Visitor Info Learning enables people to play a full part in their community and strengthens the family, the neighbourhood and consequently the nation. . . It helps us fulfil our potential… The Learning Age will be built on a renewed commitment to self improvement and on a recognition of the enormous contribution learning makes to our society.
(David Blunkett: Secretary of State for Education and Employment: 1998)
Current Position
Pre booked school visits for groups of ten or more are free during term time weekdays only. A charge of £20 is made for an education session in the classroom to schools outside Gosport . A charge of £30 is made to students visiting for a marketing talk to include a tour of the museum.
The museum moved into the Leisure and Cultural Services Department at Gosport Borough Council in November 2005.
The Museum Mission Statement
- To preserve the historical collections and buildings in our care for current and future generations through conservation, interpretation and public access.
- To constantly improve knowledge and understanding of the collections through education and research.
- To present themes and stories of Explosion! to the broadest audience, in an engaging, enjoyable and stimulating context.
- To provide a high level of service to customers, which exceeds their expectations and creates a memorable experience that they wish to repeat.
- To maximise income from operations and fund raising in order to reduce reliance on subsidies and to underpin future development of the Museum.
Education Mission Statement
Explosion! recognises that education is a life long learning experience and that the museum has a valuable role to play in that process through its interpretation of Priddy's Hard, the people who worked here and the collections. In consequence, the broadest audience is offered a memorable and enjoyable experience, which enhances learning through personal interest, expectation and research.
Aims
- To ensure that the museum provision is accessible to all sections of the community, regardless of age, sex, ability, social, ethnic or religious background.
- To offer a primary source of knowledge and enrich visitor learning at every stage through life by providing a range of opportunities to encourage regular return visits.
- To develop new audiences and maintain a dialogue between Explosion! and the wider community through outreach, partnerships and promotion in tandem with the Marketing section.
- To maintain good relations between all museum staff, ensuring they are all aware of the role of education in the development and delivery of the museum service.
- To provide a high quality service by developing adequate resource provision.
- To undertake personal professional training opportunities in order to develop and maintain a comprehensive level of education provision
Objectives
- To maintain a programme for lifelong learning.
- To ensure provision of a positive, stimulating and inclusive atmosphere for learning for school and other formal educational use.
- To develop, review and assess educational resources, including printed material and holiday activity trails for younger visitors.
- To monitor and review mailing lists and to target new audiences/special groups.
- To monitor developments in the school curriculum
- To continue to strengthen links with local and wider communities through a programme of workshops, events and outreach.
- To continue to participate in training and in relevant professional organisations.
- To foster and maintain strong links with schools at KS2, KS3 and KS4.
- To continue evaluation and assessment of the education service.
- To seek funding, in conjunction with the Leisure Services Manager, for education projects.
- To maintain close links with other museum educators and monitor developments in museum education.
Education Service
The current, spacious, harbourside Education Centre is housed in a former shifting room dating from the mid 19th century. The classroom is used for teaching and learning sessions combined with a visit to Explosion! and also doubles as a lunch room facility if requested at the time of booking. Themed Family Fun events are also held in the Centre during school holidays, linking with Explosion! events.
Under the guidance of its Education officer, Explosion! offers an education programme for school visits.
The Priddy’s Hard site normally offers a stimulating , positive, primary resource to enrich the education of visitors at all stages of life and learning. However, since 2005 access to the wider site is restricted owing to extensive building works.
The handling collection of Home Front consists of real objects and replicas. It is important for children to experience genuine artefacts although it is sometimes appropriate to handle replicas. First hand observations promote questioning and foster curiosity which together enhance learning opportunities. An Anderson shelter offering an air raid experience, air raid siren, fire fighting activities and evacuee role play further enhance a school visit.
School visits to Explosion! from all key stages, mainstream and special needs, are welcomed. Pre visits from teachers are expected in order to agree learning objectives and to make a Risk Assessment. At the pre visit, the teacher will be shown the educational facilities, tour the museum and receive a copy of the Museum Trail, plus a printed visit guide for teachers and helpers. A copy of the generic Hazard Assessment to assist the teacher in making his/her own risk assessment is available on the web site.
Planning for future provision will be supported by evaluation forms completed by lead teachers following their visit in conjunction with Educational trends and professional knowledge and skills of the Education Officer.
Educational services are constantly under review and will change, develop and improve as we build new audiences, respond to new developments and gain new skills and experience.
Outreach
Outreach opportunities currently take the form of illustrated presentations and are offered to school staff and other organisations when requested. Currently, delivery is by Explosion!s Curator, Education Officer and occasionally a Volunteer.
Lifelong learning, targeting older learners, former workers and groups such as the University of the Third Age is a prime factor whether undertaken at Explosion! or delivered as part of the outreach programme.
It is intended that most events are linked to the history of Priddy’s Hard thus fostering the wider aspects of learning for our visitors.
Explosion! contributes to:
BA National Science Week March
Museums and Galleries Month May
Local History Week May
Family Learning Weekend October
Equal Opportunities
The delivery of Education at Explosion! is offered via a range of strategies, activities and presentations matched to the visitors' needs and abilities at their own particular stage of learning.
Staff at Explosion! recognise that marginalized , minority groups such as the elderly, unwaged or young adults/adolescents are valued members of society and have access to the museum’s services.
Wheelchair users have access to all areas of Explosion!
Museum staff act as advocates for all museum visitors, in consideration of their needs.
Monitoring and Evaluation
Monitoring and evaluation of the success of the Education Service is addressed by a variety of methods and records kept for future use:
- Evaluation forms to be completed by teachers
- Evaluation forms to be completed by families following family workshops
- Comments book located in ticket office
- Visitor figures through increased event ticket sales
- Observation of visitor responses through interaction of staff
- Questionnaires
Health and Safety
Explosion! has produced a manual for Health and Safety. It contains a policy statement and a structure for implementing the policy.
All pre-booked groups will be met on arrival to be given health and safety information and guidance in emergency procedures.
A pre-visit by teacher leaders is strongly encouraged to highlight essential services provided at Explosion! and to ensure the smooth running of their tour of the Museum. Written guidance will be given to teachers for their helpers.
Teachers and Leaders will be asked to confirm treatment of those pupils with special requirements should they need medical aid.
Data Protection
From time to time, during family workshops, Explosion! staff may wish to take photographs for use in display and in museum publicity leaflets. Additionally, press photographers visit Explosion! to photograph events for publication in the public domain.Parents/Carers/Guardians will be asked to give their explicit permission for this by reading and signing a disclaimer agreeing that their child's image and/or name may be published in local newspapers or image only in Explosion! publicity leaflets or web site.
This permission, valid for two years, January to December, will not be used for any other purpose and names will not be used on any Explosion! publicity or internet site.