Primary and (lower) Middle School - KS 1/2

(For KS 3/4 and A/AS level click here)

First Steps:

A half-day or day visit programme for Foundation Stage (ages 3 - 5); also adaptable for Reception/Year 1

A new programme especially geared and linked to the new National Framework for RE guidelines for Foundation Stage • a series of activities based on play, games and 'hands-on' discovery • children will be encouraged to explore and experience a special 'Holy Place' called a church • an introduction to the term 'Christian' • emphasis will be placed throughout the day on communication of thoughts verbally, through painting, sensory activities and other media

To be a Pilgrim:

QCA RE KS2 Units 1B, 1D, 1F, 2D, 3A, 3E & 6A. Also adaptable to KS1

A hands on experience of pilgrimage • estimate the historical roots of pilgrimage to Walsingham and other places • be a pilgrim for the day • make a procession, visit the Holy House and explore the Priory ruins.

P is for Pilgrimage . . . the bigger picture:

Linked to Key Stage 2, Local Agreed RE Syllabi/QCA Units on worship/beliefs/places of worship/practices - and in particular, pilgrimage

Exploration of major Christian sites of national religious significance as stipulated by the new National Framework for RE Guidelines • engages students in activities which explore other sites of pilgrimage across the world • encourages discussion/exploration of sacred places, holy places. shrines, etc. • be a Walsingham pilgrim - take part in pilgrimage activities on a pilgrim trail around the Shrine and gardens

Wonderful Earth Day:

KS2 - spend the morning exploring the Walsingham woodlands - their structure - tree variety - date and measure trees - bark rubbing - insect and animal habitats - food chains; in the afternoon - dance, music and poetry reflecting the wonder of creation, our stewardship of the planet Earth and the Christian beliefs.

Checkpoint Church:

QCA RE KS2 Unit 4D

Children are invited to be Church Detectives and to check in on the Walsingham churches trail • an ideal programme to supplement all aspects of teaching about Christian places of worship • visit the Methodist church, Orthodox church and the Shrine • interview a nun, compare and contrast the symbolism, atmosphere and worship styles.

The Big C - Christianity unpacked:

KS1/2 Linked to: QCA and Agreed Syllabi Units on visiting places of worship, beliefs and community

Life in a faith community - explore the Shrine and the Parish church • beliefs, behaviour and practices - rituals and practices • symbolism and language/religions and their artefacts • key figures - Jesus, Mary and the saints, how they are depicted in our churches.

Come to Bethlehem!:

For KS 1 & 2 linked to QCA RE Unit 4B 'Christmas Journeys'

A day of activities to enable children to make an imaginary journey to Bethlehem and visit the Christ child • lots of inter-active games/stories/drama and artefact handling to explore this special Christian festival  • children are invited to join Mary and Joseph on their journey to the stable and think about modern journeys to Walsingham or the Holy Land • make an Advent wreath and look at how Christians/churches prepare for Christmas • experience a special quiet time by the crib in the Holy House

The Walsingham Easter Trail:

KS2 linked to QCA RE Unit 4C

Easter as a Christian festival, its importance, symbols associated with it, the 'first' Easter • vocabulary - crucifixion, the road to the cross, betrayal, the Last Supper, resurrection, worship etc. •  procession, ritual and worship associated with the Easter festival in Christian churches. • music, song, candles, pictures, statues and prayers

Worship Round The World:

KS 1/2 linked to all QCA/Syllabi units on worship/Christian beliefs and practices, citizenship and spiritual/cultural development

An exciting multi-cultural activity day which explores how Christians express their faith in various parts of the world: • Christian traditional Indian dance workshop • music and song from around the world • prayer in many languages • crosses galore • discover the Shrine.

Faith through the Arts:

KS2 linked to QCA RE Unit 6F and all units/agreed syllabi units on worship/places of worship

Explore how Christians use icons, statues and Stations of the Cross • encourage children to respond to paintings, music, song, vestments, incense, furniture and other artefacts •  to encourage oral, visual and aural responses and the expression of the children's own thoughts, opinions and feelings based on what they experience

The Walsingham Medieval Monks' Trail:

Linked to Local Agreed Syllabus for RE KS2 religions and life, community, beliefs and practices. QCA history Unit 4 - how did the medieval church affect people's lifes?

