Trips

For the last two months a number of Invicta sixth formers have been attending Valley Park Archaeology Club on Thursdays after school with Mr Hancock and Mr Higgins. Here they have been identifying and dating a number of artefacts, including a variety of fossils, rocks and coins from throughout the ages. These artefacts were being prepared for a small museum that has been set up in the grounds of Valley Park, and which is named the Whatman museum, after the famous eighteenth century paper maker who lived nearby in what is now Valley Park nature reserve. On Monday the 17th November this museum had a grand opening, and throughout the day a number of activities took place.

In the morning a select group of students from Valley Park, ranging from Year 7 to 11, were taken on a walk with nine students from Invicta. Dr White and Ian Coulson, the History advisor from Kent LEA also toured the grounds of the Whatman estate. On the tour we discovered the remains of the terraced garden, the 'ha-ha' wall which would have kept animals out of Mr Whatman's garden and the grand elm walk. We realised how wealthy the family was, as we found a palm tree in the middle of the estate, which was planted by Repton whilst Whatman was still alive. In the 18th Century trees of this sort were virtually unheard of. Following our tiring walk, the special guests started arriving, as well as around twenty Year 6 students from St John's primary school. They were all in time for a buffet lunch. During this we saw many celebrities such as the mayor of Maidstone and Phil Harding from Channel Four's Time Team.

During the afternoon we split into three groups and had a number of demonstrations to view, the first of these was paper making. We all had fun getting our hands dirty with the paper pulp and at the end produced several sheets of hand made paper. Secondly, we were shown how washing was done in the nineteenth century. The children from St John's were very excited when they got to dress up in waistcoats, caps and pinafores, and to experiment with the various bits of equipment. Finally, Phil Harding gave us a demonstration of flint knapping. In this he turned a normal looking bit of flint into an impressively sharp knife. The afternoon was rounded off with the grand opening of the Valley Park Archaeological Museum, with speeches from Phil and the Mayor, and a chance for everybody to see all the hard work that had been put into preparing the museum for public viewing. The day was a great success and everybody who participated found it an interesting and educational experience. The museum is open during the evenings, though only through telephone booking.

Dover Castle
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Year 7 went to Dover Castle on a recent Focus Day. We did lots of different and interesting activities. On the way there we were asked to make a 1066 rap which told the story of the Battle of Hastings. The best raps were later read out in assembly and given a prize. I think the best bit about the castle were the medieval tunnels because they were spooky and I tripped over but that is just my opinion I'm sure everyone had different opinions. We were also asked to take pictures so when they scanned into our computers or printed off we could make a virtual tour for those who didn't go. I had a really good day and I'm sure everyone else did I would love to go again.Adapted from an article about Dover Castle by C.F.

Trying on armour	The battlements	The royal chambers

Project work	More armour	And yet more armour!
1066 Rap - written by students on the Dover Castle trip This is a 1066 rap, told to you by a wench about the blood and carnage, the filth the dirt, the stench. It happened one frosty morning and lasted through the day This is the way I'll say it, I'll tell it all my way. Edward the Confessor was a pious guy And when he popped his clogs and died the people gave a sigh The rivals charging for the throne were Hazza, H and Willy, They were all diamond geezers But their names were rather silly. Stamford Bridge was mega, with Harold at the helm, The Vikings were a gonna, they felt so overwhelmed. The fleet was rather massive with people highly-trained, Building strength and muscles with bodies becoming strained The Normans came a charging and pounding Harold's troops Their heavy armour clanging, their dirty trodden boots. Harold and his bling, got an arrow in the eye Which flew like a rocket and flew through the sky. When all was done & dusted wills became the king And everyone in England , with joyous hearts would sing Dis is what happened in Hastings , When all around would fall And Wills became the Conqueror, The King of one and all.

