We specialise in immersive, hands-on history learning. Our main aim is for groups to feel immersed and engaged with their past. We have lots to offer for Primary Schools, so please do take a look at our options below!
Key Stage 1
Our main theme for KS1 is ‘Changes through Time’, where we will explore how life and the world around us has changed between the Anglo-Saxon period over 1000 years ago to today.
This session can be paired alongside one of two other options.
We offer ‘Observations of Seasonality’, a workshop with different activity choices, to allow children to get hands on with the past and learn through doing.
We ask that KS1 teachers get in-touch to discuss visit options as some of the sessions are seasonal.
We also offer St Bede and Monastic Life, where we explore the importance of St Bede by visiting our museum and St Paul’s Church.
Changes through Time on the Farm is a half-day trip to our reconstruction Anglo-Saxon Farm and Village, where children will learn
about life in the past by exploring a working farm. Learn about our animals and how they have been used by people over time, whilst
we compare the similarities and differences between modern and historic farming techniques. Attain an understanding of how people in the past might have lived, what their houses were like and compare and contrast modern life to the past.
In this session pupils learn about the changing seasons and the impact that this had upon farming and life in the past. We explore the Anglo-Saxon calendar and get hands-on by experiencing some of the tasks that they would carry out from season to season. Choose from: Sol Monaþ (February), which Bede calls the ‘Month of Cakes’, where we prepare and make Anglo-Saxon style cakes that were traditionally offered to mother earth, using historic tools and ingredients. Or Liða-monaþ (June), which Bede named the ‘travelling month’. Pupils use natural wool and various craft techniques to prepare it for weaving and felting.
This workshop explores one of the most important and famous Anglo-Saxons to have ever lived – Bede. Pupils will learn about his life in St Paul’s Monastery and why he is so important. We will spend time in our Bede Museum to see what life as a monk would have been like, before heading to visit St Paul’s Church to see where Bede lived and worked.
Key Stage 2
We offer an extensive range of KS2 history experiences. Whether your topic is Anglo-Saxon Britain, St Bede and the Monasteries or the Vikings we have options to support your learning.
Our Education Team specialises in the Early Medieval Period, having many years experience in delivering engaging and immersive learning opportunities.
We have THREE themes for you to select from:
- Britain’s Settlement by the Anglo-Saxons: Exploring Anglo-Saxon Britain
- St Bede and Anglo-Saxon Monastic Life
- The Vikings and the Struggle for England
Each of these themes have a selection of workshops for you to choose from. Our Farms and Settlements tour is a standard part of the package and you can then select two workshops.
Britain’s Settlement by the Anglo-Saxons: Exploring Anglo-Saxon Britain
St Bede and Anglo-Saxon Monastic Life
The Vikings and the Struggle for England
Enjoy a guided tour of our reconstruction Farm and Village, which houses heritage breed animals and specially constructed timber Early Medieval buildings. Our expert guides will help the group to understand the different uses of animals and animal products in farming, food, textiles and culture whilst comparing the differences between Anglo-Saxon and modern farming practices. After visiting our animals, we will venture into our collection of Anglo-Saxon style buildings (often referred to as the village). Here, children are able to explore how the Anglo-Saxons lived and what their homes were like. As part of our immersive session, children will be asked to sit on benches as our guide lights a fire within the hearth. Pupils will then be challenged to guess some real Anglo-Saxon
riddles before hearing the first part of the Anglo-Saxon epic poem – Beowulf – by firelight.
This workshop can be booked as part of a full-day visit to Jarrow Hall. The workshop lasts for around 45 minutes and can be taken
alongside Farms and Settlements and one other workshop. Anglo-Saxon Crime and Punishment explores village life in Anglo-Saxon England, the laws and what was deemed to have been a crime and the social structure of England during the Dark Ages. In order to explore these themes, the group will work as the Moot (local court) to re-enact cases from the Anglo-Saxon period. Members of the group will be invited to play the part of the criminal, their defence and other characters and the Moot will vote to determine their innocence – or guilt! This session will help children to understand the Anglo-Saxon judicial system, some of the key punishments, and the class system.
This workshop can be booked as part of a full-day visit to Jarrow Hall. The workshop lasts for around 45 minutes and can be taken
alongside Farms and Settlements and one other workshop. Clothing and Textiles investigates textile production from animal to finished product, showing how people in the past made their clothing (which is still used by many people today). We will have a go with tools such as carding brushes and drop spindles to begin the process of manufacturing yarn. After this, the group will use miniature looms to create their own piece of woven fabric, which they are welcome to take home.
This workshop can be booked as part of a full-day visit to Jarrow Hall. The workshop lasts for around 45 minutes and can be
taken alongside Farms and Settlements and one other workshop. Herbs and Medicine explores the ways in which Anglo-Saxons would care for themselves during illness or injury. We will explore remedies from Anglo-Saxon folk medicine to the works of Bald, the doctor of King Alfred the Great. The children will take part in our hands-on activity in re-creating Bald’s cure for an eye infection, which has recently been found to have useful medicinal properties today!
