or £180 for three sessions run in one day)

£59 for up to 2 Pontefract Castle Dungeon Tours (please note: each tour can accommodate a maximum of 20 people)

Book 5 sessions in a school year and get a 6th free (if all booked at the same time. The workshops will be invoiced at the time of booking to be paid in advance)

Free Sessions!

We often offer free pilots for new sessions on a first-come, first-served basis. This is to enable us to refine the content prior to general release, so it is a condition of taking up a free session that you are willing to give us detailed feedback and take part in promotional photography as necessary. To be sure of hearing about free pilots on offer, sign up to our teachers’ mailing list by visiting www.ExperienceWakefield.co.uk/enews

We can help you bring excitement to learning!

http://museumslearning.blogspot.co.uk/2

School Learning Programme

Wakefield MuseumBurton StreetWakefield WF1 2DD

Follow the themes of wealth and power, hardship and hope, passion and belief, love and war, work and home.

Plus, discover the extraordinary life of Charles Waterton, a pioneering Victorian eco-warrior, explorer and Yorkshireman.

Castleford Museum Carlton StreetCastlefordWF10 1BB

From an Iron Age chariot to a Roman’s hobnail sandal, not forgetting marbles, rugby, mining and pottery! The museum invites visitors to follow the history of Castleford from the Bronze Age to the modern day.

The early life of Henry Moore, one of Castleford’s most famous sons, is explored using objects from the beginning of his career as a world famous artist.

Pontefract MuseumSalter Row Pontefract WF8 1BA

Pontefract Museum is situated in Pontefract town centre and is packed full of life, history and artefacts tracing the history of the growth of Pontefract Town, from medieval times to the Civil War, to working in the liquorice factories, to life in a workhouse; and a room dedicated to the local glass industry.

The museum also has a research room, for investigating all things Pontefract, and a programme of temporary exhibitions. The museum is a short walk from Pontefract Castle.

Pontefract Castle Castle Chain Pontefract WF8 1QH

Known as the Key to the North, this Royal Castle was once one of the most important fortresses in the country. It was frequently at the centre of national events, acting as fortress and temporary home for lords and kings. It was also a prison and armoury up to its demolition in 1649.

You can visit the underground dungeon cut out of the solid rock and see where Civil War prisoners carved their names into the cell walls. The castle is a short walk from Pontefract Museum.

OutreachWe can bring the museum to you!

Many of our workshops are also offered as Outreach, at a time and date to suit you - and most can be adapted to fit in with your timetable.

We do recommend visiting the museum for your workshops whenever possible, but understand that this isn’t always practical, so we are happy to come to you.

See individual workshop listings for sessions available in-school.

Please note that Outreach sessions are usually only available to schools within the Wakefield district. If yours is located further afield please contact us directly at [email protected] to enquire – we may be able to help depending on distance/timings.

About Us

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Nursery and Early YearsLet Charlie Bear help you make the most of your self-led visit to Wakefield, Castleford or Pontefract Museum!

We have developed a special set of resources featuring our charming historic teddy bear which can be used by Nursery and Early Years groups when making self-led visits to our museums. Through these resources Charlie Bear’s character provides ideas and suggests activities to help children engage with and explore the museum displays using themes such as shape, colour, number, size, sound and texture.

Charlie’s friend Ilbert the Dragon takes over at Pontefract Castle with his own set of resources designed to help Nursery and Early Years pupils explore and understand concepts such as new and old, big and small, near and far.

These resources are available FREE of charge to Nursery and Early Years groups making self-led visits to our museum and castle sites, but booking is essential. If you would like to use the resources please notify us at least a week before your planned visit to make the request and to tell us which site you wish to visit, the date and time of your visit and the number and age of the children in your group. You can contact us at [email protected]

Sign up to our mailing list through www.ExperienceWakefield.co.uk/enews to hear about new museum-led sessions for Nursery and Early Years groups later in the year.