Valley Park-Invicta Archaeological Project
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For the last two months a number of Invicta sixth formers have been attending Valley Park Archaeology Club on Thursdays after school with Mr Hancock and Mr Higgins. Here they have been identifying and dating a number of artefacts, including a variety of fossils, rocks and coins from throughout the ages. These artefacts were being prepared for a small museum that has been set up in the grounds of Valley Park, and which is named the Whatman museum, after the famous eighteenth century paper maker who lived nearby in what is now Valley Park nature reserve. On Monday the 17th November this museum had a grand opening, and throughout the day a number of activities took place. In the morning a select group of students from Valley Park, ranging from Year 7 to 11, were taken on a walk with nine students from Invicta. Dr White and Ian Coulson, the History advisor from Kent LEA also toured the grounds of the Whatman estate. On the tour we discovered the remains of the terraced garden, the 'ha-ha' wall which would have kept animals out of Mr Whatman's garden and the grand elm walk. We realised how wealthy the family was, as we found a palm tree in the middle of the estate, which was planted by Repton whilst Whatman was still alive. In the 18th Century trees of this sort were virtually unheard of. Following our tiring walk, the special guests started arriving, as well as around twenty Year 6 students from St John's primary school. They were all in time for a buffet lunch. During this we saw many celebrities such as the mayor of Maidstone and Phil Harding from Channel Four's Time Team. During the afternoon we split into three groups and had a number of demonstrations to view, the first of these was paper making. We all had fun getting our hands dirty with the paper pulp and at the end produced several sheets of hand made paper. Secondly, we were shown how washing was done in the nineteenth century. The children from St John's were very excited when they got to dress up in waistcoats, caps and pinafores, and to experiment with the various bits of equipment. Finally, Phil Harding gave us a demonstration of flint knapping. In this he turned a normal looking bit of flint into an impressively sharp knife. The afternoon was rounded off with the grand opening of the Valley Park Archaeological Museum, with speeches from Phil and the Mayor, and a chance for everybody to see all the hard work that had been put into preparing the museum for public viewing. The day was a great success and everybody who participated found it an interesting and educational experience. The museum is open during the evenings, though only through telephone booking.
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Phil Harding from Channel 4's 'Time Team'	The formal opening of the Archaeology Unit	Flint napping workshop

Year 7 - Tudor Experience
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Year 7 students were recently fortunate to have a visit from Giles Guthrie, the curator of human history at Maidstone Museum. This is the third visit from Giles this year, and this time he brought with him a host of artefacts, replicas and real, associated with the Tudor period. Students were able to handle a massive leather wine flask, sixteenth century pilgrim badges and even a spike used in the popular Tudor blood sport of cockfighting. It was a fascinating event and a unique opportunity for students to find out what life was like for ordinary people from our past. Giles hopes to return next year with artefacts from the Second World War. Watch this space!

Leather beer flask	Wooden sandal	Giles Guthrie, Keeper of Human History, Maidstone Museum

Bronze belt buckle	Wooden trencher	Lead pilgrim's badge
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WWI battlefields tour
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This year’s Year 8 history field trip to Ypres was once again a huge success. The visit left a powerful impression on pupils of the great hardship and suffering faced by soldiers during the First World War. The trip began with a visit to the Hooge Crater Museum and Sanctuary Wood. At Hooge, British troops and their allies had attempted to break the deadlock of the battle of Ypres by undermining the German trenches. Tunnels packed with vast quantities of dynamite were dug beneath the enemy’s frontlines. When they were detonated, the force of the explosion was said to have been heard by soldiers boarding troop ships as far away as Dover and Folkestone. Sanctuary Wood is the site of one of the last remaining stretches of preserved trenches. Students from Invicta were encouraged to jump down and explore the trenches and consider how many original features survived. Evidence for example of bomb blasted tree trunks could still be seen to this day. After the trenches and museums, students visited the largest Commonwealth war cemetery, Tyne Cot. Everyone was moved by the countless rows of white marble headstones, each marking the grave of a soldier who had paid the ultimate sacrifice for his country. Students toured the cemetery searching for information about their own families or any other evidence about the ages, nationalities and stories of soldiers caught up in the ‘War to end all wars.’ The trip concluded with a visit to the ‘Flanders Fields’ museum in the Cloth Hall in Ypres. This permanent exhibition is extremely well-organised and uses the latest computer technology to make the students’ visit as stimulating as possible. As they enter, visitors are presented with a card bearing the name of a solider or civilian involved in the First World War. As they walk through the exhibition, by feeding the card into a computer terminal, visitors can unravel the events of their lives to build up a detailed and highly personal account of the War. Students returned from the trip brimming with ideas, and laden with postcards, books and posters for use in their forthcoming project work on orld War One. Quite a few of them also came back with boxes of Ypres’ justly famous chocolates, hopefully to bestow on members of staff who accompanied them on this successful and extremely moving trip.

Students looked for evidence of their own ancestors. Here is an inscription possibly commemorating one of Mr Higgins' relatives.	They explored the trenches - but remember to bring your wellies, it's very muddy!	They heard experts like Mr Hancock explain significance of events and individuals in this momentous war.
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	This poem is about our day, So I must be getting on my way, To telling our great story. We got up early to be here, And our stop was a museum, And it definitely was not boring. Our next museum was really cool, (Although the rain could fill a pool), World War One was gory. Our third stop was real life, Trenches that someone would risk there lives, World War one was scary. The cemeteries were a sight to see, So many graves, I could not believe, World War One was sad. When we were done, And had our fun, I have learnt a lot about World War One. H.M.

Year 12 - Trip to America
Whether you have been on it, wanted to, or may have the chance in the future, the A level history trip to America is something you will almost definitely have heard of. So for those of you who don't know what the trip consists of, or if you just want to relive your memories of the 9 days spent out in America, here is our account of the 2004 trip.

Statue of Liberty		Three degrees

Lincoln Memorial		University halls of residence
Click here for a diary account of the trip