College Collections
The College has continued the engagement programme undertaken to bring these its Collections to wider audiences. The dedicated team ensures that access is granted to the general public. The Natural History Museum, Verey Gallery and the Eton Museum of Antiquities are open on Sunday afternoons, while the Museum of Eton Life is open on both Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
For the first time, the Collections participated in the Eton Action Fair, opening exhibition spaces and providing craft activities for families, in addition to the family learning event held in October half term.
Overall, over 60,000 users engaged with the Collections’ digital content, including live online events, virtual exhibitions, a trail, the virtual reading room, the blog, the online catalogue and the website (collections.etoncollege.com), which includes resources for schools as well as other digital resources for use by researchers and the general public.
In addition to services available for researchers, on-site museum learning sessions resumed post-pandemic in September 2021. The Education Officer welcomed many classes who were making their first school trip. Over the academic year 2021-2022, there were 122 on site sessions, for 3305 students from reception to year 11, coming from both local schools and further afield. Some schools still chose online sessions, with 39 virtual sessions delivered to 1,579 students. A group of Eton students, as part of the College’s Community Engagement Programme, developed and presented their own sessions to local primary schools – most had to be done virtually due to Covid restrictions but they were able to do a few in person.
Stats
160,000+ artefacts, specimens, files and documents in collections.
20,000+ onsite visitors.
100% of teachers would both return for another visit and recommend it to other teachers.
Activities
144 Primary School Learning Sessions (onsite and online).
16 Eton student led Collections Sessions.
Impact
Over 78,000 people engaged with Eton Collections in some manner in 2021-22, whether through a tour, a casual exhibition visit, an online search, a school trip or research, among many possible activities. These people included not only those connected with Eton but many from the local area and further abroad.
Primary School Formal Learning Sessions
With three permanent museums as well as a temporary exhibition space, the Collections offers a wide range of opportunities for museum learning at all primary school levels.
Activities
English
Botany Bay Creative Writing (KS 2):
Science
Minibeasts (KS 1)
Dinosaurs and Fossils (KS 1&2)
Animals (KS 1&2)
Climate Change (KS 2)
History
Preparing for Eternity – Investigating the Ancient Egyptians (KS 1&2)
Ancient Greeks (KS 1&2)
Tudors (KS 1&2)
Toys (EYFS):
Tailcoats, Top Hats and Trials – Victorian Children at Eton (KS 1&2)
Remembering the Fallen (KS 1&2)
WWII Home Front (KS 2)
Impact
The Primary Schools Collections Learning Programme provides a valuable free resource for schools. The varied collections allow schools to access free learning sessions for multiple curriculum strands, close to home. The option to have a live online session improves accessibility to those schools that find it difficult to travel in, whether it be for logistical, financial or time reasons. The education spaces are not open to the public during sessions and thus allow students the chance to get up close to objects while giving teachers security. Many students visit us as their first school trip, or event their first museum trip ever. This increases their confidence in these spaces as well as their cultural capital.
As one teacher commented: “The information was detailed and relevant and enhanced our curriculum learning. The activities were varied and kept the children engaged throughout. They were also fun and I'm sure lots of the children will go away and research further/be enthused to learn more.”
ECCE College Collections Sessions
As part of the Eton College Community Engagement Programme (ECCE), three groups of lower 6th form students work in each of the three museums to create and deliver museum learning sessions to local primary schools. The Natural History Museum group, working with the Museum Curator, covers a range of subjects. This past year the group based in the Museum of Eton Life chose to cover the WWII home front, while the students in the Museum of Antiquities looked at the Ancient Egyptians.
Stats
Eton students facilitated sessions for 511 students in years 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6.
Activities
Eton students provided an hour-long museum education session that combined discussion with various activities to consolidate the pupils’ learning.
Impact
ECCE sessions have a marked impact upon both the visiting pupils and Eton students. The pupils are not only learning information, but because they are learning from students just a bit older than themselves, it demonstrates what they are capable of in the future. The Eton students learn about the subject, but they have a crash course in presenting to and interacting with large groups of children – who can be a very challenging audience.
From one headteacher: “What a fabulous session we had today. Thank you for being so patient with my emailing and settling up the webinar. Please do thank the boys for the amazing presentation and how well they adapted their delivery as and when needed – gold star from our end!”
