Students' work, Year 7

Click on the icons below to listen to a war correspondent's report on the Battle of Hastings

Motte and Bailey Castles

As part of their work into the Norman Conquest, Year 7s looked at the ways in which William the Conqueror established control over the Anglo-Saxons following his invasion of England in 1066. In particular, they explored how effective castles were in imposing Norman rule. What started as an offer by one of the students to build a model of a motte and bailey castle in order to help students understand key aspects of their construction, quickly developed into a full-blown competition to create the most authentic reconstruction. Pupils proved to be most ingenious in their choice of building materials, which ranged from toothpicks to modeling clay and kitchen roll. The winning castle was selected after much careful scrutiny by Mr Walker, Head of Lower school and an expert on medieval castle maudlin. A selection of the entrants is included below as well as the winning castle.





In Year 7 we study the development of castles. We look at how they were built, what life was like inside them and how enemies tried to attack them. Following a school visit to Dover Castle Year 7s constructed a virtual tour of the castle to explain to future visitors why this castle is so important.


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	Medieval priest & monks

	Priest adverts

	The village priest played an essential role within the medieval community. Not only did he perfomr essential religious services like prayers for the dead and baptisms for newborn babies, he also helped to organise key social events like church ales and mummers plays and was responsible for tending his own patch of land known as the glebe. If a priest died or left the parish he would need replacing immediately to plu the gap. Year 7s imagined what a medieval job advert would include and here are the results. Click on the picture to open a larger image.


B.P.	L.H.	L.P.

A day in the life of a medieval monk

	The life of a medieval monk was harsh and monotonous. Having learned about the daily round of responsibilities of novice monks, students in Year 7 attempted to write diary entries, describing their experiences and their feelings. Here is an example.

Another day had come. It was twelve o’clock at night and I had got awoken by my fellow monk. We were going across to the church passing the lavatory for our first prayer, (matins). It was hard to stay awake though as it was in the middle of the night so that was why one of the monks walked up and down the aisle in the church shining a torch in people’s eyes to keep them awake. We have to say prayers and sing lots of songs. I’m still not sure about joining the monastery as there are certain times when I think there are too many prayers during the day and the day is a bit wasted. Once we have done that we have to go back to bed and say another prayer at dawn called Prime. That time we stay awake and begin our daily chores. I’m a novice so I haven’t made my decision just yet to join the monastery for life like the other monks. During the day I do things like reading and illuminating which was where we took the first letter of a chapter and illustrated it so it would match the chapter. I would go to the scriptorium. By the time I’ve finished that it would be near to my next prayer which is at mid morning called terce. When that prayer was over we would go across to the chapter house for our daily meeting at the chapter house where the abbot read a chapter from the rules of St Benedict to us. We would have lunch after the prayer sext at mid afternoon. Because you have to eat in silence you have to use a bit of sign language. Some of which was, if you wanted some mustard you would have to rub your nose. Also if you wanted some fish you would sway your hand like a fish. Whilst we were praying and doing our chores the lay brother was decorating the monastery.

	Motte and Bailey Castles

Students were asked to choose from a selection of local castles and prepare a poster presentation pointing out the historic interest and heritage potential of their castle. The class then took a vote as to which castle should receive a special lottery grant to ensure its preservation for all time. We won't tell you the results of the vote, but let you decide on the basis of the images below. Click on a picture to reveal a more detailed enlargement.




Rochester	Leeds	Bodiam



Walmer & Deal		Leeds

	Medieval Board Games

In line with the Business and Enterprise ethos of the school, students at Invicta put on their entreprenuerial hats and created board games to help future students learn about the importance of religion to medieval people. The games were profesionally packaged, with counters, cards and boards and then road-tested in a peer-assessment session. The key objective, was that by playing the game, students would learn about key words, ideas and events relating to the power and importance of the Church in the Middle Ages. Students hope to send the best board games to neighbouring schools to help them improve their understanding of this fascinating aspect of medieval history.

The assassination of Thomas Becket the Archbishop of Canterbury and one-time best friend of the king, Henry II, was an event of enormous significance. It revealed just how tense relations were between the monarchy and the Church and it also sent shockwaves across Europe. If an archbishop couyld be hacked down in his own church, who was safe! Pilgrims flocked to Canterbury to see his tomb and his relics. The city and its churches became fabulously rich on the trade the pilgrims brought. Although newspapers didn't exist in the twelfth century, this is what they might have looked like depending on their editorial bias.

