STO focuses on Leighton Hall in Lancashire, where three different learning packages are available for Key Stage 1 and 2 students.
Teachers looking for a cross-curricular learning outside the classroom experience with links to subjects like Science, English, Art, History, Geography and Music need look no further than the historic Leighton Hall in Carnforth.
The hall is a Grade II listed building which was built in the late 1700s, and is the ancestral home of the Gillow family, famous for making furniture. Specific points of interest for schools include the English history of the family; the architecture of the building; and the Victorian era.
Three schools packages have been developed for Key Stage 1 and 2 students. Teachers can choose from a guided Upstairs Downstairs visit for Key Stage 2; a guided Houses & Homes visit for Key Stage 1; and a self-led Countryside Classroom visit that’s suitable for both Key Stages.
Upstairs Downstairs includes a guided tour lasting one and a half hours and plenty of time for questions, lunch and free time to play. A birds of prey flying display is also included at no additional cost during the summer season.
This Upstairs Downstairs visit links directly to Science – students will learn about inventions, touch and feel antique household items, and learn about the development of electricity.
It also links to Art, as students can see and discuss the paintings and stained glass windows, and History. The school group will discover what life was like for Victorian children above and below the stairs, and get involved with role play and dressing up.
A guided Houses & Homes visit for Key Stage 1 pupils will compare buildings and their different uses for History, learn about food and where it comes from for Geography and Science, and discover shapes and colours throughout the period property for Art.
A guided tour, question and answer session, lunch and play time, plus the birds of prey flying display are also included.
Teachers who prefer a more independent school trip can opt for a self-led Countryside Classroom experience, suitable for Key Stages 1 and 2.
This experience does not include a guide but all the materials and instructions needed are provided by Leighton Hall, and are designed to support subjects like Geography, Literacy, Art and Music.
Groups studying Literacy, for example, can write poetry about the weather and nature during a visit to the hall, while those learning about Geography can make a map, explore the farm land on the Leighton estate, and compare manmade and natural landscapes.
Added benefits
In addition to the themed packages, teachers can take advantages of free downloadable cross curricular worksheets and teacher’s notes for both Key Stage 1 and 2, as well as free teacher places (one for every ten children).
There is free parking on site, an outdoor play area, maze and woodland walk, and indoor and outdoor areas for eating lunch.
To book a visit, teachers should call 01524 734474 or e-mail info@leightonhall.co.uk.
For further information visit www.leightonhall.co.uk.
