Abbey House Museum and Kirkstall Abbey
Visits to Abbey House and Kirkstall Abbey provide wonderful opportunities for young people, together with teachers, parents and carers, to experience the past in unique ways. The House offers, for example, an introduction to Victorian life by walking down a Victorian Street whilst the Abbey allows for a period of calm and quiet reflection within one of the best-preserved Cistercian monasteries in the country. A visit to the House and Abbey supports learning across the curriculum though it is especially relevant for studying history. Both sites are exploited well. At the House there are workshops which enable younger pupils to think about Victorian times and now, and for older primary aged pupils to consider a Victorian murder mystery. At the Abbey pupils do not just learn about what it was like to be a monk but also can consider health and hygiene in past times. Everything is supported by a wealth of high-quality education activities and resources, available upon the immensely supportive ‘mylearning.org’ website.
