As part of their history topic on the Victorians, Year 6 visited Leeds Industrial Museum at Armley Mills to deepen their understanding of this fascinating period. The trip gave pupils the chance to step into a Victorian classroom and learn more about Leeds’ rich industrial heritage and its influential role in the textiles industry during the Industrial Revolution.
During the morning, the children experienced a traditional Victorian school day: choral reading, chanting times tables, and practising arithmetic using abacuses and slates. They even took part in drill exercises – essential in Victorian times for keeping both body and mind healthy.
In the afternoon, the class became mill workers, beginning by learning how to card wool and discovering what life was like in a mill worker’s cottage around 1850. These hands-on activities helped them appreciate the challenging and often demanding nature of Victorian working life.
To fully immerse themselves in the experience, the children came dressed as Victorian pupils – a fun and memorable way to bring history to life. It was an exciting and engaging visit, allowing Year 6 to see their classroom learning in action and gain a real sense of what life was like for children in the past.
