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NORFOLK JOINT MUSEUMS COMMITTEE
17th January 2003
Item No.
LIFELONG LEARNING IN THE NMAS
Report by the Head of Museums & Archaeology
This report provides an update on the
educational services provided by the NMAS.
1.
INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND
"The Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service education department, a
significant player in lifelong learning, has developed its outreach work in
areas of significant deprivation…… Education programmes encompass the
needs of all ages from pre-school programmes held at the Castle Museum or
in early years settings for under-fives, where they can explore museum
objects, to programmes for older people involving reminiscence work and
hands-on craft activities…… The work of the department is very highly rated
by users."
Office of her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools, in conjunction with the
Audit Commission. Report September 2002.
2.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The aim of the NMAS education department is to develop the educational
potential of Norfolk Museums and their collections for lifelong learners.
It works to achieve this through:
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making the museums, their collections and documentation accessible to
as wide an audience as possible
providing a range of formal and informal learning programmes for people
of all ages and at all stages of their lives
supporting the use of museums and collections by formal education
groups such as schools, colleges, and adult education groups through
provision of resource materials, in-service training, object handling
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3.
sessions and other activities
providing outreach programmes for people who may find physical
(including geographical), cultural and/or intellectual access to museums
difficult
encouraging greater ownership of museums through providing
opportunities for people to participate in museum developments
evaluating the impact of museum provision on learning
providing learning opportunities in partnership with other learning
providers, recognising that partnerships can outperform individual service
provision by providing a wider range of skills, experiences and other
resources
providing learning experiences that adhere to and enhance the Norfolk
County Council, LEA, DCMS, and DfES policies and plans and provide
Best Value
HOW THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS ORGANISED
There are six education staff: the head of the department and two others
based in Norwich; one at King's Lynn; one at Great Yarmouth and one at the
Norfolk Rural Life Museum. As well as working in the museums in which they
are based and in those museums without designated education staff, they
work together on many education programmes. In this way they are able to
share ideas, knowledge, skills and experience.
The museum education department receives £160,000 core funding from
Norfolk County Council, through the museums budget. In order to achieve its
objectives the department seeks additional funding for project work. Through
successful procurement of extra funding we have been able to provide
significant added value for our users. For example:
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in 2001 the department was successful in obtaining a Museums and
Galleries Access grant of £84,000 through the Heritage Lottery Fund to
finance an outreach post in Thetford to work with museums collections
and under 8s (0.8 FTE). The project was so successful that it was
highlighted as an exemplar by the HLF in their annual review. The project
ended on 14/01/03.
additional funding through SRB was secured for the Great Yarmouth
Museums Outreach project. The aim of the project was to encourage
informal learning and to develop new learning opportunities for people
who find access to museums difficult. This project concluded on 31/12/02.
the Clore Foundation gave us a grant of £3,500 at Gressenhall to equip
the under fives room in 2002
we raised £5,000 from East England Arts for a photography project related
to last summer's Norwich City Football Club centenary exhibition at the
Castle. This enabled us to work with three youth groups in the City
we have received a grant of £50,000 to develop some Basic Skills
programmes across the county (in Norwich, Thetford, King's Lynn and
Great Yarmouth) in 2003. It will be working in partnership with YMCA
Training to deliver this object-based programme of work
the department has also received £9,000 from MuSE to develop a series
of art packs in conjunction with schools and the library service
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4.
funding has been received from East Anglia Art Foundation to run a
masterclass once a term for 6th formers, studying art and design. This is
designed to create opportunities for schools that are rurally isolated or in
areas of social exclusion.
EVALUATION
Ours is a small department and our users are diverse. None the less we feel it
is essential to initiate and develop a system of evaluating provision that takes
account of the context and needs of individual learners. Staff are involved in
continuing evaluation of education programmes, exhibitions and visitor
services through questionnaires, focus group work and in-depth interviews.
