Essential information

Location
Key Stage
Key Stage 2
Curriculum links
English
Geography
History
Session length 75 minutes
Session times Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, 10.15-11.30, 12.30-13:45
Capacity 30 pupils per group
Price Up to 30 pupils - £150. Limited bursaries are available

Session overview

Introduction

Learners are given a brief overview of the ship’s history and are asked to examine ship models to consider why Cutty Sark was such an iconic ship.   

Guided tour

The class is divided into small groups and given a mystery item that is connected to the Cutty Sark. Learners take part in a guided tour of the Cutty Sark, where they will use their discovery skills to find the links between the objects and the ship. They share their discoveries with the whole class during the tour. The tour concludes in the dry berth, where learners think about why Cutty Sark now rests in Greenwich and its connections to their own lives.
 

Learning objectives

Learners will:

  • Understand some aspects of the history of Cutty Sark, including its destinations
  • Understand why Cutty Sark is now in Greenwich
  • Know the jobs sailors did
  • Develop a basic understanding of the chronology of the Cutty Sark

Curriculum links

KS2 History

  • Develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history
  • Note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms 
  • Address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance
  • Understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources

Key words

Sail, sailing, sailor, cargo, China, Australia, Greenwich, captain, river Thames, import, export

Suggested pre-visit knowledge and activities

Introduce different roles on a historic sailing ship to spark curiosity about life at sea. (e.g. captain, sailor, cook, carpenter). Encourage learners to think about what skills they would need for each job and what challenges they might face.

Suggested post-visit knowledge and activities

Invite learners to write a letter from the perspective of a young sailor on board Cutty Sark. What were their daily duties? How did they feel during the long voyage and what challenges did they face? What did they miss most about home and what incredible things did they see?