Nursery and Early Years

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Special Educational NeedsWe currently offer 4 core SEN sessions on the following topics:

The Rainforest – Wakefield Museum or in school

The Tudors – Wakefield Museum, Pontefract Museum or in school

The Romans – Castleford Museum or in school

Life in a Medieval Castle – Pontefract Castle or in school

These interactive, multi-sensory sessions can all be tailored with regards to content, activities and duration to best suit your pupils’ particular needs. We can also make preliminary visits to meet pupils in advance and introduce topics before the main workshop date. Please contact us to discuss your requirements by emailing [email protected] .

If there is another topic that you think we might be able to support you in teaching please get in touch. We are very keen to expand our SEN provision and to develop new workshops. New sessions will be piloted free of charge in exchange for teacher input and feedback. If you are interested in helping us develop a new session, we would be glad to hear from you.

Special Educational Needs

We really enjoyed The Romans workshop. Thanks for all of the information you shared and for the brilliant, engaging activities you planned and delivered to the children. Kingsland Primary School

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Special Themed Weeks During the 2018 – 19 academic year we will be delivering a range of Special Themed Weeks.

These workshops can be booked at any time on a first come first served basis and are for a maximum number of 35 pupils. The cost for all of the Special Themed Week workshops is £59 per session.

See the How To Book page for more details.

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Workshop Age group Venue Dates Duration

WW1 Soldier KS2Wakefield Museum

6 – 10 November 2018

2 hours

Tudor Christmas KS1 & 2Pontefract

Castle3 – 7 December

20182 hours

National Storytelling Week – Roman Stories

KS2Castleford Museum

28 January – 1 February 2019

2 hours

British Science Week – Skeleton Secrets

KS2Wakefield Museum

11 – 15 March 2019

2 hours

Shakespeare Week – Richard II: Discovering

Shakespeare at Pontefract Castle

KS2Pontefract

Castle18 – 29 March

20192 hours

Exploring Springtime with Ilbert

Nursery, Early Years and Reception

Pontefract Castle

13 – 17 May 2019

1 hour

Medieval Sports Week KS2Pontefract

Castle15 – 19 July 2019

1 hour 30 min

Special Themed Weeks


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Quentin Blake: Imagination, Investigation, CollaborationHow can you use drawings to inspire literacy?

What stories do our museum objects tell us?

Study Quentin Blake’s drawings to develop ideas around characters.

Be inspired by a specialist exhibition on display during the Autumn Term at Wakefield Museum.Using a recipe of Quentin Blake illustrations, objects from our collections and your pupils’ imaginations we will look at how the worlds of art and literacy combine.Recording information through the use of iPads, art work, writing and creating a storyboard your pupils will develop connections with characters from Roald Dahl stories and the museum collections.This workshop has been developed in partnership with teachers from Normanton Junior Academy.

Workshop includes:

• Handling museum objects to discover and retell stories

• View a specialist exhibition of original Quentin Blake art to develop their understanding of art and literacy

• Use iPads to assist in the recording of observations and information

Duration: 4 hours (lunch break part way through – lunch not provided)

Venue: Wakefield Museum

Quentin Blake:

Autumn Term Only!

Matilda ©Quentin Blake 2018

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Contents

Reception – Key Stage 1 William’s Castle 9

Key Stage 1 Create a Castle Story 10

How Did We Live in the Past? 11

Toys of the Past 12

Habitats, Birds and Charles Waterton 13

Key Stage 1 and 2 Time to Prepare the Castle 14

Key Stage 2 Who was Charles Waterton? 15

Egyptian Artefacts 16

The Romans in Castleford 17

Anglo-Saxon Village 18

Vikings! 19

Animation Creation 20

Greek Pots 21

1940s Housewife 22

Medieval Food 23

Pontefract Castle: Site Tour and Poetry 24

Fact or Fiction: Shakespeare and the Battle of Wakefield 25

Voting for Change: Pontefract’s Secret Ballot 26

Industrial Wakefield 27

Stepping into Stone Age 28

Fascinating Fossils! 29

Enquire, Discover and Film! 30

The British Civil War: Sieges in Pontefract 31

Sweet Success: A Look at Pontefract’s Liquorice Industry 32

Other Services for Schools 36

How to Book 36


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William’s Castle

Who used to live in a castle?

