Year 8 get a glimpse into a Tudor World!

Over the course of the week commencing 18th November, all of Year 8 got the chance to visit the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth as part of their History studies.  This visit slotted in perfectly to the work they are doing at present on Tudor England, and more specifically, the reign of Henry VIII.

As well as seeing the ship itself, students were able to study many of the artefacts 'up close', marvelling at the superb state of preservation of everything from combs and shoes, through to the remains of the ship's dog!

The students also got the chance to experience what is was like to dive down to the Mary Rose through the '4D' cinema experience, and undertook a workshop, where they either planned out Tudor military strategy and acted out the role of a Tudor gun crew, or got a gory insight into Tudor medicine.

This was a superb opportunity to visit a world-class museum right on our doorstep, bringing local (and national) history alive, and supporting our learning in the classroom.  It also helped shed some light on the lives of ordinary people in Tudor times, something that helps to give a richer view of what the past was really like.

My thanks must go to the many members of staff who helped make the visits such a success, and to the pupils for their behaviour, which was often praised by museum staff and members of the public.

Justin Barnett, Head of Humanities