Our active evaluation policy for formal education groups facilitates responses
from learners and group leaders. Examples of our evaluation forms are
available.
5.
WORK WITH EXHIBITIONS AND DISPLAYS
Museum education staff can only work directly with a relatively small
proportion of museum visitors, so it is essential for the education department
to take a holistic approach to the work of NMAS. This is well illustrated by the
role of museum educators on exhibition and display teams. Education staff
act as visitor advocates, concerned with issues such as access for wheelchair
users as well as the more obvious 'learning' issues like reading levels and
provision for different learning styles through visual, auditory and tactile
stimulation.
On occasions education staff project lead new exhibitions such as the 'Wreck
and Rescue' and 'Seaside Holidays' displays planned for the Tower Curing
Works in Great Yarmouth.
All the current exhibition and display developments across the service involve
the education department and prioritising time allocation between museum
development and programme provision is a key issue.
Learning from museum exhibitions and displays has been greatly enhanced
by the appointment of museum interpreters. Members of the education team
have an important role in providing the training programme for these key front
of house staff. This training programme includes the development of
knowledge and skills related to learning from objects and pictures,
storytelling, presentation, guiding and disability awareness as well as
customer care. Through guidance and in-house assessment the department
is also supporting the achievement of heritage NVQs by FoH staff.
The museum education officer at Gressenhall is recruiting new members to
the team of volunteer interpreters (mardlers) this spring and will deliver a full
training programme.
6.
EDUCATION PROGRAMMES
These are available at all of the service's museums and provision is made for
both formal education groups and people learning in an informal manner, for
example as part of a family visit. Wherever possible programmes involve
'active' learning so participants are encouraged to interact with museum
collections and develop understanding through 'doing'.
6.1
Early Years programmes
Monthly sessions are held at Norwich Castle for under-5s and their carers,
where children have the opportunity to explore museum objects and
participate in related art and craft activities. Similar sessions are organised for
playgroups and nursery classes in Norwich, King's Lynn and Great Yarmouth
museums.
Education staff are working closely with Keystone Community Partnership to
explore the provision of a children's museum in Thetford. Norfolk Rural Life
Museum has a new fully equipped room for under-5s. The museum,
especially the farm, is a popular and attractive venue for this audience and
the Early Years Centre has provided a much-needed base and focus for preschool groups.
Storysacks and loan boxes are being developed for young children by
museum education staff with local people in both West Norfolk and Great
Yarmouth.
6.2
School Programmes
Schools programmes are developed with teachers in response to curriculum
needs. Support for history and art are the most requested and needs are met
in a variety of ways: handling sessions; living history events; guided tours;
worksheets; resource packs; workshops; discussion groups etc. Similar
programmes have been developed in other curriculum areas, especially
literacy, numeracy and science. In 2001/2002 over 21,000 schoolchildren
took part in facilitated visits to NMAS sites.
In-service training for teachers is an important part of the department's work.
Where appropriate, teachers' courses are developed in partnership with other
learning providers. For example, recent courses have involved Norwich
Cathedral, Dragon Hall and the Norfolk Record Office. The Museum Service
also works with the advisory service from the Professional Development
Centre. A number of in-service courses have been planned for 2003. These
include 12 courses for Early Years practitioners in museums countywide in
2003/4. Training for environmental education is being run at Norfolk Rural Life
Museum 2003/4 in partnership with LEA advisory service.
The museum education department is working in partnership with the Race
Equality Officer of the Professional Development Centre, the library service,
the Norfolk Record Office and selected Norfolk schools to develop some
school resources that reflect cultural diversity within the National Curriculum.
Involvement with study support is another important part of our work. Last
summer for the first time the NMAS education department was closely
involved with the LEA's provision of summer school challenges. These take
place within the framework of the University of the First Age and are funded
by the New Opportunities Fund. We helped to lead a challenge in
Hunstanton, provided support in Great Yarmouth and led a challenge at
Norwich Castle. Each challenge lasted a week during the summer holidays.