What was it like living in a castle long ago?

These sessions offer our younger visitors a chance to get creative whilst discovering the topic of Castles. It is a stimulating mix of looking, listening, talking and storytelling.

Children will experience what castle life was like through looking at costume, objects and listening to William’s story.

Workshop includes:

• An interactive storytelling session

• Object handling

• Presentation of site images

Duration: 1 hour 30 min

Venue: Pontefract Castle

You can extend your visit to the castle by taking a self-led look around or guided tour after your workshop – just ask a member of the team for more details.

Key Stage: Reception – Key Stage 1

Links to history, literacy and speaking and listening skills are developed throughout this workshop.

Workshop leader was excellent, great with the children & gave them lots of information in a way that was fun, engaging & easy for them to understand.St Michael’s CE Academy


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Create a Castle Story

Can your pupils imagine they are dragons?

What story will pupils create about the castle?

You are inside your dragon egg. You can hear strange noises all around. Get ready to hatch and take a journey with us around Pontefract Castle to discover what life was like here in medieval times.

Using imagination and enquiry skills we will assist pupils to create their own castle story by using drama, literacy and historical investigation.

Workshop includes:

• An interactive story creating session

• Object handling

• Site tour

Duration: 2 hours


You can extend your visit to the castle by taking a self-led look around or guided tour after your workshop – just ask a member of the team for more details.

Key Stage: 1

Links to history, drama, literacy and speaking and listening skills are developed throughout this workshop.

All the children throughly enjoyed the entire day at Pontefract. All the staff were very supportive and excellent with the children.Jerry Clay Academy

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How Did We Live in The Past?

How did people live in Victorian Wakefield?

How are household chores different today?

What ‘gadgets’ did people use?

Pupils will meet Anne Dixon, Victorian resident of 126 Nelson Street, Wakefield, who will discuss her daily routine at home.

Pupils will be encouraged to examine mystery Victorian household objects and help Anne in her chores to discover how people used to live in Wakefield.

Workshop includes:• Role-play• Object handling of original artefacts• Become an object detective - examine objects to discover their hidden secretsDuration: 1 hour 30 min


The workshop was very well organised and enjoyable .Girnhill Infant School

Key Stage: 1

Links to history, drama (role-play) and speaking and listening skills are developed throughout the workshop.


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Toys of the Past

What sorts of toys did children play with in the past century?

What materials were they made out of?

How did they work?

This session is an excellent introduction to learning about the past, with the opportunity to handle real and replica toys from the last 100 years. Explore the roles that toys play in people’s lives, discover the materials toys have been made from over the years and learn how to estimate the age of old toys.

Workshop includes:• Handling original and replica objects

• Developing thinking, listening and questioning skills

• Learning through play

Duration: 1 hour 30 min on site or 1 hour 15 min in school

Venue: Wakefield Museum or in school

A fantastic session! This is the second time we have booked this workshop and we will book again in the future.Lee Brigg Infant & Nursery

Key Stage: 1

Links to history, science (materials) and speaking and listening are developed throughout this workshop.

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Habitats, Birds and Charles Waterton

Why should we care about wildlife habitats?

How does the life of Charles Waterton link to habitats?

What do we do that Charles Waterton did over 150 years ago?

Wakefield man, Charles Waterton, was a great Victorian naturalist. His ideas may have been perceived as eccentric in his time, but are now seen as forward thinking. We will look at why this man is important to us locally and within the wider world.

Along with discussion about Waterton’s life, pupils will have the opportunity to create a tempting treat to attract birds to your school grounds. You can then become ‘mini Watertons’ and observe what species of bird you can attract.

Workshop includes:

• Learning about the animals and birds Charles Waterton came across in the rainforest and at home• Finding out about habitats• Introduction to explorer Charles Waterton• Make a cereal birdfeeder

Duration: 1 hour 30 min on site or 1 hour in school


A great start to our topic about Charles Waterton. All the children want to learn more.Snapethorpe Primary School

Key Stage: 1

Links to science, habitats, local history, geography and literacy are developed throughout this workshop.


