One of the first History learning challenges that children at Farsley Springbank undertake is all about the history of toys! A trip to the Abbey House Museum gives the children an opportunity to engage with toys from the Victorian era and compare them with the ones they play with today!
Building on from their learning in Reception about themselves and toys through the years, the first history learning challenge that the children in Year 1 undertake is all about what life was like when their grandparents were young, focussing specifically on life in the 1960s. As part of this learning, the children's grandparents are invited in to school to talk about their memories from this time and show any photographs/artefacts they may have!
As part of their learning on the Great Fire of London, the children take part in a workshop to help them better understand how the fire was able to spread so quickly! The children are given the opportunity to create their own houses before the workshop team set them on fire as part of their demonstration.
In Year 2, the children undertake a history unit which compares the lives of three female nurses: Nellie Spindler, Mary Seacole and Florence Nightingale. This workshop enables the children to role play working in a hospital in the Crimean War, all the children take on a role whether it is cleaning, nursing or chasing away the rats! Great fun is had by all of the children and it is a workshop that is remembered through the years!
At Nell Bank, the children are taking on a journey from the present day to the early ages of human history as part of their learning on Prehistoric Britain! Throughout the day the children take part in various activities such as building shelters from sticks and animal skins, lighting a small fire using flint and steel, weaving baskets and creating cave paintings!
In Year 3, the children are introduced properly for the first time to the Ancient Civilisations, partaking in a learning challenge all about the Ancient Egyptians. To launch their learning, the children take part in an interactive workshop where they investigate some historical sources to help them better understand life in Ancient Egypt and play some games that they would have played back then!
In Year 4, the children complete a local history unit on the impact of the Victorian era and the Industrial Revolution on both our village, Farsley, and on Saltaire. On their trip to the World Heritage Site of Saltaire, the children are greeted by Mrs Dooley, a resident of Saltaire from the 1800s who tells them the tale of how the village was created through character role play. Following on from this, the children are taken on a tour of the village where they are able to find the residences of the characters that they were playing!
In Year 4, the children are introduced to the wonderful world of Ancient Greece through an immersive workshop with archaeologist Catherine Conyard. On the day, Catherine transforms into Katerina, an Ancient Greek lady who teaches the children all about the history of this interesting civilisation through the use of historical artefacts!
In Year 5, the children learn all about the history of World War One and how this impacted on life in our village. As part of this learning, the children take a trip down to our local mill, Sunnybank Mills, to learn more about the lives of the people from our village who went to war. Throughout the two workshops with the mill, the children have the opportunity to design their own World War One medal which they then make using modelling clay and to create their own hot air balloon basket and peg person inspired by our local history of creating the baskets!
At Murton Park, Year 5 take a trip back in time and become Roman soldiers for the day! A carousel of activities are completed including a whistlestop tour of the Roman Empire, the signing of their military contract in Latin, completing Roman military training and making their own clay oil lamp to take home with them! A great time is had by all of the children who really enjoy being immersed in the Roman ways for the day!
At the end of Year 5, the children undertake their history unit on the impact of the Anglo-Saxons on Britain. To launch their topic, the children complete a workshop with archaeologist Catherine Conyard who recreates the history from this time through the use of historical artefacts, games from the time and recreating different crafts that the Anglo-Saxons would have done!
As part of their learning on World War Two, in Year 6 the children take a trip to Eden Camp to experience the sights, sounds and smells of life on the home front and the front line during this time in history!
Year 6 return to Murton Park to become Vikings the following year. Immersing themselves in life under the Danelaw, the children begin the day by donning a traditional Viking tunic before learning more about what life was like. Throughout the day, the children undertake different role playing opportunities to learn about six different aspects of life under the Danelaw: sailing, trading, settling, farming, crafting and being soldiers.