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Teaching the past today to the inquisitive minds of the future

2013 has been a very exciting year for us at Alexandra Palace. On 9 May, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) supported our major regeneration project that will reawaken the Palace’s most historic areas including the BBC studios and the Victorian Theatre. A major part of this project was the development of a learning and community programme that will, for the first time, teach pupils about the extraordinary history of Alexandra Palace and our vision for its future.

Alexandra Palace’s eclectic past is celebrated across three cross-curricular Key Stage 2 workshops. The topics: ‘The Victorian People’s Palace’, ‘Alexandra Palace: Past Present & Future’ and ‘Birthplace of the BBC’ are taught within the Palace, North London’s most iconic landmark, and support a variety of subjects across the national curriculum including: history, literacy, citizenship, geography and art. These multi-disciplinary workshops will challenge pupils to think creatively, enhance enquiry and thinking skills and learn about local history in a truly unique and memorable environment.

Following on from the successful piloting of our Key Stage 2 learning workshops, we submitted a further grant application to the HLF to support the development of a commemorative WWI programme. I am delighted that the HLF support our learning programme that commemorates the impact of the First World War at Alexandra Palace which was initially turned into a refugee and then internment camp. This programme will launch in 2014, the centenary year of this war.

All our workshops are delivered onsite by our Learning Officer who uses a variety of teaching methods including role play, tours and arts and craft activities to engage with groups of mixed abilities and ages. All resources are provided free of charge.

If you are interested in finding out more about any of our workshops or would like to discuss the development of a bespoke programme that would be tailored to the needs of your individual group, please do not hesitate contacting us.

Duncan Wilson, OBEChief Executive, Alexandra Park and Palace Charitable TrustAlexandra Palace Trading Limited

Victorian People’s Palace

Step back in time and learn about Alexandra Palace’s extraordinary history during the Victorian era. In this cross-curricular workshop, pupils will learn about the concept of leisure in the nineteenth century and the diverse activities that took place at Alexandra Park and Palace. In small groups pupils will be encouraged to think creatively and plan an event at the Palace that will both entertain and education people in the year 2020.

A little background about the Victorian People’s Palace…Alexandra Palace first opened to the public on 24 May 1873 as the “home of rational recreation and education.” Hopes were high for its success when more than 120,000 people attended the first two weeks. However, these hopes were short

lived, and disaster struck 16 days later when a fire, which started in the dome of the Great Hall, spread and destroyed the entire building. Despite the tragic loss of the building, the Palace’s management team approved its rebuilding on the very day it burnt to the ground and only two years later, on 1 May 1875, the second Palace opened to the public.

Known as the ‘People’s Palace’, Alexandra Park and Palace delighted visitors with an colourful mix of entertainment and events which included flower shows, horse racing, concerts, tight rope walking in the Great Hall and gymnasts parachuting from hot air balloons. Other exhibitions and entertainment that thrilled people throughout the Park and Palace’s 150 year history have included a Great Monkey Show in the Palm Court, a miniature Japanese village on stilts, a permanent big top and a Diving Pavilion.

KS2 WORKSHOP A

Miniature Japanese village in Alexandra Park Victorian park activities

BBC studios at Alexandra Palace

Birthplace of the BBC Imagine being at Alexandra Palace when the BBC broadcast the world’s first television broadcast in 1936. In this cross-curricular workshop pupils will be transported back to this historic broadcast to discover why Ally Pally was the venue chosen for the BBC studios. Students will also learn about development in broadcast technology since this inaugural transmission and investigate the similarities and differences between early and modern day television programming. Pupils will design an early screen shot for a programme complete with a moving camera to understand the difficulties in making television programmes in those pioneering times.