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Time to Prepare the Castle

The castle is due to receive a royal visitor – is your class up to the task?

What should we get ready for our very special guest?

This session mixes enquiry with problem solving whilst pupils work together as a team.

Your class will receive a letter requesting their help – an unexpected visit from a member of the Royal Tudor household is due any day.

You will choose, before your visit, the activities your pupils will undertake to help our Tudor servants get the castle ready in time.

This workshop will be both morning and afternoon so you will need to bring lunch. If the weather is nice, you are welcome to picnic on site, if not we will be using our learning space for lunch.

Workshop includes:

• Handling replica objects

• Hands-on activities such as making butter, quill writing menus, making sweet meats, blackwork etc.

• Developing thinking, listening and questioning skills

• Learning through play

Duration: 4 hours 30 min (lunch break at castle site part way through - lunch not provided)


Key Stage: 1 and 2

Links to history, science (materials) and speaking and listening are developed throughout this workshop.

All adults and children were very impressed by the visit.De Lacy Primary

Notes

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Who was Charles Waterton?

What links Wakefield to the rainforests of Guyana?

Why is Charles Waterton important to Wakefield’s past?

What connects a donkey, a diary and a wall with Charles Waterton?

Wakefield man, Charles Waterton, was a great Victorian naturalist. From his travels to South America to his life at home in Walton, Wakefield we will look at why this man is important to us locally and within the wider world.Along with discussion about Waterton’s life, pupils will have the opportunity to see pages from his diaries and have a go at writing with a quill and ink.Workshop includes:

• Learning about animals and birds Charles Waterton came across in the rainforest and at home• Finding out about medical experiments with wourali poison• Introduction to explorer Charles Waterton• Writing with a quillDuration: 1 hour 30 min on site or 1 hour in schoolVenue: Wakefield Museum or in school

A very knowledgeable and engaging workshop!Wrenthorpe Academy

Key Stage: 2

Links to science, habitats, local history, geography and literacy are developed throughout this workshop.


Notes

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Egyptian Artefacts

Why do we have Egyptian artefacts in the Wakefield Museums’ collections?

What can these artefacts tell us?

Pupils will learn how our collection of ancient Egyptian artefacts came to be in Wakefield thanks to two Victorian men called William. Working in small groups they will then take a close look at some of these amazing artefacts, trying to determine what they are and what they reveal about life and death in ancient Egypt.

Pupils will also learn about some of the Egyptian gods and goddesses portrayed on the artefacts and design and name Egyptian style gods and goddesses of their very own!

Workshop includes:

• Examining real Egyptian artefacts• Identifying objects from the past• Drawing gods/goddesses • Writing names in hieroglyphsDuration: 1 hour 30 min

Venue: Wakefield Museum or in schoolA fantastic workshop with an efficient and encouraging leader, informative and with opportunities for practical learning.Airedale Junior School

Key Stage: 2

Links to art and design, literacy and history are developed throughout this workshop.

Notes

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The Romans in Castleford

Why did the Romans settle in what is now modern day Castleford?

What was life like in the Roman town?

What evidence did the Romans leave behind?

Through a series of fun, multi-sensory activities pupils will discover some of the sights, sounds and smells of Roman Castleford. They will learn why the Romans established a settlement here, how the settlement grew into an important centre for travel and trade and how the objects that the Romans left behind can tell us what life was like in the town 2000 years ago.

Workshop includes:

• Listening and discussion skills

• Multi-sensory ‘experimental archaeology’ activities

• Handling real and replica Roman objects

• Identifying objects and drawing conclusions

• Working cooperatively in groups


Venue: Castleford Museum or in school

Our children loved the hands-on session and gained a lot of knowledge about how the Romans affected our local area. They particularly enjoyed the role play and artefacts.Newton Hill Community School

Key Stage: 2

Links to history, literacy and speaking and listening skills are developed throughout this workshop.


Notes

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Anglo-Saxon Village

Could your pupils survive a year as Anglo-Saxons?

