Skye Dillon

Education and Skills Manager

England’s Past for Everyone

© University of London

1 November 2008

School project case studies: profiling some of the work of England’s Past for Everyone

What is England’s Past for Everyone?

Victoria County History (VCH) project.

Funded by Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

Engagement with local history for life-long learners, young people and school children.

Outputs: Interactive website; school projects and learning material; paperback books.

Completion by February 2010.

10 participating counties:

Bristol

Cornwall

County Durham

Derbyshire

Exmoor

Herefordshire

Kent

Oxfordshire

Sussex

Wiltshire

The school projects

Aim to deliver 11 projects by February 2010.

Focus on Key Stages 1- 3.

Over 300 children have already been involved in the projects.

Development of material for Schools Learning Zone.

How does this fit in with the conference?

“The school trip to Cranbourne was a twice in a lifetime experience. I’d really like to go again because of all the things we learnt like how to dye materials 100’s of years ago”.

David, Year 4, Wylye Valley School

“I liked the bit when we made feather quills. We wrote and drew like in medieval times”.

Casey, Year 4, Wylye Valley School

“You get into the history and go far far away in time. It gets you to think more”. Chloe, Year 4, Wylye Valley School

EPE Wiltshire School Project

Activity 1

Introductions

Share 1 piece of information about your local history.

Feedback

Examples of EPE School Projects

Cornwall

Cornwall and the Cross: Christianity 500 – 1560 (2007).

Key Stage 3 pupils from Camborne Science and Community College.

Themes included: ‘how the people of Cornwall related to their churches and Pilgrimage’.

Coordinated by Coral Pepper.

Delivered by John Welham (AST Cornwall).

In partnership with Cornwall County Council.

Exmoor

Unique curriculum.

An investigation into the history and economics of farming and settlement in Exmoor from 1840 to present.

Key Stage 3 pupils from Dulverton Middle School.

Delivered by Hilary Binding.

In partnership with Cloggs Farm, Heritage Services, Somerset County Council and Exmoor National Park.

Herefordshire Year 4 (Key Stage 2) pupils from Ledbury Primary School.

Recognising Tudor architecture, and understanding the lives of rich and poor in Tudor times.

Tour of Ledbury, plus workshop sessions in the school.

Delivered by Carolyn Olney.

In partnership with Hereford Museum and Art Gallery.

Participation from Hereford Archive Service, The History People and Ledbury Town Council.

“They were much more imaginative in their storytelling because it was about their local place and the new things they had learnt about it”.

Year 4 teacher, Ledbury Primary School

Oxfordshire

Key Stage 2 and 3 pupils from Mabel Prichard Special Educational Needs School, Oxford.

Burford: buildings and people in a Cotswold town (2008).

Theme: comparing the development and history of Burford and Henley.

Delivered by Jill Hutchinson.

In partnership with River and Rowing Museum, Henley.

Activity 2

In original pairs, join another pair.

How do your local history examples fit into an historical and/or geographical theme?

Any links to the National Curriculum? (optional)

“As a school we continually strive to make our

learning in school fun and relevant - this project

[EPE Wiltshire school project] will enhance the

cross-curricular approach using our local

environment.

Local history and culture is a vital part of our

heritage and this project will enable us to access

all the wonderful resources in our local

environment and will enrich the experiences of the

children.

Children will take ownership of their own learning

and develop key history skills which will give them

a valuable appreciation of history in later life.

As a school we strongly believe in continuing

professional development of all staff and this

project will provide staff to work together with

local historians”.

Debbie Downing, Head Teacher, Wylye Valley School

Planning Brainstorm

Research: information about the topic; scope for project; potential

partners/funding etc.

Time

Budget

Resources and Facilities: people; knowledge; space; transport; equipment; material etc.

Outcomes

Partnerships and Relationships

Flexibility

Professional partnership.

Trust

Good communication.

Roles and Responsibilities

Communication

Guidelines

Contract or letter of agreement.

Location

Project Planner

Think and plan ahead.

Clarify roles and responsibilities.

Provide summary details.

Overall aims and objectives.

Diarise key dates.

Other Elements

Celebrate the end of the project.

Documentation

Evaluation

Material

Activity 3 Stay in groups of 4 from earlier activity.

‘Who and where we are: the role of children’s voices in Geography and History’.

What is your local history example for the project?

Where could you find information about funding for such a project?

Who would you approach to partner/deliver your project? (1 or 2 examples)

What do you hope to achieve by running such a project? (1 or 2 examples)

Credits and Thanks

Photographs from EPE team, David McGirr Photography and Geoff Hichens.

Aretha George, former EPE Education and Skills Manager.

EPE website: www.englandspastforeveryone.org.uk

Everyone involved in the EPE school projects!

Thank you and good luck with your future projects!

Skye Dillon

Education and Skills Manager, England’s Past for Everyone

Victoria County History, Institute of Historical Research

University of London, Senate House

Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HU

Direct telephone: 020 7862 8748

Email: skye.dillon@sas.ac.uk

www.englandspastforeveryone.org.uk

www.victoriacountyhistory.ac.uk