KS2 Literacy and KS3 History with John Nevison the Highwayman.
John Nevison arrives on the run from a hue and cry - a very exciting and immediately involving start. After telling tall tales of his exploits, he asks the children to 'correct' documents written about him, based upon what he himself has told them. The work is differentiated to suit different levels of ability: a ballad that might be sung about him for years to come; a news-sheet full of his adventures; a London Gazette Wanted Notice; and an exercise to create false description to mislead the local watchmen. Nevison then visits the children in groups as they work, to spend a bit of time with them, teaching card games, playing nine men's morris, counting shillings and half crowns, etc. At the end he tells the story of his most famous exploit. This visit is focused on Years' 4, 5 or 6 Literacy, and has been popular for many years now. Children become very caught up in Nevison's 'world'.
Several schools use this character to add detailed background and an exciting experience to the children's study of "The Highwayman" poem. Others use this as part of topics such as Journalistic Writing, Persuasive Writing, or the Creation of Myth and Legend.
For KS3 Nevison reveals some of the different (and perhaps not so different) "lives, beliefs, ideas and attitudes" (History NC) of his time, an insight into the criminal side of late seventeenth century England, as well as its laws and punishments.
More information on a session with John Nevison
KS2 Tudors and Literacy with Captain Eynos.
Eynos is a late Elizabethan ship's captain who went with Sir Walter Ralegh on his quest for El Dorado. He takes the children on an imagined, role-played journey through the forests of Guiana to create their own exciting and eventful story, which they can write down later. Listening, speaking, co-operating and decision-making skills are all exercised, and a different tale emerges with each class. Eynos can also discuss seafaring in particular or the Elizabethan period in general. If your children study Tudor seafaring in any detail then this visit is perfect, but as it does not require them to have previous knowledge, it works very well as a stand-alone Literacy exercise or as a creatively fun foray into an imagined Elizabethan world. Afterwards, the children enjoy retelling their story, especially what happened to them as individuals. Click here for more information on Eynos
With KS3 pupils Eynos can explore the true nature of many Elizabethan adventuring seafarers - as privateering "Sea Rovers". He can tell of life aboard ship (or land!), of navigation and warfare at sea, as well as of the actions of famous seafarers such as Drake and Ralegh. As a late Elizabethan he can discuss politics too, such as the life and death of Queen Mary, the plots against Elizabeth, the great Armada and its defeat (History NC - "the impact of significant political, social, cultural, religious, technological and/or economic developments and events on past European and world societies,").
More information on a session with Captain Eynos
KS2 Local History and KS3 British Civil Wars with the Parliamentarian soldier Obadiah.
Obadiah tells stories of his experiences, particularly of warfare, and can engage in a wide-ranging Q&A discussion of seventeenth century life in general. Topics range from mundane, day to day aspects like diet and travel to religious beliefs and the government, as well as his ideas concerning the causes of the war and famous people. He can demonstrate the use of the musket (not actual firing!); describe his other possessions; teach the children marching drill in the yard; and give an account of various battles, perhaps employing children to represent the units involved. See the Castle Governor and Civil War Battles for other English Civil War related sessions.
(Picture used by permission of John Beardsworth, taken from his page www.traynedbandes.org.uk/putney2007/)
As a politicised New Model Army soldier, Obadiah can also talk to KS3 pupils about the radical ideas addressed at the time (such as during the Putney debates). He can discuss the war, tactics, strategies and personalities in more depth, as well as why he and others have gone to war. (KS3 NC "changes in the relationship between rulers and ruled over time, the changing relationship between the crown and parliament, and the development of democracy; the way in which the lives, beliefs, ideas and attitudes of people in Britain have changed over time and the factors ... war, religion and culture ... that have driven these changes".)
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KS1 History with Sir William Petty, witness to the Great Fire of London.
