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Victorian Children at Work cover page

Free downloadable teaching resource

for KS 2/3 History

Developed alongside teachers, this resource pack helps to embed literacy and key skills development into History, using original Victorian documents with a focus on Manchester, Salford and the North-West.

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What's in the pack?

Evidence Resources

Over 50 specially selected extracts from original Victorian documents, including reports, interviews with children, poetry, pictures and stories.

  PDF small logo View a sample of the Evidence Resources (1MB)
  PDF small logo Download the Evidence Resources (103 pages, 13MB)
  Audio image red Listen to 2 Victorian poems about children (below)
Supporting Resources  
A selection of supporting documents that will help you interpret the material with your class.   PDF small logo View a list of the Supporting Resources (532KB)
  PDF small logo Download the Supporting Documents (3MB)
Scheme of Work  
A 4-week Scheme of Work, suggesting tried and tested activities and learning objectives for literacy, history and key skills.    PDF small logo Download the Scheme of Work (122KB)
Powerpoint activity  

Using some of the Evidence Resources, this powerpoint encourages pupils to explore the different perspectives of sending children to work. This can develop into a Persuasive Writing activity.

  'Should Children work a 30hour Week?'  

   Poweroint IconDownload Powerpoint Activity (9MB)

Pack Contents Page  
This page details everything in this pack.   PDF small logo Download the Contents Page (57KB)
Poetry Activity  
Using poems and pictures in the 'Evidence Resources', this activity is a creative way for pupils to generate ideas for their own 'Victorian Poetry'.   PDF small logo Download the Poetry Activity (1MB)
   

Audio image redListen here to 2 poems about children in Victorian Britain. Written in Victorian times  and read here by Maxine Peake. 

Factory Girl to a More Fortunate Playmate, Anon. (1min 27)

The Frost on the Window Pane, by E. Byam Wyke. (2 mins)

Curriculum and QCA links

  • QCA units 11 & 12: What was life like for Children living in Victorian Britain? and How did life change in our locality in Victorian times?
  • Supports all aspects of literacy, history and key skills development as listed in the Scheme of Work.
  • 'What's in the news?' covers citizenship by featuring global child labour at the end of the scheme of work.

  • To receive the pack on a CD, please email us with your details.

    Comments...

    "The glossaries are very useful for helping the children understand the texts, and it is really useful that the questions encourage the children to think for themselves about what the varying reasons were for child labour during the Victorian times. Thank you -for a useful, interesting and free teaching aid!" Emma Horne, teacher.

    "This looks like a very useful resource for a range of subjects at Key Stage 3, as well as Key Stage 2" Cathy Fitzwilliam Pipe, teacher.

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