This workshop can be booked as part of a full-day visit to Jarrow Hall. The workshop lasts for around 45 minutes and can be taken alongside Farms and Settlements and one other workshop. Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms and Battles explores the military side of Anglo-Saxon life. We will discuss the Anglo-Saxon invasion, the kingdoms they established and the weapons and armour used during the
Anglo-Saxon period. Much of this workshop focuses upon object handling, where the group can get hands on with replica weapons and armour. After looking at the replica items, we will use historical sources to re-enact a battle from the Anglo-Saxon period. During this children will learn old English battle cries and the formations used on the battlefield, all while working as a team
This workshop can be booked as part of a full-day visit to Jarrow Hall. The workshop lasts for around 45 minutes and can be
taken alongside Farms and Settlements and one other workshop. Religion, Myths and Burial explores the religions practiced by the Anglo-Saxons, from their pagan beginnings to their conversion to Christianity. We will help the group to attain an understanding of how the Anglo-Saxon pagan gods have stayed with us today, why the Anglo-Saxons converted to Christianity and how this impacted the material culture that we find in burials. We will explore the Anglo-Saxon creation myth and how this helps explain how they viewed the world around them before the group creates a rune charm necklace. After this, we will use historical sources such as Bede and Beowulf and archaeological sources to re-create Anglo-Saxon burials to re-enforce our understanding of Anglo-Saxon religion.
Enjoy a guided tour of our reconstruction Farm and Village, which houses heritage breed animals and specially constructed timber Early Medieval buildings. Our expert guides will help the group to understand the different uses of animals and animal products in farming, food, textiles and culture whilst comparing the differences between Anglo-Saxon and modern farming practices. After visiting our animals, we will venture into our collection of Anglo-Saxon style buildings (often referred to as the village). Here, children are able to explore how the Anglo-Saxons lived and what their homes were like. As part of our immersive session, children will be asked to sit on benches as our guide lights a fire within the hearth. Pupils will then be challenged to guess some real Anglo-Saxon
riddles before hearing the first part of the Anglo-Saxon epic poem – Beowulf – by firelight.
Anglo-Saxon Monastic Life allows groups to walk in the footsteps of St Bede, by visiting St Paul’s Church – which used to be part
of the monastic complex of St Paul’s Monastery. Pupils will be able to dress up in a monk’s habit and then perform an Anglo-Saxon Benedictine liturgy. Whilst in St Paul’s Church your guide will allow children to explore the church, and tell stories of the miracles performed by the Anglo-Saxon saints. Pupils will also have the opportunity to visit the ruins of the later medieval monastery (weather permitting).
*there is an additional charge of 50p per child, which goes directly to support St Paul’s Church
This workshop explores one of the most important and famous Anglo-Saxons to have ever lived – Bede. Pupils will learn about his life in St Paul’s Monastery, his importance in our knowledge of the Anglo-Saxons, history and science. Children can take a closer look at some replicas of the items that Bede used to create his books, before your guide will perform a live science experiment to demonstrate the way in which monks used to create ink. Pupils can experience our monastic scriptorium, where they will be able to try their hand at writing in the Anglo-Saxon style using wooden quills and ink.
Enjoy a guided tour of our reconstruction Farm and Village, which houses heritage breed animals and specially constructed timber Early Medieval buildings. Our expert guides will help the group to understand the different uses of animals and animal products in farming, food, textiles and culture whilst comparing the differences between Viking and modern farming practices. After visiting our animals, we will venture into our collection of Early Medieval style buildings (often referred to as the village). Here, children are able to explore how the Vikings lived and what their homes were like. As part of our immersive session, children will be asked to sit on benches as our guide lights a fire within the hearth. Children will then be challenged to guess some real Viking riddles from the sagas before hearing the first part of the Anglo-Saxon epic poem – Beowulf – a story that would have been enjoyed by Anglo-Saxon and Viking alike
Viking Raids and Battles explores the military side of Viking, the aspect they are most famous for life. We will discuss the beginning of Viking raids in Britain, their invasion, the kingdoms they conquered and the weapons and armour used during the Viking Age. Much of this workshop focuses upon object handling, where the group can get hands on with replica weapons and armour. After looking at the replica items, we will use historical sources to re-enact a battle from the Viking Age. During this children will learn old English and Norse battle cries and the formations used on the battlefield, all while working as a team. This workshop can be booked as part of a full-day visit to Jarrow Hall. The workshop lasts for around 45 minutes and can be taken alongside Life in the Danelaw: Viking Farms and Settlements and one other workshop.
Raiders to Traders opens up a different view of the Vikings, as explorers and traders rather than just raiders. We will explore how the Vikings utilised ground-breaking maritime technological advancements to open up the world seaways and bring goods rarely seen in Northern Europe back to their territories. Using historical and archaeological sources, we will utilise a replica collection to map the journeys of the Vikings and understand the importance of the Vikings in world trade. This workshop can be booked as part of a full day visit to Jarrow Hall. The workshop lasts for around 45 minutes and can be taken alongside Life in the Danelaw: Viking Farms and Settlements and one other workshop
Religion, Myths and Burial explores the pagan religion practiced by the Vikings and what survives of this faith, from archaeological remains to the sagas of great heroes and lords. We will take the group of a trip to Valhalla, learning about the Gods and
their characteristics before exploring the Viking creation myth and how this helps explain how they viewed the world around them before the group creates a rune charm necklace. After this, we will use historical sources such as Bede, the sagas and Beowulf and archaeological sources to re-create a Viking Kingly burial. This workshop can be booked as part of a full-day visit to Jarrow Hall. This workshop lasts for around 45 minutes and can be taken alongside Life in the Danelaw: Viking Farms and Settlements and one other workshop
Self-Led Visits
Groups are welcome to visit us on a self-led basis during our standard opening times where will have access to our farm and museum. Should you wish to book an indoor lunch space please let us know in your booking.
Timings and Prices
Full-Day Visit (Farm Tour and 2 Workshops) – 10.00-14.30 – £295
Half-Day Visit (Farm Tour OR 2 Workshops) – 10.00-12.00 OR 12.30-14.30 – £185
Self-Led Visit – only available during standard opening times – please get in-touch to book