Whitehall

School Visits Programme

KEY STAGE 1

History For Infants

QCA Unit 1 How are our toys different from those in the past?
QCA Unit 2 What were homes like a long time ago?
During this session we aim to

1. Gain an understanding of what we mean by history introducing or reaffirming such words as before, after, a long time ago and past.
2. Gain a rudimentary understanding of chronological order, for example in living memory, when our parents were young, when our grandparents were young and a very long time ago.
3. Consider how and why toys were different in the past.
4. Explore the differences between how we live today and in the past, considering how people travelled and how they did jobs such as cooking and cleaning (considering male and female roles).
5. Discover what homes were like a long time ago, for example how they were made and how people generated heat and light, and consider the differences and similarities to today’s homes.
6. Consider what it was like living in Cheam in the past.
7. Gain an understanding of how to find out about the past from a range of sources.

We will achieve this through the following:
«Discussion, with input from the children.
«Trying on Tudor and Victorian style clothes and having a go with replica traditional toys after looking at Bruegel’s famous 16th century painting of children playing with toys and games.
«Handling replica domestic objects from different time periods, such as Tudor mugs and trenchers and Victorian carpet beaters and irons.
«Looking at old photos of Cheam.
«Picture trail around the house.
«Historical stories in the bedroom.
«Craft - making finger puppets.
 

KEY STAGE 2

Tudor Experience

QCA Unit 7 Why did Henry VIII marry six times? Unit 8: What were the differences between the lives of rich and poor people in Tudor times?
During this session we aim to:

1. Learn why the period was called Tudor and establish the chronological order of the Tudor monarchs.
2. Understand why Henry VIII married six times and make with connection with why Edward was the youngest child but took the throne before his older sisters.

3. Explore the differences between Tudor town and countryside.
4. Examine the daily life of Tudors, comparing the rich with the poor, covering such topics as costume, food, medicine, health, entertainment and housing.
5. Learn about important Tudor sites in the Borough of Sutton.
6. Gain an understand of how we know the historical facts, for example through archaeology and primary sources.
 

We will achieve this through the following:
«Discussion about the Tudors with an input from the children.
«Looking at archaeological artefacts from Tudor Cheam and Nonsuch Palace.
«Looking at the materials used to construct Tudor Whitehall.
«Visiting the Lumley Chapel, contrasting the rich materials with Whitehall’s construction and exploring the importance of religion and death in Tudor life.
«Learning about out how the Tudors cooked, feasted and entertained themselves in our traditional Tudor parlour, with replica objects such as wooden trenchers and horn beakers to handle and study.
«Finding out about the use of herbs in food and medicine with pomanders to smell and pestle and mortars to grind herbs with.
«Looking at local Tudor documents such as wills (primary sources) and trying out quill writing.
«Trying on Tudor clothes and playing with Tudor toys.
«Picture trail around the house.
«Craft option - shield painting or Tudor jewellery.
 

KEY STAGE 2


Victorian Experience

QCA Unit 11 What was it like for children living in our locality in Victorian Britain? Unit 12: How did life change in our locality in Victorian times?
During this session we aim to:
 

1. Learn about life in Victorian times including the sorts of toys children played with, the jobs people did, how domestic jobs were done without modern day appliances, what Victorian Cheam was like.
2. How Cheam changed through the Victorian period.
3. Understand the social class structure of the day.
4. Look at Education in Victorian times.
5. Explore work and industry in Victorian times.
6. Gain an understanding of how we know these historical facts.

We will achieve this through the following:
«Discussion about Victorian Cheam with input from the children.
«Learning about the residents of Victorian Cheam and their jobs through role play based on real people from the local Victorian census.
«Historical enquiry using copies of Victorian documents, photos and maps (primary sources).«Trying out 19th century domestic life in our Victorian Lower Parlour with replica objects such as carpet beaters and irons to handle and study.
«Entering our Cheam school attic to sample Victorian education techniques and try out writing on slates and with ink pens.
«Trying on Victorian clothes and playing with Victorian toys.
«Trail around the house looking at Whitehall’s Victorian residents, the Killick family, and Cheam school.
«Craft - making Victorian cards. 

