Resource created by Heritage Quay
This resource accompanies the film 'Education', which can be viewed here. The full resource can be downloaded as a teacher pack from the resources page.
Curriculum Links
- KS1 Local History Study: Significant local events, people and places.
The university’s history can be part of a wider study of the Ramsden family and their signficant contribution to the growth of Huddersfield as a industrial town.
- KS2 Local History Study: Atudy of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066
- KS3 Local History Study: A study over time, testing how far sites in their locality reflect aspects of national history
The university has its beginnings in the philanthropy of a local businessman (Frederick Schwann), leading to the establishment of the Mechanics’ Institute and then the Huddersfield Female Educational Institute. This pattern reflects trends in the development of our national educational system, and provides a local exemplar for an important aspect of British History.
Pupils of all key stages would benefit from a visit to the unversity, including the Ramsden building and a campus tour, and possibly a workshop. Such a visit would raise aspirations for higher education as well as highlighting the role of the university in Huddersfield today.
Activity Ideas
Huddersfield University
The archives contain many historic photographs of classrooms and reading rooms in the Ramsden building as well as floor plans. Pupils could:
- Compare the photographs with the way today’s university classrooms look, or their own.
- Re-create a Victorian reading room in the school library or their own classroom
- Visit the Ramsden building, using the Heritage Quay sheet What Will You Discover? to investigate further. (see Links and Further Resources).
- Build a model of the Ramsden building, using Lego or cardboard boxes
- Design a university of the future
- Visit Heritage Quay and study the university archives, find former students who became well known n their fields
In 1883, the Huddersfield Technical School (as it then was) held a Fine Art & Industrial Exhibition. The catalogue is held in the university archives and there are many photographs and news cuttings of the exhibition. Children could:
- Investigate the kinds of subjects taught at a technical school, and why these might be needed in a town like Huddersfield
- Contact the archives for an object handling session. Show children the art examination box and set them a similar task
- Open up a debate on equality of education and career choice, comparing careers open to women 100 years ago with those of today.
- Compile a list of the first women – first female M.P., prime minister, professional rugby player, airline pilot etc.
Internal Links
Other resources related to this subject area or locality on My Learning include: