Education

The Heritage in Schools Scheme

• Over 150 heritage specialists available
• Covers a wide range of heritage topics
• Classroom visits and field trips
• Full day or half day visits
• Suitable for all primary school age groups
• Pilot scheme offers a series of five visits in one school year
• Funded jointly by the school and the Heritage Council
• Administered by the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO)

Introduction

The Heritage in Schools scheme offers a panel of heritage specialists who will, at the request of a teacher, visit a primary school to work directly with the children. Specialists are listed in the Heritage in Schools Directory, which is updated annually and sent to all primary schools in the country. A booking form is included in the directory. The visit is part-funded by the school and the remaining fee plus expenses are funded by the Heritage Council.

The Scheme

The directory lists over 150 heritage specialists and indicates whether they are able to undertake their visit through English or Irish. Their areas of expertise range from bats to whales, from Vikings to the history of bread, from story telling to traditional dance, and from charcoal making to military heritage. Specialists usually conduct their visits in or close to their own county, although many are prepared to travel. As one teacher pointed out 'children's lives revolve around their locality' so the specialists' knowledge of local heritage enhances the young people's appreciation of their surroundings. All of the specialists have been trained to communicate effectively with children; their spontaneity and enthusiasm for their subject makes the visits a very appealing educational experience for both pupils and teachers.

The Visit

The nature of the visits is as varied as the range of topics offered. The flexible and informal nature of the scheme facilitates a wide range of approaches to practical heritage education. The exact content of the visit is planned by teacher and specialist together. While many visits include a field trip, weather permitting, some are exclusively classroom based as they may involve art, appearances of characters from history, or slide shows. Some specialists conduct a mixture of indoor and outdoor activities. All visits aim to give children and teachers a first hand experience of their heritage, whether by handling a medieval sword and shield, by learning to spin wool, by making prehistoric musical instruments, or by learning to listen out for common birds. As one teacher said, 'A child trying on a coat of mail is worth more than ten books.'

The Scheme Expands

The scheme, sponsored by the Heritage Council and administered by the INTO, began in 1999 as a pilot project and is now established nationwide. It has grown steadily since its inception and schools in every county now participate in the scheme. The number of visits nationwide has grown from 187 (2000) to almost 500 (2003). The number of schools availing of more than one visit has also increased from 11 (2000) to 204 (2002). The scheme is extremely well regarded and supported among teachers who have had school visits, and the general feeling is that 'once you've used the scheme you'll continue.' Disadvantaged schools have a high level of participation as they represent almost a quarter of visits in 2002. Specialists are very willing to work with special needs schools and pupils, and teachers in the schools have given very positive feedback on visits. In 2003 a pilot scheme offering a series of five full day visits by a specialist, either consecutively or over the course of the year, was launched to assist in developing relationships between schools and specialists. Some schools invite specialists on a regular basis. In one of these a child was heard to remark that 'after First Communion you get a visit from the Bat Lady'.

Educational Value

The value of the Heritage in Schools scheme is in the richness and depth of knowledge it makes available to children. Its expansion is well timed in concurrence with the phased introduction of the new Social, Environment and Scientific Education (SESE) curriculum. The scheme supports the stated aims and objectives of the SESE curriculum and provides an additional educational tool for teachers. The primary aim of the scheme is to raise awareness of the natural and built heritage among children, teachers, and parents. The scheme hopes to establish a real and vibrant understanding of heritage in our primary schools, to encourage children and teachers to leave the classroom and enjoy a first hand experience of their local heritage, and to open children's eyes to the world around them.

Guidelines for Schools

1. Obtain approval for the visit from the school principal or board of management. 
2. Select a heritage specialist from the Heritage in Schools Scheme directory. 
3. Contact the heritage specialist and arrange date, time and duration of the visit. 
4. Plan the content of the visit with the heritage specialist, and decide what preparation must be undertaken by specialist, teacher and pupils prior to the visit. 
5. Complete and return the booking form to the Professional Development Unit, INTO Head Office, 35 Parnell Square, Dublin 1. The booking form must be accompanied by a cheque of €100 or €60 made payable to INTO who administer the payment to the specialist. The payment must be made in advance of the visit.
6. Remember that the maximum number of children participating does not exceed 30. 
7. Remember that the heritage specialist is not expected to supervise children alone, or to visit for longer than the agreed time.

Heritage In Schools Directory

The Heritage In Schools Directory lists contact details for Heritage Specialists who will, at the request of a teacher, visit a primary school to work directly with the children.

DIRECTORY

Click here to download the Heritage In Schools Directory [PDF 2.2MB]
Please Note: Contact details for Lynn Kirkham (Cork) are incorrect in the directory and should be 085 175 5553

BOOKING FORM

Click here to download an English language version of the BOOKING FORM in PDF format [PDF 84K]

Click here to download an Irish language version of the BOOKING FORM in PDF format  [PDF 92K]

EVALUATION FORM

Click here to download an English language version of the EVALUATION FORM in PDF format [PDF 76K]

Click here to download an Irish language version of the EVALUATION FORM in PDF format  [PDF 84K]

If you have any queries about the Heritage in Schools scheme please contact:  
Cathy Guerin at CGuerin@into.ie
Professional Development Unit
INTO
35 Parnell Square
Dublin 1

T. 01 804 7702
F. 01 872 2547
E.  CGuerin@into.ie
W.CGuerin@into.iewww.into.ie