Priestlands Heritage and Young People's Project
Lymington, Hampshire
Priestlands is a shared school site. Pennington Infants and Junior schools and Priestlands Secondary School are on the edge of the historic market town of Lymington.
The heritage project began in 1998 between the three schools, the Hampshire Gardens Trust and a wide range of local organisations, to explore using the curriculum to access the diversity of the local heritage. Priestlands is fortunate in its historical and environmental heritage, largely unrecognised before the project began. The parish of Pennington was first documented in 1159, parish banks survive on the perimeter of the site, there are ancient trees and hedgerows. The main asset is the Grade II early nineteenth century mansion, now an arts and music centre, the coach house and walled garden (now derelict), and remnants of the designed landscape. The schools, developed from the 1960s, are in walking distance of the town.
The main aims of the Priestlands Heritage project are:
· To realise the heritage benefits of linking local enquiry into curriculum teaching.
· To encourage the involvement of young people in their local heritage.
· To establish a partnership between local and regional organisations to participate in the conservation and management of the local environment.
Projects have been undertaken within and across all three schools. At secondary level, these have included Mathematics Trails, poetry work in Modern Foreign Language based on the grounds, a local historical census, Artists in Residence, drama productions, investigations into micro-climates and ecosystems and environmental work. At the Infants and Junior Schools, woodland and hedgerow surveys, museum links and visits, an ‘Earth Walk’, and Heritage Activities Week have produced a fascinating range of work. All three schools collect and record data. Several partner organisations have volunteered a range of skills and experiences and continue to provide specialist advice.
Surveys have included ecological, woodland and fungi surveys, followed by an archaeological and historical landscape surveys and a Conservation Plan. The wealth of information about the grounds, the buildings and the people who lived and worked there and nearby, has encouraged the Head of History to use the information for GCSE Course work.
In Year 3, the curriculum in English, Science, and Mathematics has been enriched. It underpins existing schemes of work through an inspirational approach to learning. The project aims to establish ‘good practice’ for use by any school.
HLF funding has paid for the development of an interactive website. This will act as an archive and will catalogue and store all the evidence, research and records collected to date. Generations of teachers and young people can make use of the Heritage Record and add to it. The website will share methodologies and findings with other schools and many potential partner organisations.
Managing the project has provided a challenging and innovative way of working together for all three schools. The project will reinforce the students’ awareness of their local area, and hopefully encourage their involvement in its conservation. GD
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