We are delighted that over 300 children have taken part in the schools pilot learning programme for Cogges. Schools joined us on site to take part in creative learning for children from Year 2 through to Year 6. The activities involved working with three artists - Arabella Warner, Tamsin Leighton-Boyce and Sally Howkins, supported by volunteer mentees Michael Harris, Mark Crocker and Becca Timms. In Arabella's sessions the children learnt how to use digital video cameras, how to write a story board and created their own mini film making teams - with directors and actors. Dressing up was a favourite part of the film making and children were interpreting objects from Cogges in a 'back to the past' exploration of what old objects might have been used for. Lots of the films had very funny story lines and they can all be viewed here on the blog - just click on the blue links to view the films.
In Tamsin's sessions children were led to a clearing in the woods where a gazebo offered shelter on some of the hottest days. A log circle surrounded the open fire where Tamsin taught children how to heat the copper, thinking about how people have lived at Cogges in the past the children worked with primitive tools such as rocks to shape beautiful copper pendants that everyone got to take home at the end of the day. The experience of watching their metal heat, soften, colour and hiss in the cooling bucket was really exciting - all the children loved the experience of working with fire and learning how to be safe.
More fun was taking place in the Barley Barn each day where Sally taught the children how to weave on a small scale before forming a human machine to make giant weavings that required all the children to work closely as a team. The huge Victorian loom which is permanently sited in the Barn formed the inspiration and Sally's film about the weaving mills of Witney introduced children to the idea of working from aged 14 in an industry which has vanished now in the town. Some have elderly relatives who could remember the mills and a favourite part of the day was all the children giving the 'whoop' shout loom workers had to use to tell the foreman that they needed to use the loo.....
With picnic lunches in the orchard and a final reflection session to write me the story of their day children had really enjoyed the Farm - many had been in the past from the more local schools such as Blakes, and they all loved this new way of learning at Cogges. Some of the childrens postcards will be appearing on the blog shortly and children will be writing about their experiences and posting them here soon....watch this space!
Comments
Here's what Kingham Year Yr 2's & Yr 3's said about their day:
This was what teachers from all the schools told us:
Dr South's loved their day at Cogges
Dr Souths school in Islip brought children from across the age range from year 2's through to year 6's. The children worked in mixed age groups to encourage peer mentoring and the activities were slightly adapted to allow the very young children to take part in the copper work and the filming too. Here's what some of the children said:
The teachers had really enjoyed it and even Ed the Headteachers 15 yr old son said "I enjoyed the whole day despite being dragged a long a little in the first place - the filming was great and I'm sure all the children enjoyed it." The teachers said :