This offers children a series of carefully structured activities to enhance the children's background knowledge of life in medieval monasteries and its relevance in modern times • meet the canons • discover all about Walsingham Priory and the daily life of the monks • learn to sing some plainsong • meet a modern nun and find out what life in a convent is like today

Let's Celebrate!:

KS 1 & 2 Christian Festivals - linked to QCA Units 4B, 1C, 2C, 4C and RA

Christmas and Easter - Harvest - Mothering Sunday - Pentecost - Candlemass - Ascension Day • what do we celebrate in life and why? • why do Christians celebrate special festivals? • what do they do? • the Big Christianity Celebration Cake • the Shrine Festivals Carousel - a series of activities around the Shrine Church

Cross Curricular Carousel:

A day of exploration and activity to enhance National Curriculum/QCA units for Tudors, Saxons, medieval history. RE linked to QCA and Agreed Syllabus units on places of worship, beliefs and practices

Rotate around a series of cross curricular activities to gain optimum value from your day visit. Ideal for linking your RE across the curriculum. • geography - a village study/use of buildings/facilities • history - medieval or Tudor focus, drama in the Priory grounds/monastic life/the Dissolution • RE experience the Holy House/spiritual development/candles etc. • English - creative writing in the Shrine Church/responding to artefacts.

Medieval Moments:

KS2 - may be linked to National Curriculum history - Anglo-Saxon England

Bring your class for a day of exciting learning activities around the priory ruins, village and shrine • come dressed in Saxon attire (optional)  • life in a medieval village - homes/food/social classes; faith, miracles, healing, worship, monastic life • have a medieval banquet lunch (optional) with music and entertainment from a jester • meet the Prior Thomas and Lady Richeldis who'll take you back in time to unravel the Walsingham legend and lead you through a range of learning activities.

The Tudor Experience:

KS2 linked to QCA History Units 7 & 8 - an educational visit with a difference - fun, learning and delicious food!

Become a Tudor noble, townsperson or peasant for the day (costumes available for up to 46 children) • explore the village and the Priory • act out the dissolution of the Priory • take part in a banquet with jester entertainment (classes are encourage to contribute) • learn to the dance the pavanne • visit the Shrine - the "new" Holy House and the well

The Victorian Experience:

QCA History KS2 Units 11 & 12

Become a Victorian child for a day • explore life in the Victorian age; transport - the coming of the railways • crime and punishment - visit the court and prison • social history activities • experience school room activities, write on a slate, go to chapel and eat a Victorian lunch (optional)

What's Your Story?:

English, literacy and RE on the move! Why not think about bringing QCA/Syllabi RE themes alive through story, poetry and creative writing?

This day offers the opportunity to explore Bible stories (tell us which you would like) through storytelling and drama • be a poet - listen to poems about prayer/holy places/special times and write your own in response to special moments in the church and Holy House • learn about worship - icons, crucifixes, statues and candles • tell us what you would like to do and we will plan a programme of activities

A Special Day for Special Schools:

A focused activity day specially adapted for children with special educational needs

Hands-on activities using music, art, artefacts, active workshops around the Shrine • themes such as 'How Christians Worship' and 'Pilgrimage' • festivals and key figures for Christians - this can be adapted for children across the whole spectrum of learning difficulties

(Upper) Middle and Secondary School - KS 3/4 and A/AS level

The Big W:

Explore Christian places of worship in Walsingham - a day visit programme for KS3. Also ideal for GCSE and adaptable for A level groups

Suitable for individual class groups or larger scale year group visits • visit three/four places of worship in the village (Russian Orthodox, Methodist, the Anglican Shrine, plus the option of the parish church • focus on la out, furnishings, worship, vessels, icons, music and prayer • compare and contrast - with activity sheets • discover more about Christian pilgrimage to this famous holy site

What's Pilgrimage?:

