Want2B Workshops

"What do you do with ALL that time off in the holidays?"
I'm sure you've heard it from someone you know. I'm sure you have a well practised answer which touches on rest & recuperation, all those appointments you don't have time for in term time, and the amount of prep that's needed. I'm not much different. I've been to the Drs, for a blood test, opticians, read some books (nothing to do with History for a change!) and prepped, prepped, prepped!

Well the Workshops may be paused for the summer, but that doesn't stop me indulging myself with a little bit of reenacting. We had a fantastic day at The Yorkshire Wartime Experience yesterday immersing ourselves in everything WW1 and WW2.

Well that's a wrap for Academic Year 2025/26!
I have had a busy year of workshops. Thank you to all of the schools who have hosted workshops. We couldn't do it without you! As is tradition, the statistics are in for the most popular workshop of the year.
🥁🥁🥁drum roll please🥁🥁🥁
in 3rd place with 29.5% of workshops, "So You Want2B in the Stone Age?"
in 2nd place with 32.5% of workshops, "So You Want2B a Victorian?"
and the winner (yet again) and my personal favourite, with 38% of workshops, "So You Want2B a Roman?"

I was very pleased to receive these Pupil Voice quotes from Kingfisher School, where we visited last week to do our "So You Want2B a Victorian?" workshop. Thank you to the staff and learners who made us feel very welcome.

Life is soooo glamorous when you are a small business owner.

Fluff or Fanfare?
I was once at a school where the head teacher referred to what we did on our Roman workshop as "fluff". Their word, not mine. I suppose they meant that the forming of a testudo as a demonstration of the Roman army's might and the making of a mosaic tile, were not listed as facts to be learned in the National Curriculum document for History. I was not invited back. No surprise.
At the time, many of the published curricula were using the idea of a "Hook" event and a celebration of learning event as ways to inspire and enthuse. Not for this head.
Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago. The head teacher came to find me at lunch and said that what we were doing was amazing and he was going to email all the other heads in the MAT and recommend me.
So what do you think? Fluff or fanfare? 😆

Some lovely feedback from last week and the Victorian workshop at Holy Trinity C of E Infant School . I love it when people appreciate what we do!

We had a fantastic day today in Southwell. Holy Trinity C of E Infant School was built in 1846 and still has a Victorian washroom, complete with range. It was so exciting to be re-enacting Victorian life in a Victorian building!
Thank you to the staff for a lovely welcome and to the learners for joining in so enthusiastically.