Years 7s, as part of the Medieval Realms scheme of work have been studying the causes and impact of the Black Death. In an era of very limited scientific knowledge few could understand the causes of this terrible plague, which struck down old and young, men and women, rich and poor alike. Victims suffered from painful swellings under the armpits and in the groin. Which were called buboes. This was followed by vomiting, bleeding from sores on the skin, high fever and muscular spasms. Not quite your average cold! Once contracted death was inevitable. Unfortunately, sufferers were simply confined to their homes, where they not only suffered an agonising death but spread disease to other unaffected members of their family.

Community leaders were baffled by the sudden arrival and spread of this horrifying disease. They turned to superstition as well as religion to explain away the causes. Although we still do not know for certain, historians estimate that between a third and a half of the population of Europe was wiped out by the Black Death. In an effort to avoid a repeat of this awful catastrophe, Year 7 pupils have devised some potions and medicines, inspired by authentic medieval recipes, to cure future sufferers of the plague.

Click on the pictures below to read a Black Death public health brochure

One of the longest-running History programmes on TV is the popular archaeology series Time Team. The archaeologists have just 3 days to find clues and answer questions about archaeological sites across the country. In the past Time Team digs have discovered Roman mosaics, Anglo-Saxon burial sites and Tudor palaces. We imagined that this week they would be investigating the remains of the medieval village of Wharram Percy. Most of its inhabitants died during the Black Death and those that survived abandoned their homes to start new lives elsewhere, leaving a perfectly preserved, but hidden world behind them. Here are some trailers we produced to advertise the programme.

Eyewitness accounts - the Armada

We were asked to imagine what life was like on board one of the ships involved in the Spanish Armada. Our teacher told us we could either be Spanish sailors fighting with the Duke of Medina Sidnoia or English fighting with Admiral Lord Howard and Drake. Here are our eyewitness accounts. Click on a ship to open the account.

Tudor Agony Aunt letters

Year 7s were so impressed by Simon Schama's epic TV series, A History of Britain they resolved to become historcial documentary makers themselves - at least for a couple of lessons! The produced a series of short fiulms covering different aspects of Elizabeth's life from her marriage proposals to the defeat of the Spanish Armada. Here are some examples of their work.

Click on a still to play the movie

Why did Elizabeth remain unmarried?

The secret language of Elizabethan portraits

Celebrities from the age of Elizabeth - Shakespeare

Everyday life in Tudor England

Battle of Hastings
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In Year 7 we have been studying the Battle of Hastings and the lead up to the battle. The whole reason for the battle was there were three people who claimed they should be King. We had to look at the three claimants and decide who we thought should be King of England. We got into small groups and decided which man we thought should win. We then had to compose a campaign, which we would later show and the class would vote for the best. We had to write a speech which on member of the group would read out at the presentation. In the speeches you have to explain why you should be King and all the things you would do for England. As well as the speech you had to make some posters and handouts to make people vote for you.

	Click to hear a news report from a journalist at the battle by E.P.



	A speech by William The Conqueror

	"Bonjour, Anglo Saxons of England . My name is William, William Duke of Normandy. Your rightful king. I'm the man for the job. I'm cousin for the wonderful all mighty King Edward the Confessor, (who will be greatly missed.) He has already promised me the English throne. Vote for me and I will lower your taxes, unlike that self-centered Viking Harold Hardrada, I will bring peace to your land. Look at what I have done in France I have been a successful duke and plan to bring my rule over here. Your country needs me! You don't want a liar like Harold Godwinson as king, you want an honest man like me. I'm a very determined and organised ruler and I will run your country properly. Your people promised me the throne so keep that promise and vote for me and a better more peaceful England !"

	Click here to read an example essay on William the Conqueror by S.B



	Breaking news: the Normans have invaded! Click on the scene from the Bayeux Tapestry to open the PowerPoint and find out more. Click on the speaker symbols dotted across the picture to listen to the different accounts of the Battle of Hastings. Can you tell which side the journalist supports - the Normans or Anglo-Saxons?
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	1066 Podcasts

	Click on the icons below to listen to a war correspondent's report on the Battle of Hastings

	Hold the Front Page - Becket Murdered!

