Year 2 pupils from St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Bath brought their history lessons to life during an educational visit to Brunel’s SS Great Britain in Bristol.
The pupils, whose school is part of the Dunstan Catholic Educational Trust, stepped aboard Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s pioneering steamship to discover what life was like for passengers travelling around the world more than 150 years ago.
During the visit, the children explored the ship’s cabins and kitchens and imagined what it would have been like to spend weeks at sea during the Victorian era.
They also visited the Dockyard Museum, where interactive activities helped them uncover more about the history of travel, transport and Brunel’s famous steamship.
Throughout the day, the pupils asked questions and took every opportunity to deepen their understanding of the topics they had been studying in the classroom.
The visit formed part of St Mary’s commitment to providing pupils with a rich and engaging curriculum, including real-life experiences that develop their knowledge, curiosity and understanding of the world.
Nicole Pecchia, headteacher at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, said, “The visit to the SS Great Britain was a wonderful opportunity for our Year 2 pupils to experience history first-hand. Seeing the children’s excitement as they explored the ship and engaged with the interactive exhibits was fantastic. They asked insightful questions, showed great curiosity and returned to school inspired by everything they had discovered.
“Experiences like this help make learning memorable and ignite a lifelong love of history.”
Helen Taylor, CEO of the Dunstan Catholic Educational Trust, added, “We want every child in our family of schools to benefit from experiences that enrich their education and broaden their horizons. Exploring the SS Great Britain gave pupils the chance to immerse themselves in history in a way that simply cannot be replicated in the classroom.”
