The students are all training for a PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) in English, enabling them to achieve Qualified Teacher Status, and begin a career in secondary teacher education.

They developed and created booklets for use in the Red Lodge Museum in Bristol at KS3 and KS4 stages. These resources are now available on the Museum website for teachers and parents to use with students. The booklets are designed to be used when visiting the Red Lodge itself, but could also be used virtually.

 

Dr Lorna Smith, Associate Professor and leader of the English PGCE at the School of Education, University of Bristol, said of the placement:

 

'The project is a brilliant culmination of their PGCE English experience.  Developing these booklets enabled the group to enhance their individual subject knowledge, and encouraged them to think carefully about how to create inclusive experiences for students - even those they have not yet met.

 

We're really grateful to the team at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery (@bristolmuseum) / X for making the project possible.'

 

PGCE English students on their placement at the Red Lodge Well, Red Lodge Museum

 

One of the students who participated in the placement, Jillian Ellis, PGCE English, expressed her enthusiasm at developing the resources with her peers:

 

'The museum placement broadened my horizons for how students can study English. Context is often seen as 'dry', and not as engaging as other aspects of studying English, but the novel settings of the Red Lodge or Bristol Museum and Art Gallery can provide rich learning experiences for students.

 

We have focused on developing students' cultural knowledge as well as skills they will need in their GCSEs. I plan to use these resources in my future practice and hope that other teachers and students in and around Bristol will benefit from them as well. '

 

The resources can be found here: KS3 & KS4 English | Bristol Museums