Saving the past, inspiring the future - the Access Artefacts project
A condemned collection was saved to create schools and community loans boxes to introduce thousands of people to objects from the past.
What did we do?
"The best thing about the loans box was the activities because it was fun and it helped me learn lots of things while I was having fun, so I think that helped me a lot. If I wasn't having as much fun, I probably wouldn't have learned as much."
- Key Stage 2 pupil
As part of its aim to develop closer links with schools and communities in the city’s most deprived areas, Nottingham City Museums and Galleries used a collection of more than 8,000 artefacts to create seven loans boxes. By placing artefacts into the classroom and with community groups, the Museums Services was able to reach new audiences, at the same time as encouraging teachers and members of the public to arrange museum visits.
The boxes available include: the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, Romans in Britain, Africa Inspires (visual art), The First World War and History Mystery. Future loans boxes will include: toys - old and new; the Second World War home front and 20th century medicine.
The museums worked with teachers from 21 schools to develop accompanying activities including:
- starting points and questions,
- further activities,
- planning sheets linked to Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) schemes of work.
What were the outcomes
"It becomes personal to them - a chance to see and touch articles first hand - real articles, not copies. I think it will have inspired them to find out more and developed their enquiry skills. "
- Teacher using the box
- Eighty-four per cent of Key Stage 2 students felt that using the boxes helped them to learn about topics and 79 per cent of Key Stage 3 and 4 pupils said they would like to use a loans box again in their school work,
- Teachers felt that the loans boxes significantly helped to develop student thinking, speaking, listening and observation skills,
- Teachers noticed that the activities allowed pupils space for taking risks with ideas and the chance to stretch their imaginations,
- Eighty-eight per cent of community group members who used the boxes noted an improvement in their knowledge of a particular topic, while 94 per cent experienced a change in their attitudes.
Facts and figures
Participation
The numbers of participants are growing all the time. As an indication, in the first two terms, the boxes were used by 4,000 students and three community groups.
Partner organisations
Renaissance East Midlands, Nottingham City Local Education Authority (LEA)
Funding
Renaissance East Midlands, Nottingham City Local Education Authority (LEA)
About the Teacher Zone
