The Year 4s enjoyed an exceptional day out this Wednesday with a very enjoyable and educational visit to the Milestones Museum in Basingstoke.

We were very fortunate to have Mrs Bailey, Head of History, accompany us on our visit. Her deep and broad knowledge of the subject frequently impressed the boys and even some of the facilitators at the museum. Mr Halliday was a wonderful calming influence, so we made our way around the space in an observant, engaged, and orderly manner.

In addition to walking the streets of this frozen piece of living history, the boys enjoyed playing Victorian arcade games on the boardwalk and gained a palpable sense of what life was actually like for the Victorians, including a quick game of hopscotch before lunch.

After lunch, the boys experienced what it was like to sit in a Victorian classroom with a strict and stern schoolmarm for an entire lesson, and then enjoyed a deep dive into the Taskers Waterloo Ironworks, gaining both a lived experience and a wider understanding of some of the realities and broader driving forces at work at that time. Our last stop on our tour was the period candy store, which the boys absolutely loved as they each received a 'ration' of sweets on our way out.

The visit has set us up marvellously for this term's focus on Victorian Britain (not just England, as Mrs Bailey would remind us), and I will certainly be drawing heavily on what we learned as we continue to study this incredible part of history this term. My heartfelt thanks go to Mrs Bailey and Mr Halliday for their time and expertise, and to Mr Reid and Mrs Slater for their kind assistance in making the visit the success that it was.

Mr Walters
Year 4 History Teacher