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Key Stage 2 Activities

Ages 7 to 11 years

The Historic Dockyard provides the perfect setting to support your Key Stage Two pupilsтАЩ learning in a variety of curriculum areas. Children are sure to be inspired by our inspiring, authentic settings, providing a real-life context for their classroom learning.

The dockyard was operational for 400 years, over which time it shaped the development of the Medway Towns and employed many local people, making it the ideal location for local history studies. However, as a centre of technical innovation and cutting-edge design of its day, the site is also ideal for the study of Science, Technology and Engineering.

For a whole day of taught activities, combine three of our hour-long taught sessions, specially designed to support the curriculum. Alternatively, mix and match sessions to create your ideal combination. All sessions are available to book individually.

Read on for the full range of  KS2 activities тАж

A Sailor’s life in the age of sail

Experience what life was like for sailors in the Georgian Navy with this session on board our sloop HMS GANNET. Gain an understanding of sailorsтАЩ language and custom, daily routines and the punishments given out to those who misbehaved.

Curriculum links: History

Ship Building Challenge

Full Speed Ahead!

Stimulated by the National Maritime Museum model collection, pupils work in groups to build a shipтАЩs hull and fit it with a motor. Facing the challenge of the tow tank wind and wave machine, groups compete against each other in trials, evaluating their designs and developing technical knowledge of how a shipтАЩs design impacts on its performance.

Curriculum links: Design & Technology, Science (Forces, Working scientifically), History (Local history), Mathematics: (Measurement, Geometry)

rocekt Launching

Ready, Aim, Fire!

Taking their inspiration from the Sea Cat missiles on board HMS CAVALIER, The Historic DockyardтАЩs own Destroyer, your pupils will work in teams to create rockets and fire them from our specially designed air pressure launcher, aiming to hit a target. Which team will sink the battleship?

Curriculum links: Science (Forces, Working Scientifically), Maths (Geometry)

Working in the Ropery

Spinning a Yarn

Tread the ┬╝ mile ropewalk with one of our Ropery characters, listening to their fascinating story. Find out what life was like in a Victorian factory and how the Factory Acts changed working conditions. Hand-picked apprentices will make a piece of rope on our scale model rope making machine.

Curriculum links: History, English (Spoken Language)

Air Raid Experience

Take Cover!

Lead your pupils to the safety of our genuine Second World War Air Raid Shelter. Experience the sights, smells and sounds of an Air Raid in one of the AdmiraltyтАЩs тАШmost luxuriousтАЩ shelters of the time. Read a wartime childтАЩs personal account of their experiences of air raids and shelter life.

Curriculum links: English (Spoken Language, Reading (Comprehension), History, Music, Science (Sound)

Step Aboard

hms cavalier

Explore life above and below deck aboard the Royal NavyтАЩs last operational Second World War Destroyer. Learning about its voyages and the conditions on board for the sailors, pupils will gain an understanding of the challenges facing those who manned this magnificent protector of the Atlantic Convoys.

Curriculum links: History

Step Aboard

hm submarine ocelot

Explore life aboard the last submarine built at Chatham for the Royal Navy in 1962. Learn about life under the sea and experience the conditions the ratings lived in. From the torpedo launching bay to the Operation Control room, experience the sights and sounds of life on board during the Cold War.

Curriculum links: History

Step Aboard

hms gannet

Built in Sheerness, HMS GANNET is a Victorian gun boat that patrolled the limits of the British Empire; The tour includes visiting the CaptainтАЩs Cabin, Engine bay and Ward Room and challenging activities such as knot tying and balancing in a real hammock.

Curriculum links: History

Key Stage 2 & 3

LOCAL HISTORY STUDY

For nearly 400 years, The Dockyard shaped the physical and human fortunes of the Medway Towns. A local centre of innovation and technology, at the height of its operation, Chatham Dockyard was responsible for the education and employment of more than 17,000 local people and covered an area of over 400 acres. The expansion and later closure of the dockyard shaped the local area as it is today.

A local history study of The Dockyard gives pupils in Kent and Medway a vital insight into their regionтАЩs industrial past and the key to developing their wider understanding of both their local area and Chatham DockyardтАЩs contribution to BritainтАЩs past, present and future. With more than four centuries of history to explore at The Dockyard, the site is a rich resource for a depth study of a variety of themes over time, such as тАШWorking conditionsтАЩ тАШIndustryтАЩ or тАШTransportтАЩ.

We can support you in delivering a local history study on The Dockyard and we can provide the following:

  • Support and tailored information to help you structure and plan your study.
  • Bespoke itineraries for a visit to our site, to enable you to tailor your visit to the key areas of history on which you wish to focus.
  • Specially-designed guided tours, developed to fit your brief.
  • Outreach sessions or assemblies at your school.

Youth & Education groups

OVERNIGHT STAYS

Sleepover in the Smithery
Scout Groups
Sleepover in the Smithery

Youth and education groups can enjoy unique overnight stay experiences at The Historic Dockyard Chatham, either sleeping in real ship bunks aboard HMS CAVALIER, the Royal NavyтАЩs last operational Second World War Destroyer, or in the No. 1 Smithery for larger groups with exclusive access to the latest exhibition. Both options include an evening programme of engaging, hands-on activities, offering unforgettable adventures that combine history, education, and fun.

Find out more

“The workshop in the Ropery was fascinating and really engaged the children тАУ I never expected that part to be so interesting. Children used phrases likeтАж тАШFantastic,тАЩ тАШBest day ever,тАЩ тАШThis place is lovely isnтАЩt itтАЩ to describe their day.”

STOKE COMMUNITY SCHOOL

“Our visit to the Dockyards on Thursday was a success again. Please say a big thank you to all members of staff involved in catering for us. The students enjoyed the three projects, so we will include them again in our programme next year.”

VRIJE SINT-LAMBERTUSSCHOLEN, BELGIUM

Get in touch

Please use the form below to tell us as much as you can about the visit youтАЩre planning and a member of our learning team will contact you to discuss your plans in more detail.