Divided into families, pupils will have to work together in order to settle disputes and trade goods in order to survive.

Pupils will develop a sense of community through organisation and problem-solving, developing an empathy with people from the past.

Workshop includes:

• Role-play and costumes

• Object handling (replicas)

• Problem-solving

Duration: 2 hours


The workshop leader had a great presence in the room and held the attention of the class well. She also responded sensitively to the children in the class with additional needs.English Martyrs School

Key Stage: 2

Links to local history, drama and speaking and listening skills are developed throughout this workshop.

Notes

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Vikings

A log boat, a spoon and a piece of pottery – what do these objects tell us about Vikings in the district?

From a simple hair comb to a boat that crossed the Calder - pupils will look at trade, transport and domestic life in the Viking era. Handling replica Viking objects and viewing a real Viking age log boat, pupils will discuss the significance that each item would have had to villagers of the time.

Pupils will discover the history behind the log boat from Stanley Ferry, learn how objects in museum collections can tell us about the past and develop empathy with people from the past.

Workshop includes:

• Study a Viking era log boat

• Use local area maps

• Learn a Viking game

• Handle replica objects



The children enjoyed it and it really set them up well for the rest of their topic. They’ve talked about it loads.OPA - Kirkhamgate

Key Stage: 2

Links to local history, geography and literacy are developed throughout this workshop.


Notes

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Animation Creation

How digitally creative can your pupils get?

Which piece of a picture will they develop into a bigger story?

Will the caiman get his revenge or the nondescript come to life?

These sessions offer pupils the chance to be creative with digital technology. Using the Waterton collection and the life of a Victorian explorer as inspiration, pupils will create a short piece of digital animation (on iPads) about rainforests and the animals that live in them.

Workshop includes:

• Use an image to springboard enquiry

• Digital creativity

• Opportunity to reflect on work created

Duration: 2 hours maximum on site or 1 hour 15 min in school


Key Stage: 2

Links to history, literacy, computing and speaking and listening skills are developed throughout this workshop.

Would recommend the Animation Creation Workshop to anyone. Very engaging for the children.Stanley Grove Primary

Notes

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Greek Pots

What can a piece of pottery tell us about the past?

What were the names the Greeks gave to different pots?

Pupils will investigate what uses different types of pots had in Ancient Greek society. Pupils will discover how we can find out what life was like through the images on pottery.

There are two options for your pupils’ activity:

Option 1 - With ancient objects to inspire them, pupils will use their senses and enquiry skills to create personification poems.

Option 2 – handling ancient objects pupils will undertake a curatorial role to create a condition check of our objects.

Workshop includes:

• Handling real and replica objects

• Discussion and visual enquiry

• Sensory enquiry

• Creation of poetry OR completion of object record form. Please advise at time of booking which option you would like.



The session was fantastic and gave the children a real insight into the past by looking at past artefacts. St Michael’s CE Academy

Key Stage: 2

Links to history, literacy and art and design are developed throughout this workshop.


Notes

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1940s Housewife

How did WW2 affect people at home in England?

How did rationing affect daily life?

How does our diet today compare with that of people under rationing?

Meet our WW2 housewife in this workshop focusing on food and rationing. Pupils will have the chance to handle ration books and other objects from the 1940s and find out what life was like for children living in Wakefield during the war.

Workshop includes:

• Designing a Dig for Victory garden to scale

• Object handling

• Devising a menu on rations

Duration: 1 hour 30 min on site or 1 hour in school


A fantastic morning that was thoroughly enjoyable for both staff and pupils. Park Junior Academy

Key Stage: 2

Links to local history, history (significant event - WW2), literacy and art and design are developed throughout this workshop.

Notes

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Medieval Food

What sort of food did medieval people eat?

What is a balanced diet?

How can we make food more interesting?

Looking at food and ingredients available in the medieval era, this KS2 session has been designed to encourage thinking about eating choices in a non-confrontational manner.

