LEARN – About Us

In February 2020 Northumberland Archives received a £5000 grant from The Archives Testbed Fund run by the National Archives – https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archives-sector/finding-funding/collaborate-and-innovate/archive-testbed-fund/ . This funding, along with a contribution from Northumberland Archives, has enabled us to work collaboratively with colleagues from Northumberland County Council. Together we have developed a new interactive cross-curricular educational platform for schools and lifelong learners. At present this platform provides access to a range of digitised archival sources relating to four topic 

• Crime and Punishment – witchcraft, prison, child crimes – https://northumberlandarchives.com/test/learn/learn-topic-crime-and-punishment/  
• Victorians – child labour, the workhouse – https://northumberlandarchives.com/test/learn/learn-topic-the-victorians/  
• First World War – war poetry, life in the trenches, women at war – https://northumberlandarchives.com/test/learn/learn-topic-world-war-1/  
  Second World War – child evacuees, air raids in Blyth – https://northumberlandarchives.com/test/learn/learn-topic-world-war-2/  

Each source includes an image, background information and suggested activities using the method : 

• SEE
• THINK 
• DO  

These activities relate to many curriculum areas including History, Geography, Literacy, Maths, Design, Technology and Art  

During late 2020/early 2021 we ran some pilot projects with Northumberland Schools, focussing on content for Key Stages 2 and 3. The schools tested the content for us and teachers provided feedback on using it in the classroom.  

The content preparation and activity development has been undertaken by Jo March, Senior Archivist at Woodhorn and Megan Wilson, a Digital Cultural Heritage & Education researcher.