Children’s Education at Brooklands -Valerie Mills

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The Education Department said goodbye to Jenie Pearce in July and we all wish her well in her new job at Solent Skill Quest.                                I have been appointed as her successor and will be familiar to some people already as over the last ten years I have run the Events Programme and the Shop, and more recently been a Duty Manager at weekends. I am delighted to take on the role of Education Manager at such an interesting time for this important area of the Museum's activities.

In the 'Spirit' magazine of Autumn 2002 we reported that work was about to begin on the Brooklands Education Centre in the Stratosphere Chamber building. Work has almost been completed and where part of the refrigeration plant once stood, there are now four purpose built rooms on two levels, to be used not only by the thousands of children who visit the Museum every year in organised school parties, but also by outside organisations for older groups and adults. The new rooms offer striking views of the remaining plant and machinery and the great sliding door of the Chamber, and upstairs there is a viewing platform by the original Control Room.

The ground floor has ample room for the activities we have traditionally provided for the younger primary school children. These include dressing up in 1920s and 30s clothes, a cockpit reconstruction and vehicle construction kits. It is also home for the penny farthing that provides ever popular rides in the Paddock. We now have space to develop our provision for older children, by providing an area for science shows on National Curriculum themes such as 'Forces' and also an experimental area for the children to gain 'hands on' experience of such concepts before they see them in action throughout the Museum site. History resources are also being developed on the theme of 'Britain since the 1930s' to include object handling sessions. There is direct access from the new Centre into Discovery@ Brooklands, which is popular with older and younger children alike, although we will be doing our best over the coming months to revitalise the displays here, as their popularity has led to heavy wear and tear.

Dressing up in 1920s and 30s clothes is always popular and help children to imagine what it was like to visit Brooklands in its heyday..... It's even better when they can get close to vintage cars as well.

The new Education Centre would not have been possible without a generous donation from Surrey County Council, who are keen to promote science and technology within schools in the area and regard Brooklands Museum as a key source of inspiration. They will be working with us to promote the facilities, particularly those upstairs. We are also grateful to the Friends of Brooklands Museum, Proctor and Gamble and the Coleman Charitable Trust, who all contributed to the building costs.

Young Visitors busy in the activity area of the New Education Centre

We have also been fortunate to receive donations from several organisations for the provision of equipment in the Education Centre, in particular The Sporting Bears, who have raised a substantial amount over the summer from events such as Dream Rides, for both our project and other children's charities. Other donors include the Clore Duffield Foundation and the ISTAT Foundation, an American organisation that provides funds for educational projects relating to aviation.

Education at Brooklands would be nothing without the wonderful team of volunteers who come in week after week to take tours, act as explainers in Discovery@ Brooklands and the Activity Room and deliver science shows. Now that we are not limited by space we are hoping to substantially increase the number of schoolchildren visiting the Museum, so if there are any budding education volunteers out there, please contact me.