Education services at Torrington 1646
Want to give your class a bit of fun as well as info? Let us take the strain...
Torrington 1646 is a great place for school visits. With hands on and interactive learning, it is the ideal location for students to learn about history whilst having fun.
All staff have been CRB checked and have lots of experience working with children, including special needs and gifted.
Whether you want to bring a school to us or take advantage of our Outreach Education team contact us to see what we can offer.
Who are we?
We are the Torrington 1646 Education Team based in Great Torrington, North Devon. We specialise in bringing history to life for children of all ages either for fun or as a specific part of the National Curriculum for achievement qualifications.
Where are we?
The simple answer is - wherever you want us. The 1646 Education Team is based at Castle Hill in Great Torrington. We are delighted to welcome school parties to our 17th Century experience but we are just as happy to bring the past into your school.
With our ever expanding outreach education programme we are bringing history to life in classrooms all over the south west. We work with students of all ages and abilities from small classes up to entire year groups. We cover both Tudor and Stuart periods and can include subjects as diverse as the great fire of London, costume, herbs, Rich & poor, life of a soldier, witchcraft and even the Barber Surgeon. History of medicine at GCSE level is a speciality of ours that we have delivered in a number of schools with great success over the last couple of years. Our most recent discipline, “Britain’s role in African Slavery”, is now available. Please note that this is only available as an independent outreach activity.
The effect of the African Slave trade in the 16th and 17th Centuries has become an increasingly important subject within the National Curriculum. It is however an extremely difficult and challenging subject to cover.
We can bring into your classroom Sir John Hawkins, the first English slave trader, (sponsored by Elizabeth 1st herself), and a plantation overseer from the Americas. The characters will talk of their lifestyle and why and how they conduct their business in the true spirit of the time.
The basic rule for these sessions is that whilst the character is wearing their hat, they are in character, if things get a little heated, (and they probably will), the hat comes off and the characters opinions and attitudes can be discussed in a calm and controlled manner, the “character” can then resume as appropriate. We are able to be the “bad guy” on your behalf and really get over to your students the attitude of the time to make it easier for them to fully understand why the slave trade started and why it went on for so long.
We also welcome school visits to our premises at Great Torrington, in addition to the activities detailed above we have our own version of the town of Torrington as it was on the night of the battle and we also mould musket balls in front of a roaring fire.
How do we fit in?
One of the strengths of the 1646 Education Team is its awareness of the requirements of the National Curriculum for history, and its work is planned to help pupils reach the attainment targets. We also look for opportunities for learning across the curriculum - particularly in the area of speaking and listening - and aim to support teachers with ideas that can go on long after the visit is over. Most importantly though, we aim to have fun and to entertain.
What can we do for you?
Below, you will find some examples of how the 1646 Education Team can support your teaching. It is by no means exhaustive, so if you have a particular need or think we could help with something not mentioned here - please ask!
Curriculum support
Key Stages 1 and 2
Stimulate young and enquiring minds into realising that history can be fun. At this age the pupils truly believe that our characters have travelled forward in time just to see them!
Subject: Great Fire of London • Tudor Studies
Key Stage 3
Give your pupils a variation in the teaching environment - we bring history to life and make it fun! We enrich the learning experience with our varied characters and wide range of subjects. We can work with all sizes of classes up to entire year groups.
Subjects: English Civil War
Key Stage 4
We provide support for course studies in Year 10 and for revision in Year 11. We strive to enhance the pupils' ability to answer questions in a well rounded and informed fashion. Our sources include Edexcel core texts and previous exam papers from all examination boards.
Subjects: History of Medicine • History of Crime and Punishment