We plan to be involved again in the summer of 2003 at NRLM, Norwich and
King's Lynn. This term education staff are organising an after school art club
at Aylsham High School for years 9 and 10 pupils.
The museum education department was awarded a grant of £38,000 by the
DfES to work with schools to produce resources for the redisplayed Norwich
Castle. Schemes of work and support materials for 'medieval realms', 'crime
and punishment', Design and Technology and GNVQ/AVCE/HND tourism and
travel courses have been developed.
6.3
Basic Skills Learners
The museum education department works in partnership with a wide range of
organizations and agencies to develop and support Basic and Life Skills
programmes.
Working with historic objects - touching them and thinking about the people
behind the objects - is especially powerful when working with adults who may
be disaffected or who may lack confidence and whose earlier experiences of
learning have not always been positive. These are some of the activities the
department has been involved in during 2002:
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the museum education officer ran a hands-on workshop titled 'Innovation:
the Work of the Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service' at a recent
sharing good practice training day. This gave participants a chance to find
out what the NMAS had to offer and to explore what could be done
through working with museum objects.
museum education staff are running a series of object-based sessions at
Wayland Prison. These sessions give prisoners a chance to take part in
active, hands-on learning. To support this work, the prisoners have access
to books and other library resources within the prison
'Eating and Drinking from Domesday to Delia' was an event run in
partnership with several organizations (NMAS, Norfolk Learning
Partnership, Libraries and Information Services and Information, Advice
and Guidance). It gave learners a chance to develop their basic skills in a
historic and creative setting. Focusing on food and drink through the ages,
students were given a tour of Norwich Castle, followed by a chance to
handle some food-related museum objects and finishing with an artist-led
session in which they made their own gilded coaster. The day was re-run
a few weeks later in order to cater for demand, and the government
minister, Margaret Hodges, attended
the department provided 'Grub and Grime' day for Learning Lift-Off, which
works with a range of organizations to set up learning opportunities for its
union (and other) employees and their families. Learners had the chance
to develop some basic skills as well as explore Victorian cleaning objects
and historic prison diets
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6.4
'Words and Pictures' was a two-day event held at Norwich Castle.
Working with disaffected 16-19 year olds, the event gave these young
people the chance to look at the museum's portraits, then create their own
portrait and, finally, use their writing skills to write about themselves, in
verse and prose
the museum education department worked with Learning Enhancement to
offer the session 'Introduction to the Work of a Museum' which focused on
interpretation though display and the identification of objects. Learning
Enhancement is part of the Adult Education Service and provides learning
opportunities for people with learning disabilities, mental health problems
and physical disabilities
Future Plans for NMAS and Basic and Life Skills Work
The museum education department is committed to working with these hardto-reach audiences and has several plans for continuing work in this field.
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6.5
the department has successfully bid for £50,000 (made available through
the European Social Fund and administered by the Learning and Skills
Council, Norfolk). This funding will enable the department to work with
YMCA Training Services to plan and deliver a series of four, 10-week
courses county-wide
at King's Lynn Museum in January the education officer will be running a
30-hour course on the history of food for basic skills learners with Adult
Education. This will include cooking historical recipes in the kitchen of the
Town Hall as well as object handling, literacy and numeracy activities
the department is collaborating with Learning Enhancement to put
together a funding bid for a series of programmes that will aim to extend
provision for this group of learners.
we are working towards contributing to the new qualifications for trainee
Basic Skills tutors. Museum education staff hope to offer sessions that
look at ways in which tutors can use museums and their collections to
provide more innovative and hands-on learning.
Youth Work
In January 2003 we are starting two new projects in partnership with the
Youth and Community Service. Year 10 students participating in 'Set sail for
Life' will make 7 visits to Norwich Castle to work with an artist, a member of
the museum education team and their youth workers on a team project
inspired by the collections.
The second project is working with young people from Dralion and Dereham
Sixth Form Centre with a grant from the Transforming Youth Work scheme.
