Heritage learning interpretation

Learning resources for museums, heritage sites, churches & outdoor settings

Drawing on over 25 years of experience in the heritage sector I can create a range of learning materials for your setting and deliver inspiring training for your staff and volunteers. 

I'm the right choice for you if you want a more personal approach, rather than a large agency.  I take time to get to know you, and your site, to ensure that my work best fits your organisation and your audience.  I also have good professional contacts with a group of illustrators who I can recommend for projects.

Below are some examples of the sort of work I offer, but please contact me to discuss your particular needs.

Engaging schools with your setting

Devising workshops based on your setting/particular collection/theme

Creating teachers' packs - these can be physical and/or online learning materials

Creating imaginative pupil activity sheets and trails

Creating and/or advising on handling collections and resource boxes

Content writing for multi-media resources (incl writing scripts for videos)

Writing interpretation materials for exhibitions

Engaging families with your setting

Creating imaginative family trails, guides and activity sheets

Developing online resources

Advising on, and delivering, family activities

Advising on and/or creating explorer bags/boxes

Writing family interpretation materials

CPD and training for staff, volunteers, teachers, students

Using objects to inspire learning

Teaching and learning in the historic environment

Using stories, and storytelling, to enhance professional practice in heritage learning

Consultancy

Research and consultancy to inform potential learning project development

Writing policies for education work, safeguarding, working with volunteers

Researching and writing case studies

Project managing small scale learning projects

Evaluating projects and writing final evaluation documents

Here are some of the lovely people I've worked with:

Bamburgh Bones Accessing Aidan Project  |  Buckfast Abbey  |  DLI Collection  |  Head of Steam Museum  |  Inspired North East (Spirit in Stone project)  |  

Kirkleatham Museum  |  Preston Park Museum and Grounds  |  River Tees Rediscovered  |  Southwell Minster  |  St John's Church, Newcastle upon Tyne  |  

Tees Valley Museums NPO  |

Here are some examples of my work:

Bamburgh Bones, Accessing Aidan project

This project tells the stories of over 100 Anglo-Saxon skeletons excavated at Bamburgh.  I was commissioned to create an online learning resource for KS2, which included comprehensive teachers' notes, PowerPoint presentations, videos and downloadable pupil activities.  I also sourced, and created, a loans box of replica artefacts to support teaching and learning.  The resource supports the National Curriculum for History.  

To see the learning resource visit: https://bamburghbones.org/visit/learning

Detail from the online resource

Sample of downloadable pupil information cards

Sample of downloadable pupil activity cards

Head of Steam Museum

The museum has a range of resources for schools linked to their collection.  I was commissioned to create learning materials for KS1 & KS2 to inspire pupils and teachers to use the history of the Stockton and Darlington railway as a focus for creative writing.  I produced a range of story videos, pupil activity sheets and teachers' notes - all supporting the National Curriculum for English and History.

Still from story video

Sample of pupil activities

Still from KS2 video introduction about using the museum as a stimulus for creative writing

Preston Park Museum

I was commissioned to create online learning materials for KS1 & KS2 linked to the Victorians and the history of Preston Hall.  I produced a range of pupil and teacher information materials, pupil activity sheets and comprehensive teachers' notes - all supporting the National Curriculum for English and History.

To see the learning materials visit: https://prestonparkmuseum.co.uk/schools/teachers-pack/

Detail from the online information materials

Sample of downloadable teachers' notes

Sample of downloadable pupil activities

DLI Collection

The DLI Collection received funding to deliver learning activities for KS1 linked to a soldier's kitchen in the Crimean War.  I was commissioned to write, and record, a story introducing pupils to the story of the Crimean War and also produced pupil activities and teachers' notes to promote using the project as a stimulus for creative writing.

Sample of pupil activities

Still from story video 'Little Mouse's Big Adventure'

Tees Valley Museums NPO

I was commissioned to create an online Easter family activity which was offered as a, limited time, bookable event.  The resource was designed as a mystery which families were encouraged to solve through watching a series of videos and taking part in a range of challenges.  I created a central character (the investigator) and wrote and recorded scripts and investigations.  I also created a range of downloadable family activities to accompany those produced by the individual museums and other providers.

Detail of the online family activity videos

Sample from 'Top Secret Investigation Folder'

Sample from 'make your own Detective's Notebook'

Spirit in Stone, Inspired North East (Diocese of Newcastle)

I assisted the project officer to secure funding for a learning resource linked to historic churches in the North East of England.  I was then commissioned to research, and create the interactive digital resource for KS1, 2 & 3 to support teaching Christianity in RE.  The resource was sent out as a USB to all schools in the North East of England and was also available to download from the Spirit in Stone website.  In addition, I created a series of explorer boxes for KS1 & 2 available for schools to use in 8 historic churches in the North East and a family explorer trail, which is available in over 100 churches in the North East.  I liaised with local authority RE advisers to lead familiarisation sessions for teachers to promote the resource.

Detail from the family explorer trail

Detail of the digital schools' resource

KS1 & 2 church explorer boxes

Archbishops' Palace, Southwell Minster

I was commissioned to research and create a schools' workshop based on a medieval mystery surrounding the death of Archbishop Gerard at the Minster in the medieval period.  I wrote scripts for a series of "witness" videos (actors in role), created pupil activities and sourced and collated a range of replica artefacts.  The workshop was intended as a historical enquiry for KS2, and supported the National Curriculum for History.  As it would be led by Minster staff and volunteers, I delivered training for staff and volunteers to equip them to lead the workshop.

Pupils watching one of the "witness videos" onsite

Example of some replica artefacts for one of the "witnesses"

Example of some replica artefacts for one of the "witnesses"