The cross-curricular workshop allows pupils to connect with the past as they meet ‘Bess’, a medieval woman helping the sick in the village where she lives, and gain hands-on experience making a real historic (no-cook) recipe.

Workshop includes:• Discussion on food availability• Designing a balanced diet with limited resources• Recreate a medieval recipe• Empathy with a character from the past

Duration: 1 hourVenue: Pontefract Castle or in school

You can extend your visit to the castle by taking a self-led look around or guided tour after your workshop - just ask a member of the team for more details.

Very knowledgeable leader. Hands on which the children enjoyed.Badsworth CofE Infant & Junior School

Key Stage: 2

Links to science and history are developed throughout the workshop.


Notes

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Pontefract Castle: Site Tour and Poetry

Who used to live in a castle?

What was it like living here?

Using the ruins of Pontefract Castle and historic objects from the collections, pupils will create a short poem about the history of the site.

This session includes approximately 1 hour spent touring the site in order to collect information and inspire poems about the day-to-day life of those who lived and worked in the castle in the past and the historic events that took place here.

Workshop includes:

• A guided tour of Pontefract Castle

• An understanding of how people used to live

• Creation of poetry

Duration: 2 hours


You can extend your visit to the castle by taking a self-led look around after your workshop or book one of our school dungeon tours – just ask a member of the team for more details.

Key Stage: 2

Links to local history, geography and literacy are developed throughout this workshop.

Notes

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Fact or Fiction: Shakespeare and the Battle of Wakefield

What was the Battle of Wakefield?

Why was it such an important battle?

What did Shakespeare write about it and how much of what he wrote was true?

In this fun and engaging workshop pupils will ‘perform’ excerpts from Henry VI, Part III in which Shakespeare wrote about the Battle of Wakefield. They will discover how much of Shakespeare’s account is factual, how much is fictional and consider why Shakespeare’s version might not have been entirely true. Was he taught incorrect facts himself? Did the queen force him to tell untruths? Or was he simply spinning a good yarn? Pupils will then work in small groups to write short ‘poems of defence’ in the character of the Bard explaining why his account of the battle is more fiction than fact.

Workshop includes:

• Learning about the Battle of Wakefield – a local event of national importance• Speaking aloud and performing• Considering the factors that influenced Shakespeare’s writing• Creating group poems

Duration: 1 hour 30 minVenue: Wakefield Museum or in school

Both self-guided and museum-led visits to Sandal Castle, where the Battle of Wakefield took place, are possible. Please email [email protected] for more information.

Key Stage: 2

Links to local history, national events in history, literacy and drama are developed throughout this workshop.

My class most enjoyed the role play and the poetry writing! Truly inspired!Crofton Junior School


Notes

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Voting for Change: Pontefract’s Secret Ballot

How did the first secret ballot election for an MP come to be held in Pontefract?Why was the secret ballot system needed?What were the key events of the election?The first secret ballot vote for an MP in Britain took place in Pontefract in 1872. Before this, people had to state in public who they were voting for meaning that the election process was open to corruption.

In this interactive workshop pupils will use props, historic texts and our specially commissioned comic book about the Pontefract Secret Ballot to discover the amazing, humorous and shocking events of the election. They will then create their own comic book style images to illustrate their favourite moments from the story of the secret ballot.

Original ballot boxes from the 1872 election are on display at Pontefract and Wakefield Museums. Classes who come to either museum for this workshop will have the opportunity to see them.

Workshop includes:• Learning the story of the Pontefract Secret Ballot – a local event of national importance

• Using historic and modern texts to learn about the past

• Engaging in discussion about a historic event and its legacy

• Creating artwork inspired by history


Venue: Pontefract Museum, Wakefield Museum or in school

Key Stage: 2

Links to local history, national events in history, art and PSHE are developed throughout this workshop.

The workshop was full of engaging information! Thank you.St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School

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Industrial Wakefield

Who lived and worked in Wakefield?

Which industries were common here?

How has the local area changed over the past 100 years?

Pupils will take a look at Wakefield’s industrial heritage - past and present - using old photographs, maps and census records to gain an insight into the professions of Wakefield’s past inhabitants and relate this information to life in Wakefield in the present day.