KEY STAGE 2

Life on the Home Front

QCA Unit 9: What was it like for children in the Second World War?
During this session we aim to:

1. Learn when, where and why the Second World War took place.
2. Discover what life was like on the Home Front.
3. Discover why children were evacuated and what it was like.
4. Consider why there were shortages of food, material, petrol, etc and how people coped (ie rationing, make do and mend).
5. Learn what is meant by the Blitz and how people lived through it
6. Find out about how local people and the local area was affected
7. Identify the role of the Land Army and Home Guard.
8. Consider new technology and how this helped the war effort.

We will achieve this through the following:

«Discussion about life in Cheam during the war, with input from the children.
«Looking at photos, maps, documents and bomb records of Sutton and Cheam (primary sources).
«Having a go at “make do and mend” activities.
«Learning about evacuation through role play, including writing a letter home and packing a suitcase.
«Finding out about rationing through ration books, scales, diaries and recipes.
«Exploring life during the war through our handling collection of gas masks, helmets and domestic items.
«Learning about the importance of codes by having a go at code cracking.
«Considering the importance of propaganda by examining war posters and designing new ones.
«Craft option - making an allotment or making a medal.


 

KEY STAGE 2

A House Through Time

(This can be tailored to suit older children with a more complex understanding of history)

QCA Unit 18: What was it like to live here in the past?
During this session we aim to:

9. Discover what homes were like a long time ago and the differences and similarities to today’s homes.
10. Discover what household objects from the past can tell us about how people lived.
11. Consider what it was like living in Cheam in the past.
12. Explore the role of religion in past times.
13. Consider work and occupations in past times.
14. Gain an understanding of how to find out about the past from a range of primary sources.

We will achieve this through the following:

«Discussion about the local area before the building of Nonsuch Palace, considering who lived here and what sort of work they did.
«Exploring the local area during the Tudor period through wills, assize records and pictures (primary sources).
«Considering local religious conflict during the Civil War by examining royalist graffiti within Whitehall.

«Looking at the domestic changes to the house during the Victorian period through handling replica household implements and trying on replica clothes.
«Finding out about life in Cheam during the Second World War from photos, handling objects and documents.
«Picture trail around the house.
« Craft option – making Victorian cards or heraldic shields.
 

Special Needs Workshop

(Age range 5 –16)

Every group that visits us is different and we aim to make each session reflect the needs of the children present. Within the context of each session, we encourage discussion to become child led to engage them in the things that most interest them. If you wish to bring a special needs group we will work to your chosen topic and will be sensitive to the needs of your group.

There will be a high level of hands on and visual learning where appropriate:

1. The children will begin the session with a simple talk/discussion with visual aids and/or handling objects.
2. This will be followed by a series of hands-on interactive sessions using tools and props such as old fashioned quills or slates, photos/paintings, documents and replica objects from the chosen period. Children will be helped to access them in the manner most suited to their needs.
3. A basic writing, drawing or craft activity can be included if appropriate.
4. A pattern trail may be used to help children explore the house (where sight or mobility is an issue a replacement activity will be arranged).

Please feel free to arrange to meet with staff before your visit and look at options for your group. Alternatively you may discuss it on the telephone. This session is only available as a half-day session. Please see sample schedule below.

Special Needs Victorian Day: Example Schedule

10 - 10.15
Talk about Victorians in tea room with input from children.

10.15 - 10.45
Talk about domestic life, cooking etc in Victorian lower kitchen – hands on session where pupils get to handle Victorian irons, have a go at a washboard, smell carbolic soap, etc

10.45 – 11.30
Victorian school lesson in attic – try out writing with slates and pencils and try using a quill pen.

Look at Victorian photos and learn about differences between then and now.

Play with traditional toys in the bedroom.

Try on Victorian clothes and hats.

11.30 - 12
Trail around house (picture based).



PLEASE BOOK EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT!

All workshops are priced at £5 per child, with accompanying adults free. Times are 10am-2pm with an hour for lunch. This can be reduced to a two hour session costing £3 per child by omitting some activities.

Whitehall has a gift shop with relevant and reasonably priced books, postcards and souvenirs for the children to buy. We also have a tearoom and garden for use over lunchtime.

Please tell us if you have any children with special needs so we can provide extra help for them to ensure a successful visit for all the children. If you do not see a workshop here that quite suits your needs please do not hesitate to phone us and discuss the matter. We are always willing to tailor a package where possible.