Schools can book onto one of several workshops for Key Stages 1 and 2 at Newcastle Castle.
Itinerary: Full day visit
Provider: Newcastle Castle, Newcastle
Subjects: Local History, Geography, Art and Design, English/Literacy, Homes in the Past, Famous Figures
KS: 1, 2, 3 & 4
Newcastle Castle was built on the ruins of a Roman Fort called Pons Aelius in around 122AD and has since been home to rich history, going on to become a home to Anglo-Saxons, Normans and even Tudors.
Schools can book onto one of several workshops for Key Stages 1 and 2, or alternatively, can simply take a guided tour around the castle and the castle keep.
School Travel Organiser takes a look at what a typical day might consist of when a school visits Newcastle Castle for Key Stage 2 learners.
10am: Meet and greet by the castle’s learning team outside the entrance to the Black Gate. Pupils will be taken inside to put away their packed lunch, then will return to the entrance to begin their tour.
10:15am: The Our Castle Life workshop will feature a full tour of the castle, starting outside where pupils begin by looking at the evidence for the defensive features of the castle – which made it impregnable to enemies. The learning team will explain what life was like living in the castle and how the industrial heritage of Newcastle eventually impacted on and threatened to destroy the Medieval buildings.
10:45am: The tour will continue inside the castle keep. Here pupils will have the chance to practice their Medieval dance moves in the Great Hall, look down a Medieval latrine and climb to the top of the keep to view the city 85 feet above the ground.
12:00pm: Next is a break for lunch in the new Learning Room, Harbottle Suite. The class can also visit the gift shop during this time.
12:45pm: The class stays put in the Harbottle Suite for an afternoon workshop. One particularly popular choice is the Medieval Feast, where groups are given the challenge of designing a feast fit for a Medieval king. The groups will be divided into the roles of servants, guards, musicians, lords and ladies at the feast, and will act out the stages of the meal.
Other options include workshops on the development of the town of Newcastle, Tudor Crime and Punishment, and Knights and Local Legends among others.
2pm: The final session of the day ends where students will then have the chance to visit the gift shop again or continue their day elsewhere.
Teachers will also find plenty of learning resources on Newcastle Castle’s website, such as more information about different workshops and a downloadable teacher’s information pack.
For more information call 0191 230 6300 or visit www.newcastlecastle.co.uk.
