Our award winning Learning programme aims to bring to life the rich heritage of the South Wales Valleys.  Visits to our museum are designed to engage learners with their topic and provide opportunities to work toward the National Curriculum, Cwricwlwm Cymreig, Cornerstones and the Literacy and Numeracy Framework

The Winding House Learning Programme has recently been awarded a Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge and a Sandford Award for museum heritage education.  Read more here about the Sandford Award judge's comments on our learning programme. Read more here about the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge.

Our engaging, hands-on approach aims to bring history to life in a meaningful way. Pupils will gain knowledge and understanding of a subject by carrying out an enquiry that develops their historical skills; through questioning a variety of evidence and interpreting and communicating findings. Our activities work in line with the National Literacy and Numeracy Framework and the Draft Humanities Curriculum for Wales 2022.

School Workshops

The Winding House is pleased to announce our new Outreach Learning Programme: bringing the experience of history to your school.

Discover how people in Wales lived throughout the ages.

Explore the changes that have affected ordinary peope and shaped the landscape of today.

Experience history through our interactive activities and object handling sessions.

Outreach Workshops

New to the Winding House for Christmas 2019: A Victorian Christmas in Wales
Foundation Phase – Key Stage 2

When Victorian came to the throne in 1837, Christmas had fallen from popularity and was a far cry from being the most wonderful time of the year.  The Victorians were responsible for saving Christmas and transforming it into Britain’s biggest holiday. But did these festivities reach the people of the south Wales valleys?  This workshop guides pupils through an exploration of the development of modern Christmas traditions and contrasts these with the experience of Christmas in Victorian Wales. Using craft activities, role play, abridged Victorian narratives and our very own Mari Lwyd, pupils are immersed in both old and new Christmas traditions of the Victorian period. 

Click on the picture below for more information:

Spooky Stories- Key Stage 2 and 3

New to the Winding House 2019. The Victorian obsession with the supernatural was deeply rooted in traditional superstitions and unease with technological progression. This concensus gave rise to a distinct and popular literary genre: the ghost stopry. Pupils will explore the Victorian 'hankering after ghosts' and are guided through creating their own Victorian ghost story. This workshop supports cross curricular learning and the LNF Framework. Spooky Stories is ideal for accelerated readers and MAT pupils.

Click on the picture below for more information.

Roman Around- Key Stage 2

Life for the Silures changed forever in AD 43 when the Romans launched their conquest of Wales. This workshop allows pupils to experience life in Wales during the Roman conquest: both for soldiers and the people they conquered. Pupils will discover how life changed for the tribes of Wales and what legacies the Romans left. Interactive activities including role play, object handling and clay modelling allow children to explore life in Roman Wales. The experience of Roman soldiers will also be explored as pupils go to bootcamp in AD 43. 

Click on the picture below for more information.

Victorian Valleys- Foundation Phase and Key Stage 2

Throughout the valleys of Victorian Wales, the rapidly growing industries of iron, coal and rail brought great changes to both the landscape and the way that people lived. This workshop explores these changes in the lives of men, women and children during the course of the Victorian era. Exploring life and work in an industrial landscape will allow pupils to reflect on the legacy of heavy industry in contemporary valleys communities. We use object handling, costumes, original sources and role play to interpret experiences of the Victorian valleys and how these changed during Victoria's reign.

Click on the picture below for more information.

Life in Wartime- Key Stage 2 and 3

When war broke out in 1939, very few realised the affect that the conflict would have on the people of Britian. They became caught up in their own warzone; famously known as The Home Front. Our Life in Wartime workshop aims to give pupils a greater understanding of the Home Front in Wales. We use a wide range of sources to engage pupils; incluing genuine and replica uniforms, original sources and photographs, genunine and replica handling objects, posters and role play. Using these sources, the pupils will investigate the themes of conscription for men and women and the role of the Bevin Boys, air raids, rationing and evacuation.

Click on the picture below for more information.

Toys Through Time- Foundation Phase

Examining historical toys is a gateway to many other histories: that of children, family, work and leisure. This workshop has been designed to help foundation phase pupils begin exploring these histories. In this interactive object handling workshop, pupils learn through play; using replica and original toys from the last two thousand years. Pupils will form an understanding of how these toys reflect the societies from which they originate and how the experience of childhood in Wales has changed throughout history.

Click on the picture below for more information.

Outreach Learning Programme Workshops are priced as follows:

• Up to thirty pupils- £200
• Up to sixty pupils- £225
• Up to ninety pupils- £250

In-house Workshops

Workshops are avaliable at the Winding House for groups of up to thirty pupils. Built on the site of the former Elliot Colliery, the museum houses the historic Victorian winding engine, which personifies the industrial history of the area. Our West Gallery houses an intriguing collection; from iron age artefacts to objects from the Second World War, giving visiting groups a unique insight into the history of the local area.  

Workshops at the Winding House are priced at £150 and are avaliable on the follow topics

• Roman Around
• Victorian Valleys
• LIfe in Wartime 
• Toys Through Time 

Bespoke workshops are available upon request.

Booking Information

Booking is essential for all our workshops.

For further information please contact:

Learning and Outreach Officer
The Winding House
Cross Street
New Tredegar
NP24 6EG

01443 822666
quantf@caerphilly.gov.uk

Please note that all our workshops are subject to our cancellation policy. More information can be found here

Follow-Up Activities

We aim for our workshops to develop interesting ideas for pupils to take back to the classroom. Below are a series of follow-up activities designed to support continued learning experiences. Click on the picture relevant to your workshop to download the activity pack. Have fun!  

Welsh Heritage Schools Initiative

With a dedicated Learning and Outreach Officer on site we are well placed to support your ideas for local heritage projects.  Contact us to discuss your project.

“It’s been great working with the Winding House Museum as it has enabled us to use resources we can’t get access to in school. It has really helped us in our project.”  Ty’n y Wern Primary School, Caerphilly County Borough, 9 time winners, Welsh Heritage Schools Initiative

Secondary Schools

Our dedicated Learning and Outreach Officer can work with you on bespoke sessions, tailored to your specific needs either in our museum or by visiting your school. Speak to us about opportunities for History, the Welsh Baccalaureate and other topics.

"I just wanted to say thank you so much for the workshop you gave our students yesterday. They really enjoyed it and it was absolutely perfect for both the Child care and Health and Social care assignments that they are currently studying." Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni

Home Schooling

Home schooled groups are very welcome at the Winding House. Please call our Learning Officer to discuss your options.

"Thank you again for your help, in my homeschooling experience you have been one of the most helpful, amiable and professional people I have come across." Feedback from a recent visit by a home schooled group to the Winding House.

Planning a visit

• Finding us: "How to Find Us" information can be found here
• Visiting us: details of opening times and facilities can be found here
• Charges and cancellations: important information on charges and cancellations can be found here.