Learn with Museums at Belper North Mill
Working with local teachers (through the Learning Links programme), local schools and regional Museum Education Workers, the historic North Mill on the River Derwent at Belper developed materials to aid classroom learning and improve museum visits for young people.
What did we do?
"Before I went to the Mill, I never knew that living in Belper was such a privilege."
- A student after visiting the Mill
As part of its aim to develop closer links with local schools and adapt its materials and collections to better serve their needs, Belper North Mill took part in the ‘Learning Links’ placement programme (a reciprocal placement programme for teachers, museum and archive staff), worked with regional Museum Education Workers (from Museums, Libraries, Archives East Midlands) and worked with teachers at a local primary school.
The museum recognised that it had a lot to offer schools, but not the resources or expertise to develop materials or school visit programmes. The museum worked with the Museum Education Workers to enhance its existing materials and to develop pre and post visit resources for schools.
The museum had never worked with secondary schools, or children with special educational needs, so as part of the Learning Links programme a secondary teacher and a special education needs (SEN) teacher were placed with the museum and helped to develop resources for Key Stage 3 and SEN students.
A chance meeting with a local primary school teacher, from Long Row Primary School, which is based in the same complex of the Mill, also deepened the museum’s learning connections. The school and the museum recognised the value and support the other could provide. The museum is now a key resource for a host of Curriculum areas in the school and the school pilots new museum resources and tours. Children are newly inspired by their local history with beneficial impacts on student’s project work and their connection with older generations in the town.
What were the outcomes?
"It's changed my planning totally - I will now look outside the box. "
- A local teacher
The learning activities the museum has undertaken, and the new resources produced are supporting learning in citizenship, science, design and technology as well as history, for Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3 and children with special educational needs.
Because the museum is reliant on volunteers who are not educational experts, working with the trained museum educators and teachers meant it benefited from professional knowledge in areas from child protection through to inspiring children to learn and engage.
Facts and figures
Participation
The project ran from 2004 – 2006 but the improved resources are still available to all and the links between the museum and local schools continue to grow.
Partner organisations
Belper North Mill, Long Row Primary School and MLA East Midlands
Funding
MLA East Midlands through Strategic Commissioning, which is supported by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
What you can do
If you are interested in taking part in the Learning Links placement programme contact MLA East Midlands.
Telephone: 0116 285 1350. or email: info@mlaeastmidlands.org.uk
To arrange a visit to Belper North Mill email info@belpernorthmill.org or call 01773 880 474. The Mill provides details about how its collections and exhibitions relate to the curriculum and can also provide bespoke tours catering for various topics at Key Stages 1, 2 and 3 including Geography, Citizenship and the Industrial Revolution.
About the Teacher Zone