Workshop includes:• Discussion of Wakefield’s industrial heritage• Using copies of old photos and maps• Using census records• Relating information discovered to the present dayDuration: 1 hour 45 mins


This session can be adapted to other areas such as Horbury, Ossett, Pontefract, Featherstone and Castleford to fit into your local studies topic. The museum visited would differ depending on the area of your school – for Horbury & Ossett schools it would be Wakefield Museum, for Pontefract, Featherstone or Hemsworth schools, Pontefract Museum and for Castleford schools, Castleford Museum. Or the session can be delivered in school.

Key Stage: 2

Links to local history and literacy are developed throughout this workshop.

Excellent organisation and resources for children to learn and participate.St Michael’s CE Academy


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Stepping Into the Stone Age

All the children thoroughly enjoyed themselves and gained so much knowledge. The lesson delivery and pace was perfect! Sandal Magna Community Academy

How long ago did the Stone Age happen?

What can Stone Age artefacts reveal about life and the environment thousands of years ago?

How were Stone Age tools made and how similar are they to the tools of today?

Pupils will create a human time line to illustrate just how long ago the Stone Age started – and how very long it lasted. They will imagine what the environment in West Yorkshire would have been like so many millennia ago and learn how the people of the time would have relied entirely on nature for their survival. Pupils will get to touch real Stone Age artefacts and work in small groups to identify how the tools were made, used and how they compare to the tools of today.

Workshop includes:

• Making a chronological timeline• Understanding the environment of the Stone Age• Touching real prehistoric artefacts• Understanding how Stone Age tools were made, used and how necessary they were to survival


Venue: Wakefield Museum, Castleford Museum or in school.

Key Stage: 2

Links to history and science are developed throughout this workshop.

Notes

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Fascinating Fossils!

How are fossils formed?

What can they tell us about the prehistoric world?

What ancient creatures might still be out there in fossil form just waiting to be discovered?

First pupils will learn through an interactive demonstration how and why fossils form. Working in small groups they will handle and categorise a range of real fossils and consider what these ancient objects can teach us about the prehistoric world and its links with the present day.

Pupils will next consider what sorts of ancient fossils might still be undiscovered then use their imaginations to design their own ‘prehistoric creatures’ and model their ‘fossils’ in clay.

Workshop includes:• Interactive science demonstration• Handling and categorising real fossils • Designing imaginary prehistoric creatures and making clay ‘fossils’Duration: 1 hour 30 min

Venue: Wakefield Museum, Castleford Museum or in school

Key Stage: 2

Links to science, history and art and design are developed in this session.

The workshop leader was very knowledgeable and clearly passionate and enthusiastic about fossils. All the pupils were engaged.Crofton Junior School


Enquire, Discover and Film!

Can your pupils come to a conclusion about at hypothesis posed to them?

Will they agree or disagree once they have looked at the evidence?

This session allows pupils to use Wakefield Museums’ collections as a focus for enquiry along with technology (iPads) to record their findings.

Topics covered are:Tudors - “life was simpler in the past than in the present day” Links to daily life in Tudor Pontefract. Looking at the home, food and medicine with emphasis on life around the town of Pomfret.

Ackworth Hoard - “a pot of coins with little importance in history” Links to the English Civil War and the three sieges of Pontefract Castle - Looking at the value we put on money - financial, personal and symbolic.

Chocolate - “necessity or luxury” Links to Mayan culture, the introduction of chocolate in England and local sweet manufacturing in the past. Looking at the development of cocoa from currency to a food.

Pupils will be given a ‘big question’ to consider, related objects for research and iPads to record the process. They will use an app to create short digital presentations in which they try to answer the ‘big question’. Each film will be watched by the group and positive critique will be offered. All work will be transferred to disc for further use in school.

Fantastic organization/resources/staff knowledge! Children were enthralled.Greenhill Primary School

Key Stage: 2

Links to history, literacy, computing skills and speaking and listening skills are developed throughout this workshop.