To set the scene…On the advice of the Lord Selsdon Committee in 1934, the BBC commenced their search for a suitable site to film and broadcast the world’s first television. Alexandra Palace, in comparison with its site rivals Crystal Palace and Hampstead Heath, had two significant advantages which helped it secure its role as the venue for the historic television broadcast. Its prime hill top location was 300 metres above sea level which would greatly improve the reach of the BBC’s broadcasting abilities and the Palace, which was vacant at the time, already had enough space to house two studios with different broadcasting systems. Finally, on 2 November 1936, the world’s first high-definition programme was broadcast live from Alexandra Palace. With the help of the transmission tower which had an aerial reaching 600 metres above sea level,

KS2 WORKSHOP B

Centenary of the First World WarFar from the battlefields in Europe, Alexandra Palace had a vital part to play in the UK’s First World War efforts. To commemorate the centenary of this Great War, Alexandra Palace will showcase for the first time its largely unknown role. Through the creation of a temporary exhibition and bespoke learning and community programme, pupils will step back in time and learn about how the People’s Palace was transformed into a refugee and internee camp from 1914 - 1918. The class will be flavoured with the stories of individuals who were dislocated from their families, comparisons of varying local attitudes to new communities arriving at the Palace and with tangible reminders of this period including internee’s watercolour paintings, poems and letters.

To find out more about this exciting new project please sign up to your newsletter www.alexandrapalace.com/contact-us/ join-our-newsletter/

KS2/3 LEARNING PROJECT

Communities unite during wartime

this inaugural broadcast could be received from as far away as Ipswich and Brighton.

In the 40 years that followed, broadcasting from Alexandra Palace changed dramatically. Initially, broadcasting consisted of a mere two hours of live programmes each day, all of which were limited by what could physically fit into the studios such as juggling and ballroom dancing. However, despite ceasing transmission for seven years during the Second World War because of fears that enemy aircraft would home in onto its signal, a number of technical advancements, developed as a result of the war, greatly improved viewers’ enjoyment of programmes. These improvements allowed programmes to be filmed from outside of the Studio and in 1967, finally enabled viewers to enjoy television in colour.

BBC studio shot

Marconi camera in action

Postwar outdoor broadcasting

Alexandra Palace: Past, Present & Future Can you embrace the past of an iconic building like Alexandra Palace and transform it into a world-class destination of tomorrow? In this cross-curricular workshop pupils will chart the different uses of the Park and Palace between 1863 and 2013 and consider how current regeneration plans will not only improve the iconic destination but will positively affect the local area. In pairs, students will think creatively and design a leaflet to promote the reopening of the East Court, BBC Studios and Victorian theatre in 2017.

A little background…Alexandra Park was opened to the public in 1863 followed 10 years later by Alexandra Palace. Since opening both the Park and Palace have had a multitude of different uses and have adapted where necessary to local or world events. Originally the home of Victorian “rational recreation and education”, Alexandra Palace played a significant role in London’s First World War effort by first housing Belgian refugees and later German and Austrian internees. The Palace then became the home of the BBC from 1935 to 1981 and since then has continued to grow to be the much loved destination known and enjoyed by many today. Not too far in the distant future, Alexandra Palace will re-open to the public its most historic yet derelict spaces including the BBC Studios and the Victorian theatre following a major £24 million regeneration project.

Booking During term time Alexandra Palace will offer workshops three times a week on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. For groups with more than 30 pupils, it is possible for two sessions to be held with one in the morning and one in the afternoon and resources will be provided for self-led activities for additional groups.

Cost:£20 (Haringey Schools)£30 (Other Boroughs)

All materials and resources will be provided.

Please contact learning@alexandrapalace.com to book or to discuss tailoring a session to meet the needs of your group, or for more information about any of our workshops

SecondaryWhile our current learning provision ties in with the primary national curriculum we are keen to expand our resources to welcome secondary visits. To discuss tailoring a primary workshop or developing new programmes please contact: learning@alexandrapalace.com or 020 8365 4578.

Cost:£30 (Haringey Schools)£40 (Other Boroughs)

We are keen to support teachers in adapting to the new National Curriculum and we will be reviewing our provision over the coming year. If you would like to be involved in our consultations with teachers, or would like to support teaching new content, please contact the learning department at: learning@alexandrapalace.com

KS2 WORKSHOP C

Alexandra Palace in 1873

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Discover your Ally PallyFor enquiries please email enquiries@alexandrapalace.comcall 0208 365 2121 or visit www.alexandrapalace.com

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For bookings call 020 8365 4578email learning@alexandrapalace.com