The assassination of Thomas Becket the Archbishop of Canterbury and one-time best friend of the king, Henry II, was an event of enormous significance. It revealed just how tense relations were between the monarchy and the Church and it also sent shockwaves across Europe. If an archbishop couyld be hacked down in his own church, who was safe! Pilgrims flocked to Canterbury to see his tomb and his relics. The city and its churches became fabulously rich on the trade the pilgrims brought. Although newspapers didn't exist in the twelfth century, this is what they might have looked like depending on their editorial bias.

	Click on the pictures to open up a larger version.



	Church Times	Royal Mail	Knightly News

	Medieval Guild Shields


J.E.	R.C.	K.P.

R.H.	E.G.	J.R.
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	The Black Death
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"Then that most grievous pestilence penetrated the coastal regions of England, and people died as if the whole strength of their city were seized by sudden death. There were few who lay in their beds for more than three days before savage death snatched them away."



Black death potions	Flagellants - medieval people would parade through the streets whipping themselves in the hope that this act of punishment would take away the plague	Black death stories

Years 7s, as part of the Medieval Realms scheme of work have been studying the causes and impact of the Black Death. In an era of very limited scientific knowledge few could understand the causes of this terrible plague, which struck down old and young, men and women, rich and poor alike. Victims suffered from painful swellings under the armpits and in the groin. Which were called buboes. This was followed by vomiting, bleeding from sores on the skin, high fever and muscular spasms. Not quite your average cold! Once contracted death was inevitable. Unfortunately, sufferers were simply confined to their homes, where they not only suffered an agonising death but spread disease to other unaffected members of their family.

Community leaders were baffled by the sudden arrival and spread of this horrifying disease. They turned to superstition as well as religion to explain away the causes. Although we still do not know for certain, historians estimate that between a third and a half of the population of Europe was wiped out by the Black Death. In an effort to avoid a repeat of this awful catastrophe, Year 7 pupils have devised some potions and medicines, inspired by authentic medieval recipes, to cure future sufferers of the plague.

	Click on the pictures below to read a Black Death public health brochure

C.W.	K.R.	L.W.

	Time Team trailers



One of the longest-running History programmes on TV is the popular archaeology series Time Team. The archaeologists have just 3 days to find clues and answer questions about archaeological sites across the country. In the past Time Team digs have discovered Roman mosaics, Anglo-Saxon burial sites and Tudor palaces. We imagined that this week they would be investigating the remains of the medieval village of Wharram Percy. Most of its inhabitants died during the Black Death and those that survived abandoned their homes to start new lives elsewhere, leaving a perfectly preserved, but hidden world behind them. Here are some trailers we produced to advertise the programme.



E, E, L, E, 7a	S, G, E & M , 7a	A, C, Z, R, 7a

	Click here to find out what happened when Time Team came to visit our federation school, Valley Park


	Phil Harding, Time Team

	www.channel4.com/timeteam

Tudor Agony Aunt letters

Henry VIII may well have been one of Britain's most popular and well-loved monarchs, but his reign was a deeply troubled one. Not only did he have to deal with divorce and the worries of having a male heir, he faced constant threats from abroad from the Pope, the French and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Today, in times of trouble you can write in to an Agony Aunt. Sadly Henry did have the option. But if he did, this is possibly what he might have asked for help with ...

B.I-S.	C.A.	R.A.

The Age of Elizabeth

	Click on the paintings below to hear an Invicta guide explain its secret meaning.

	E.P.	L.P.	R.H

		O.E.

Elizabeth documentaries

Year 7s were so impressed by Simon Schama's epic TV series, A History of Britain they resolved to become historcial documentary makers themselves - at least for a couple of lessons! The produced a series of short fiulms covering different aspects of Elizabeth's life from her marriage proposals to the defeat of the Spanish Armada. Here are some examples of their work.

	Click on a still to play the movie


Marriage proposals	Mary Queen of Scots	Portraits


Why did Elizabeth remain unmarried?	The secret language of Elizabethan portraits	Celebrities from the age of Elizabeth - Shakespeare


	Everyday life in Tudor England

	School Report on James I


	Click the image to read James' record of achievement

James as a young boy		James in his coronation robes

Year 7 Revision Guide

	Click on the cover below to view the guide.


B.L-G.	F.R.	E.G.