Workshop includes:

• Object handling

• Hands-on technology work

• Group discussion

Duration: 4 hours (lunch break at museum/site part way through – lunch not provided)

Venue: Wakefield Museum or Pontefract Castle

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NotesThe British Civil War: Sieges in Pontefract

How do we know what happened locally?How would it feel to be a soldier in the castle during a siege?What evidence is left on-site?

Join us at Pontefract Castle to imagine what life in the castle was like during a civil war siege.

Pupils will meet our costumed staff and be given a tour of the site to orientate themselves.

Your class will then be divided into groups to undertake four activities to learn more about life in the castle during the 1640s.

This workshop will be both morning and afternoon so you will need to bring lunch. If the weather is nice you are welcome to picnic on site, if not we will be using our learning space for lunch.

Workshop includes:• Object handling• Relating historical maps and diary entries to areas on site• Creating their own example of a siege coin• Developing empathy with a person from the past

Duration: 4 hours 30 min (lunch break at castle part way through - lunch not provided)


Key Stage: 2

Links to local history, national events in history, literacy, geography and enquiry skills are developed throughout this session.


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Sweet Success: A Look at Pontefract’s Liquorice Industry

How did liquorice evolve from a medicinal plant to a popular flavouring for confectionary and what role did Pontefract play in that evolution?

How did local liquorice producers compete against each other to sell their sweets?

Can your pupils develop their own packaging to outshine the competition?In this fun and engaging workshop pupils will be introduced to the history and traditional medicinal uses of liquorice and they will learn that Pontefract was an important center for the growing of liquorice in past centuries. They will discover that a local man called George Dunhill was the first person to use liquorice to flavour sweets and they will explore how the many Pontefract based confectionary companies that sprang up after Dunhill’s development competed against each other to sell their products using eye-catching packaging and persuasive language. Pupils will then be challenged to design some persuasive liquorice packaging of their own!

Workshop includes:

• Discover liquorice’s role in Pontefract’s history

• Participate in whole class activities to learn about the traditional medicinal uses of liquorice

• Participate in whole class activities to explore the persuasive power of language

• Handle real historic liquorice packaging

• Participating in a creative design activityDuration: 1 hour 30 mins


Key Stage: 2

Links to local history, literacy, science and art are developed throughout this workshop.

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Other Services for SchoolsSelf-directed visitsTeachers are welcome to visit the museums and the castles, organise their own activities and teach groups in the galleries. Such visits are welcomed, but please do book in advance to avoid clashes with other groups. Please note, you may also wish to book a castle or dungeon tour at Pontefract Castle. Please contact us for charges.

Online resources There are a number of online resources available at: http://museumslearning.blogspot.co.uk/

Lunch SpacesPlease be aware that there are no dedicated lunch spaces in our venues. You may be able to book a space to eat your packed lunch on site, but please enquire in advance. A small housekeeping charge may be applied.

Fact-finding and preliminary visitsWe are always happy to see teachers to talk through potential visits. Appointments can be made after school or during school holidays as well as during the school day.

Complementary events programmeIn addition to the schools programme, we run a range of fun and educational events for families.

For more details, please visit www.ExperienceWakefield.co.uk/enews to sign up to our family mailing list.

To book a visit to any of our sites, please email [email protected]

Before contacting us to book your visit please consider:

• Which sessions interest you

• Organising a preliminary visit

• Appropriate adult : child ratios

• Potential visit dates

• Consider extending your visit by taking a self-led look around the museum/castle after your workshop

We will need to know:

• The number of pupils in your group

• The age/ability of your pupils

• Any special needs

• Topics you are studying

• Your preferred arrival and departure time

• Any other requirements

Once you have booked, you will be sent the following documentation:

• A booking form

• Arrival, departure and session times

• Session outline

• Information to help with your Risk Assessment

Access for visitors with special needs:

When planning your visit, please discuss your needs with our staff who will be happy to help.

How to book

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Primary School Learning Programme - Wakefield · • Presentation of site images Duration: 1 hour 30 min Venue: Pontefract Castle You can extend your visit to the castle by taking