Buxton pupils and staff travel back in time to bring learning to life

Children at the school have been learning about Victorians and this culminated in a Victorian Day complete with chalk boards, a Victorian PE lesson and gruel.

All of the children and staff came into school dressed in clothes that would have been worn during that era.

Spelling activities were completed on chalk boards and some daily Victorian school routines, such as hand cleanliness inspections, were carried out.

Teachers talked to pupils about the differences between the toys they have now and the toys that children played with in Victorian times. They took part in playground games such as skipping, hopscotch, marbles and jacks.

All children asked if they could have skipping ropes out on the playground all of the time and were eager to practice their new skills. They have also been having a go at hopscotch since the day.

Lucy Wood, Year One and Two class teacher, said: “After learning all about Queen Victoria, Victorian artefacts and children's jobs we realised how engaged and interested all the children were in the topic so we decided to do a Victorian Day. We also recreated a Victorian workhouse lunch complete with gruel for the children to try. Safe to say they didn't want any seconds!”Pupils were surprised by what was expected of children during the Victorian era.

Emily in Year One said: “The jobs were very dangerous.”

Year One pupil Livie said: “The gruel was gross.”

Rebecca Rose, Year One class teacher, said: “The children had such a good time pretending to be Victorian children. We were blown away with how much they could tell us about that era. We hope it's a day they will always remember from their school years. Hopefully they are grateful that we aren't as scary and strict as teachers were back then!”