Win one of ten virtual field trips

The Novium Museum in Chichester is offering ten schools the chance to win a Roman themed virtual field trip to celebrate the launch of the museum's new digital learning programme.
 

The innovative virtual field trips have been developed in response to the challenges faced by primary schools as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, and have been made possible thanks to grant funding from Art Fund's Respond and Reimagine programme.

Designed especially for children aged 7 to 11 years old, the interactive virtual trips will be available for schools to hire from February 2021. There are three different themes to choose from:
 

• Britain before the Romans

In this virtual field trip, children can discover what life was like in the Iron Age and how the Roman invasion of 43AD changed Britain.

• Roman Daily Life

Focusing on how the Romans lived, this theme delves into life at Chichester's Roman bath house, with a Latin lesson from Katia the Roman.

• Roman Army

Children can join Roman soldier, Brutus, to discover how and why the Roman army was so successful, and find out about the armour they wore and how the army was formed.

"These virtual field trips bring high quality museum learning directly into the classroom, allowing children to continue to benefit from our enriching learning programme and extensive museum collection during times of social distance," says Councillor Roy Briscoe, Cabinet Member for Community Services and Culture at Chichester District Council. "This is a wonderful opportunity for the winning primary schools, who will be among the first to experience our engaging and interactive virtual field trips, and I'd encourage as many schools as possible to get involved."

Each virtual field trip will include a package of digital content, including six filmed chapters comprising interviews with Roman characters, object in focus content, story-telling sessions and collection-based classroom activities, and activity sheets to be supplied digitally for use during the virtual field trip. A bespoke loan box including handling objects that feature within the filmed chapters will also be included for schools that are close enough to collect one from The Novium Museum. The loan box allows teachers to bring the objects to life in the classroom, but the virtual field trips are also designed to exist as a stand-alone digital offer so nominations for schools from further afield are also welcomed.

To be in with a chance of winning on behalf of a chosen school, people should either visit The Novium Museum's Facebook page and comment on the competition post, or email noviumlearning@chichester.gov.uk with the name of the school they would like to win and one of the virtual field trip themes. Entries are limited to one per person, but there is no limit on the number of nominations a school may receive. Entries close at 5pm on Friday 11 December and winners will be notified the following week.

The prize includes the loan of one of the three Roman themed virtual field trips and accompanying loan box for one week. The winning schools will be contacted by the museum to schedule their hire period and a member of school staff will be required to collect and return the loan box from The Novium Museum in Tower Street, Chichester, if they would like the box as part of the package.

For more information about the virtual field trips, and full terms and conditions, visit www.thenovium.org/vft.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

The Novium Museum's Learning Programme

In addition to virtual field trips, The Novium Museum offer Covid-secure school workshops, outreach sessions and loan box hire. For more information about the learning programme and the museum's covid-secure measures, visit http://www.thenovium.org/learningFAQs

Art Fund

Art Fund is the national fundraising charity for art. It provides millions of pounds every year to help museums to acquire and share works of art across the UK, further the professional development of their curators, and inspire more people to visit and enjoy their public programmes. Art Fund is independently funded, supported by the 159,000 members who buy the National Art Pass, who enjoy free entry to over 240 museums, galleries and historic places, 50% off major exhibitions, and receive Art Quarterly magazine. Art Fund also supports museums through its annual prize, Art Fund Museum of the Year, which was won by St Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff, in 2019, and through a range of digital platforms. www.artfund.org