Primary schools are enrolling in a free programme of museum learning with Eton College Collections. Spaces are still available for this academic year, with 14 different learning sessions on offer in the three, on site museums. Sessions are linked to the National Curriculum and include topics such as dinosaurs and fossils, World War II, and creative writing.
Last academic year, over 50 primary schools enrolled in this free learning initiative with 4,814 pupils visiting Eton College’s Natural History Museum, Museum of Antiquities and Museum of Eton Life. 83 learning sessions were taught in these museums last academic year, with an additional 39 online sessions supporting those schools unable to travel to Eton.
Eton College are committed to preserving and developing its collections for the future and making them accessible to the local community and wider world. There are over 160,000 items in the collections, including documents, photographs, paintings and fossils. The oldest objects are over 500 million years old, whilst the newest were made this century.
All sessions are a mix of discussions and activities in the museum spaces. Adult-led visits are available throughout the school year. Every Spring Term, sixth formers from Eton College, with the guidance of the museum curator or Collections Education Officer, also develop, resource and facilitate their own museum learning sessions for local schools.
To find out more about the museum learning programme at Eton College or to make a booking enquiry, schools should email: museumeducation@etoncollege.org.uk
Museums are such a wonderful way to extend and embed students’ learning – there’s nothing quite like seeing the real thing. It’s always so much fun working with classes in the museums!
Saskia Nesja, Education Officer at Eton College Collections
The class spent a fascinating morning at the Eton College Museum of Ancient Antiquities as part of their learning about the Ancient Egyptians. The children were intrigued to see and learn from some excellent primary sources, including a highly decorated sarcophagus and numerous other burial objects. The member of staff (Saskia) leading the workshop was very warm and welcoming, asking lots of interesting questions and leading them on a very enjoyable learning journey. I would thoroughly recommend this workshop to other schools.
Wendy Dearman, St Peter’s Church of England Primary School, Burnham