For KS 3/4 - ideal for GCSE - adaptable for large or small groups

Programme A - visit the Roman Catholic National Shrine (the Slipper Chapel) at Houghton St Giles • walk the Holy Mile barefoot the way medieval pilgrims did (optional!) • reach the Anglican Shrine and have a picnic lunch • explore the Shrine site - gardens, Stations of the Cross, the holy well, the Shrine Church and Holy House • meet a nun or a priest and find out about vocation and lifestyle • Sprinkling at the well • (Programme B - without the visit to the RC Shrine and with Sprinkling optional)

Pilgrimage - the Whole Story!:

For KS3 - ideal for GCSE groups - adaptable for large or small groups; this programme offers links with medieval/Tudor history plus a full historical background to Walsingham as a place of pilgrimage, then and now

Introductory activities in the classroom - the Walsingham background • out and about to the Priory ruins - the first Holy House, the ruins of the great Priory church, what happened in the crypt in 1538? - the monks' bath and the holy wells • picnic lunch • focus on modern pilgrims • explore the Shrine and be a pilgrim

Dialogue Day - for KS 3/4:

Debates and workshops - meet faith leaders from Christian denominations and other world faiths - opportunities to grapple with key issues such as war, the Iraq crisis, euthanasia, racism, marriage and sex.

Mix 'n' Match:

A cross-curricular programme for KS3

Offers the opportunity for several departments (in particular history and RE) to work together in planning a day or residential visit for a class or year group •  we suggest a blend of medieval/Tudor history/RE  (pilgrimage and worship, creative English - poetry based on artefacts, paintings, icons, statues, candles) and geography - effects of tourism and pilgrimage on the village. Dance/drama also an option • activity sheets provided • opportunities to extend this into a residential visit and other Christian churches in Walsingham, the RC Slipper Chapel, coastal geography work, a visit to Norwich (cathedral and castle), Castle Acre (castle and priory ruins) and the King's Lynn museums could be included. We can help plan this for you.

The Big Questions!:

A special programme for students following short course GCSE/A level - also adaptable for KS3

A day programme that offers activities that enable students to discover the spirituality of the Shrine and find out about pilgrimage and worship and its modern relevance • structured discussion/debating groups led by priests/visiting speakers/nuns on key topics such as euthanasia, "A just war?", environmental issues, "Should women be priests?", abortion and other moral issues • opportunities to find out about the vocation to the religious life by meeting and quizzing Shrine clergy, nuns and Orthodox priests • exploratory activities - religious art and symbolism

Across the World:

A new and exciting programme for KS3 that explores how Christians worship world-wide

A global faith • worship through dance (traditional Indian Christian dancing led by Susanna Harrington) • songs of praise in many languages • prayer across the world • One Body - The Eucharist/The Mass across the world • altars, candles and other such symbolic objects

Festivals:

Why do Christians celebrate festivals and what are they? A programme especially geared towards lower KS3

Why is Christmas important to Christians? • Who was Jesus? Resurrection . mystery, fiction, fable or fib? • what's the Holy Spirit? • symbols, objects, funny clothes, candles etc. - how are they used in worship and to celebrate festivals? • quiz a priest or nun about why these festivals are important to their faith • a series of rotational activities taking place in the Shrine Church chapels and Holy House

Signs and Symbols - and a glimpse at faith through art:

This popular programme for primary schools has now been expanded and is now on offer for KS3

A day that focuses specifically on the importance of signs and symbols in Christianity and other world faiths • what are symbols and signs? • symbols used by the very first Christians • are symbols used by other world faiths? • how have artists interpreted key Christian figures and beliefs through painting and sculpture? • key Christian symbols - in the Shrine • an aid to worship and prayer?

Suitcase Programmes:

Why not consider a residential mid-week visit?

Many schools at KS2 and KS3 already do it • book a building for your exclusive use mid-week - shared rooms on various floors available • full board and packed lunches available for trips out • beaches, historical/heritage sites, cathedrals and more • make a cross-curricular trip - we'll help you plan it • any of our programmes can be adapted to fit in with a residential visit

Find out what the Youngsters and Teachers think.