School's Out

Belper North Mill is a great place to study local history, whatever your age. Not only can it tell the tale of the Strutts family and their impact on the development of Belper as a town and a community, but it is also part of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. There have been changes in the National Curriculum recently, and some of these changes have helped us to develop our relevance to local schools. We can offer the opportunity to learn more about an aspect of history or a significant site because the Mill is where the Industrial Revolution developed into the movement we recognise today. We can also explore significant people and places in the locality through the contribution of generations of the Strutt family in Belper. Physical and human geography, environmental awareness, social housing, economic activity, trade links and town planning are all topics that can be explored through the heritage of Belper and the Mills, coming right up to date with its success in the Great British High Street national competition. As schools head back to the classrooms at the beginning of September, don't forget this rich resource on the doorstep. Learning outside the classroom can inspire students and teachers alike. We even have volunteers at the Mill who are keen to show their own homes, houses built in the nineteenth century, to visiting groups. Young students can get a sense of what it was like to live and work in a factory through role play, dressing up and stories. Older students can start to think about the physics of water power and the corporate responsibilities of the mill owners and employers. If you want to bring history and geography to life in this way get in touch with us at the Mill. We can arrange visits all year round.