What’s coming up for education teams across the Properties in 2015?

New offers to meet the needs of a new curriculum Developing and delivering new curriculum offer to meet needs of schools since change in curriculum. – prehistory (Stone Age to Iron Age) & saxons (Roman countryside to Saxon Invaders) sessions at Michelham, Archaeological skills session at Fishbourne & new sessions at Lewes properties. Lewes Castle new sessions are Prehistory: Stone, Bronze, Iron.  Artefact Handling exploring changes in technology and materials. Anne of Cleves new sessions are Fire of London: how did fire spread looking at Houses, flammable materials and a local diarist. Anglo-Saxon artefact handling and drama Democracy: exploring campaigns from Lewes’ history

Working together to develop our marketing Marketing of education offers – working together on developing effective, low-cost advertising, particularly social media presence (eg enews, twitter etc) & making good use of other portals (eg South Downs & ‘Engaging with Museums’ for whole SE)

Researching and developing new opportunities for informal learning Researching & organising informal learning opportunities and events – examples from Michelham (Archaeology Day/ WW2 Day/ Saxons), Fishbourne (Roman Hawks & Helmets, adult courses), Lewes (Near Lewes Hoard) Working with Research, Front of House and marketing to deliver adult and family events in particular for “Near Lewes Hoard”.

Building partnerships and applying for grant funding for projects with particular audiences. Partnership/project working/grant funding –  Lewes : continue relationships established with last year’s HLF funded tapestry project. Working with front of house to improve offer for EFL groups. Awaiting outcome of funding bid for working with RNIB. Fishbourne working on an Arts Council funded Arts Award project with Chichester Cultural learning partnership. Local government funding for Dementia project - Dementia friends training. Michelham - thinking about targeting Alzheimer groups because of our social history displays & looking at HLF funding.

Working with and developing our teams of volunteers who help bring the story of each site to life. On-going work with volunteers. Recruitment & training. Michelham - busy with tour training and Ed training for prehistoric/ Saxon sessions. Fishbourne - Recruitment of demonstration volunteers, helpers for events (eg FoBa), support growing interest in military sessions.