Discover amazing armour through a museum visit or an outreach session delivered in your school.

Discovering Armour is adaptable for pre-formal, informal, semi-formal and formal curriculum pathways, and is designed to develop skills and cultural capital.

This session can support the National Curriculum for Art and Design, Arts Award: Discover and Explore, and the Engagement Model. Sessions are led by SEND specialists, with Makaton support and Widgit symbols where helpful.

We have a range of entry points and recommend exploring 2-3 per session, for classes with up to 15 learners. We will work with you to tailor the session, which is supported by handling materials and armour to try on. Entry points include:

The Arming Song

• Explore armour vocabulary in this rhythmic call and response activity, adaptable for all curriculum pathways.

Dressing Safely for Work and Play

• Investigate and experience different types of protective clothing by trying them on and comparing old and new styles, adaptable for all curriculum pathways.

Sensory Story: A Knight’s Hard Day

• Experience the sights, sounds and sensations of being a knight by following the adventures of a young squire, designed for students on a pre-formal or informal curriculum pathway.

Explore the Armouries (museum visit only)

• Follow a trail and look closely to find patterns and shapes in armour, designed for students on a semi-formal to formal curriculum pathway.

Creative activities

• Dress to Impress – decorate a shield with heraldic designs.
• Let’s Make a Knight of It – construct and decorate a mini, moveable knight.

We provide booklets for students to log their museum visit and what they have discovered. These can be continued in school, used in class displays, or taken home.