Museum Education

Education can be fun and it most certainly is when you come to the Royal Signals Museum. We offer a unique opportunity for pupils to study away from the school classroom.  At the heart of a working Military base, a visit gives children an insight into an environment they are unlikely to get at any other time, and provides a real context for their studies.  

Our programme of handling sessions and accompanying activity sheets is set within the Museum, and combats the traditional concept of the Museum visit as History, English or Art based.

What is our National Curriculum focus?

The formal programmes currently cover two principal areas of the National Curriculum under Sc4 Physical Processes. - 'Light' and 'Electricity & Magnetism'.  The activity sheets have been tailored closely to the QCA guidelines for these units. The programme is tiered, with Activity Sheets and guided Handling Sessions appropriate to the age range or ability of your pupils, as outlined below.

There are smaller group activities within the class sessions that provide opportunities for children of mixed ability to work together, or for teachers and our staff to give attention to advanced or less able pupils.   

How do we support the Light Curriculum?

We use the Shutter Telegraph System, signalling by lamp, periscopes and the heliograph as our equipment bases for teaching the basics of the light curriculum.  

The Activity Sheets require the pupils to examine these equipments in the Museum and draw deductions about how they work and how they were used.  To achieve this will involve a wide range of skills and their learning will necessarily venture outside the science curriculum. 

The Handling Sessions are practical sessions dealing with mirrors, lens and light rays with the purpose of defining how the above military equipment was designed. 

How do we support the Electricity Curriculum?

We use the Telegraph Systems, Telephone Systems and signalling lamps as our equipment bases for teaching the basics of circuitry.

The Activity Sheets require pupils to examine these equipments in the Museum and deduce how they work and how they were used.  To achieve this will involve a wide range of skills and their learning will necessarily venture outside the science curriculum. 

The Handling Sessions will include 'fault finding' on torches and building circuits to produce morse buzzers and lamps.

Can we offer support other than for science?

We certainly can.  The Museum's Collection also offers links to History, Technology, Numeracy, Communications and Art.  Indeed, even during the science sessions pupils will learn communications skills, history, spelling, numeracy and reading.

We will work closely with you if you wish to arrange a visit to meet other elements of the National Curriculum.  We will even devise work sheets to meet your needs.  Usually, this will require you to visit the Museum beforehand.

What is the time-table for a typical visit?

We can be flexible to meet the time you have available and as such the timetable outlined is purely a guide. It is designed so that we can adapt sessions depending on class needs.  Time can be built in, for example, to have a break during the swap over between Activity Sheet and Handling Sessions, or the coach tour of camp can be omitted if teachers are pressed for time.  This should be discussed before your visit.

Pupils are taught in groups of not more than fifteen and you are asked to divide the class accordingly.  A Museum member of staff will be assigned to each group.

Timetable of typical visit: 

-   ARRIVE; Go straight to Resource Room for Welcome and briefing.     Approx 15 mins

   ACTIVITY SHEETS; One group go round the Museum with a member of our staff completing their Activity Sheets.  The member of staff explains the relevant aspects of the exhibits in the context of their learning.  Approx 45 mins to 1 hour.

-    BREAK for change-over.  Approx 10 mins.

    HANDLING SESSION; The other group complete a set programme of hands-on activities, using circuit boards; buzzers, lamps, telephone exchanges, relevant military equipment, mirrors and other practical aids, depending on the topic.  The relevance of this session is put into context by the Activity Sheet session in the Museum.    Approx 45 mins to 1 hour.

-    EXTRA TIME; Free time or guided tour of the Museum to meet your needs.  Time to visit the Museum Shop. There are a lot of interactive resources, outside the formal programme, for children to explore.  20 mins to 1 hour.

-   DEPART; A guided tour of the camp from the coach shows the children the working life of an active Military camp

    TOTAL TIME; for the visit is therefore from about a minimum of 2 hours to a maximum of over 3 hours; plus any time needed for say lunch.

What facilities does the Museum provide?

There is an access ramp for the disabled at the front entrance to the Museum, and there is a lift between lower and upper levels.

There are toilets, and toilets for the disabled.

There is a small NAAFI canteen at which food and drinks can be purchased.  We encourage school parties to bring their own food and eat collectively in the resource rooms.  The canteen is too small for large parties.

A secure space is provided for pupils and teachers to leave bags and coats etc.

Your pupil groups will be accompanied by a member of staff throughout your visit.   

There are facilities/class rooms for handling sessions.

What about cost and opening hours?

School Groups are admitted @ £2.50 per pupil and Teachers Free. 

Opening Hours:   Monday - Friday 10am - 5pm, Saturday & Sunday 10am - 4pm.  Please note that we only normally accept school groups during the normal working week.

Who should you contact for further details?

To find out more you should contact CLIFF WALTERS by one of the following means:

Mail: 

Royal Signals Museum,

Blandford Camp,

Blandford Forum,

Dorset DT11 8RH.

Telephone: 01258 482267         FAX: 01258 482084

E-mail: The Royal Signals Museum 

What further information can we provide?

We can answer any queries that you may have about a potential visit.

We can provide you with copies of the Activity Sheets and our instructions for the Handling Sessions.

We can provide you with Museum leaflets and brochures so that you can learn more about the Museum.  It may also be helpful for you to browse the remainder of our web site.  We can arrange for members of your staff to visit the Museum in preparation for a visit .