Sir William Petty is a rather famous gentleman who, being a founder member of the Royal Society, knows the king and many other famous folk (including Samuel Pepys). Recently one of his London properties was burned down during the Great Fire. Petty tells the full and exciting story of the terrible calamity during which the children join in several activities, for example working out how to form a bucket chain and becoming houses in an experiment to see how easily the fire spread. Sir William can ask the children to help him draw a map of the new London, each child having their own little parish to re-draw which then all join together to form one large map that everyone has contributed to.
More information on a session with Sir William
KS1, KS2 and KS3 Pirate Stories with the privateer Captain Burwash.
This early 18th century pirate tells stories about buccaneers and pirates from the famous Henry Morgan to the infamous Blackbeard, from the terrible L'Ollonois to the cunning Jean Doublet. Pirates are currently very popular with children, and this character can work with the whole junior and/or infant school by moving from group to group in approximately one hour sessions to tell tales of Caribbean sea rovers, and answering questions about pirates' ships, weapons, tactics and lives. Or he can work with one or two classes to do more involved work, with lengthier, more detailed sessions, stories and discussions. Click here for more information
KS3 pupils will discover a more historical version of pirates compared to the popular media, how the reality was often brutal and very cruel, yet no less full of adventure. All sorts of National Curriculum areas can be addressed: how technological, legal and economic developments changed piracy over time; how war promoted a certain kind of piracy; the impact sea rovers had on the lands overseas, on trade and on the inhabiting peoples; how piracy was moulded by conflict and cooperation between nations. And of course, just learning something of the real history of pirates enlightens children regarding the fictional accounts they encounter today.
More information on a session with Captain Burwash
KS2 Local History and KS3 British Civil Wars with the Castle Governor.
This fellow can be one of several possible men - perhaps the governor of Sandal Castle, Pontefract Castle, Skipton Castle or Helmsley Castle. Like Obadiah (above) he talks about the Civil Wars, but with his own slant on experiences, concentrating on siege warfare and local events. He's a great choice if your school is near one of these locations, or another site involved in the Civil War.
Like Obadiah the musketeer (see above), this gentleman can talk to KS3 pupils about the radical religious and political ideas of the Civil wars. He can discuss the causes and course of the war in great depth, the battles of the mind as well as of the field.
More information on Civil War sessions
KS2 Local History - 1643 Battles at Wakefield and Heptonstall.
This isn't actually a character session, instead it is an involving and fun local history lesson in which I use a large map and painted toy soldiers to teach about the 1643 English Civil War battle at either Wakefield or Heptonstall. In the first, Sir Thomas Fairfax and 1500 Parliamentarian soldiers faced George Lord Goring and 3000 Royalists; in the second a small force of Roundheads took on Major General Sir Francis Mackworth's much larger force of Cavaliers. The children begin by learning about the local terrain, the soldiers involved and their weapons. Then they divide into groups to write their battle plans - troop deployment, movements and "cunning ploys". Then we fight the battle to see what would have happened had your children been in charge! Finally, now that the children have an understanding of what everything represents, we end the session by seeing what actually happened in 1643. The lesson takes half a day, and so can be done with two classes in one day.
More information on Civil War sessions
KS1 - Guy Fawkes.
Guy Fawkes can work with the whole of KS1. We start with an assembly (perhaps with the Key Stage 2 children present also) where I introduce myself and then, with the help of the children to take roles, explain the details of our plan. The day then continues with KS1 sessions with individual classes or year groups (depending on numbers) involving demonstration, question and answer, and several activities - including writing in a secret cipher and playing a game of 'hide the priest'. These, of course, are all ways to bring out aspects of Roman Catholic life in the late Elizabethan and early seventeenth century periods.
Fawkes is also suitable for KS3 visits, discussing in depth what drove him to take part in such a horrendeous plot, describing the dashed hopes and suffering of English Catholics under Elizabeth and James, and all the difficulties endured by the Jesuit and Seminarian priests. He can talk about his fellow plotters and what exactly they intend to do. This is an interesting character in terms of the modern political situation, considering he was in many ways a "terrorist" fighting for his religion! As such, I am happy to come out of role near the end of a session to talk to the children about the character as a historian, to look at his ideas and attitudes from that angle too.
More information on a session with Guy Fawkes