The young people will produce a photographic exhibition and documentary
video about the impact of the river on Norwich commerce and culture, both in
the past and today.
6.7
Adult programmes
The museum education department has established a number of learning
opportunities for adults in partnership with other adult learning providers. In
the last year these have included:
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6.8
integration of object handling sessions and museum worksheets into Basic
Skills Bridging Courses run by the College of West Anglia for adults with
moderate learning difficulties
museum based activities for GNVQ/HND leisure and tourism students
from FE colleges and 6th forms
joint accredited courses with the Extra Mural Studies Centre for
Continuing Education, University of East Anglia. 4 courses have been
organised for 2003
art, craft and multi-media workshops for FE college and 6th form 'A'
level/GNVQ art and design students
courses for the University of the Third Age
creative writing workshops with centres for people with mental illnesses in
Great Yarmouth.
Programmes for older people
Successful reminiscence days for frail elderly residents in local care homes
have been run at Norfolk Rural Life Museum in partnership with Adult
Education and more are planned for 2003. In addition to these special events
we are promoting reminiscence as a learning activity for groups of older
visitors to the museum.
Often reminiscence occurs naturally as part of handling sessions the
department organises with groups such as Women's Institutes, luncheon
clubs, New Leaf clubs (with the library service) or University of the Third Age
courses. Museum education staff provide about 80 talks with objects to such
groups each year.
In King's Lynn joint events have been organised with the library service
targeting frail older people. Adults, from residential homes and day centres,
visit the museum for an afternoon of reminiscences, related readings and
hands-on craft activities.
We are planning a joint intergenerational project with a residential home in
Thetford based around oral history and reminiscences.
The Great Yarmouth outreach officer has worked in partnership with the
library service providing reminiscence sessions in residential homes with
readings and object handling
6.9
Other adult work
The department organises a range of workshops, day schools, lectures and
seminars for adults across the service.
The creation of an archive of local people’s memories and photographs,
'Great Yarmouth Voices', as part of the museum education outreach project is
continuing. The structure of this project relied upon recruiting and training
volunteers in oral history skills to enable them to visit older people in the
community and gather stories and images from Great Yarmouth’s history.
Young people are also involved in recording their experiences for posterity.
We also plan to use this project to record some of the 'hidden voices' of
people living in the town. As a pilot for this use of the archive two artists were
commissioned to visit refugees to record their journey here and their
impressions of the area. It is hoped that this work will continue as a valuable
way to positively encourage new members of the community to contribute to
our heritage and help visitors to the archive to understand some of their
stories.
6.10 Children and Family programmes
The education department organises and supports other colleagues with the
provision of events at weekends and during school holidays for visiting
families to the museums.
A museum club is organised for Norwich Museums that meets three times
each term on Saturdays. The club intends to foster interest in museum
collections through a varied programme that includes visits to other museums
and sites in East Anglia.
Art Club @ the Castle is a new club that meets once a month and is aimed at
8+ year olds. It gives children a chance to explore the museum's art
collections and to develop their artistic skills and imagination.
7.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
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We are leading the piloting of the draft Inspiring Learning Framework for
Resource in NMAS
a member of the education team represents museums on the County
Basic Skills and Life Skills operational group
we have contributed to the County Council's lifelong learning plan, the
Norfolk Basic Skills Strategy and the Education Development Plan and
Cultural Strategy
we represent NMAS on the Cultural Services Equal Opportunities Panel
we are working with MuSE to offer a cultural diversity training and
networking day in January 2003.
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RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS
(a)
Finance
None
(b)
Property
None
(c)
Staff
None
(d)
IT
None
9.
CONCLUSION
The education department of the NMAS provides a much valued service to a
wide range of users. The service has received recognition from Ofsted for its
excellent work and regularly attracts external funding in order to achieve its
objectives.
10.
RECOMMENDATION
That members note this report.
Originator:
Katrina Siliprandi
Head of Museum Education Department
NMAS