Key Stage 2
Forces and materials
The following tours and trails are available. Click on a title to find out more about an individual tour or trail. You will also find a link to teacher support materials under some sections.
- Signs and Symbols
- Expressing: Pilgrimage
- Monastic Trail
- Expressing: Worship and Special Places
- Believing: Commitment. Belief and Action
- Believing: Commitment. Friends and Followers
- Exploring: Using our Senses
- Tudor Trail
- Glorious Gloucester: Our Journey Through Time
- Expressing: Life's Journey
- Expressing: Festivals, Faith and Symbols
- Glass and Gargoyles
- How does it stand up? Forces and Materials
- In Loving Memory...
- INSET
Alternatively, if you wish to discuss a tour tailored to your group's specific needs and interests, please contact us.
Stonemasons tours
An interesting addition to any tour is a visit to the stonemasons yard. It can be either an 'add on' after or an integral part of the tour.
The children can 'Meet a Mason', look at the various tools and stone used and see examples of their work. Time taken is approximately half an hour. For more information please contact us.
Signs and Symbols
All of the world's faiths use signs and symbols to express beliefs and ideas which cannot always be easily put into words. These symbols have found a place in the fabric of the Church's buildings, and the Cathedral offers a rich medium for exploring the use and meaning of such symbols. Activities at the Education Centre following the tour.
| Teacher resources | |
| Timing | Two hour session |
| Cost | £3 per pupil. Accompanying adults free. |
| Syllabus | NC: English 1; Art 4 a, b, c |
Expressing: Pilgrimage
I enjoyed playing my minstrel's pipe, and dressing up was great fun. Thank you so much!
Leah (Edmund de Reed, minstrel)
Pupils will adopt the roles of various medieval pilgrims, wearing appropriate costumes and carrying pilgrim-gifts to leave at the tomb of King Edward II. Understand the pilgrim's hope and the significance of a special journey. Find out about medieval pilgrimage, Gloucester's position as a pilgrimage site, and pilgrimage today. This is one of our most popular trails with children and staff alike. Activities include making clay masons' marks, printing a pilgrim badge and playing pilgrim games.
On booking a tour, teachers will receive character lists and further preparatory information.
| Teacher resources | |
| Timing | Two hour session |
| Cost | £3.00 per pupil. Accompanying adults free. 2009 prices held. |
| Syllabus | NC: English 1; History 1, 2a, 7 |
| Gloucestershire Agreed Syllabus KS2 2c | |
Monastic Trail
I loved dressing up as a monk and I loved it when we sang in Latin. I tried hard to write neatly with my quill pen.
'Brother' Stephen, Year 5
Dress as a novice monk and discover Gloucester's Benedictine heritage. Find out about the monastic life of study, work and prayer by exploring the cloisters with the 'Abbot'. Activities include writing with quill pens, illumination and identifying and using herbs.
Preparatory materials will be issued to schools on booking this trail.
| Teacher resources | |
| Timing | Two hour session |
| Cost | £3.00 per pupil. Accompanying adults free. 2009 prices held. |
| Syllabus | NC: English 1; History 1, 2a, 4a, 7, 10; Geography 3e |
| Gloucestershire Agreed Syllabus KS2 2c | |
Expressing: Worship and Special Places
An opportunity to explore the Cathedral which has been a place of worship for over 900 years. Find out about worship and other activities in church. Take a look at some of the church furniture, for example lectern, altar, organ. Find out about Holy Communion and Christian Prayer. Light a candle and find out about what happens in the cathedral. This trail can be adapted to include features selected by the teacher e.g. symbols, stained glass etc. Perhaps compare and contrast with your local place of worship and/or the special places of other faiths. Follow-up activities in the Education Centre.
| Teacher resources | |
| Timing | Two hour session |
| Cost | £3 per pupil. Accompanying adults free. |
| Syllabus | NC: English 1 |
| Gloucestershire Agreed Syllabus KS2 2c | |
Believing: Commitment. Belief and Action
I never realised how many people work here. And there were so many people who helped to build the Cathedral and make it beautiful.
Sarah, KS2
How do people express their commitment to their faith? The Cathedral gives many clues, through its fabric and the people who work there today. This tour examines some examples: the way in which artists have expressed their understanding of the world; the vision of the Cathedral's architects and masons; the contribution of musicians and singers; and the roles of the people who spend their working lives at the Cathedral. What is God like, and how does belief in God influence people's lives?Activities include art and craft work.
| Teacher resources | |
| Timing | Two hour session |
| Cost | £3 per pupil. Accompanying adults free. |
| Syllabus | NC: English 1; PSHE and Citizenship 1e, 2h, 5e |
| Gloucestershire Agreed Syllabus KS2 1a | |
Believing: Commitment. Friends and followers
This tour looks at Jesus through St. Peter's eyes. What did Peter see? What did Peter hear? How might he have felt as a follower of Jesus witnessing Jesus' teaching and miracles? What does Jesus mean for people today? Explore these questions around the Cathedral Church of St. Peter through stained glass, paintings and Cathedral furniture. Follow up craft activity at the Education Centre.
| Teacher resources | |
| Timing | Two hour session |
| Cost | £3 per pupil. Accompanying adults free. |
| Syllabus | Gloucestershire Agreed Syllabus KS2 1b |
Exploring: Using our Senses
The whispering gallery was amazing - and when you could walk right past the huge window!
Tom, KS2 pupil
Explore the Cathedral through the five senses. Examine the stone work and find the masons' marks. Consider the design of the stained glass windows and their effect. Sense the atmosphere in the Crypt and hear the echo when singing in the cloisters. Light a candle at the candle stand and experience the feeling that this huge and beautiful building inspires. This tour can include a visit to the Whispering Gallery and the Treasury. Activities include working with clay, herbs, brass rubbing and making stained 'glass' windows.
| Teacher resources | |
| Timing | Two hour session |
| Cost | £3 per pupil. Accompanying adults free. |
| Syllabus | NC: English 1 |
| Gloucestershire Agreed Syllabus KS2 1a | |
Tudor Trail
We will never forget our wonderful trip.
Henry and Alex
Our most popular trail!
An all-day visit split between Gloucester Cathedral and the nearby Folk Museum. At the Cathedral, dressed as a monk and in role-play, discover Henry VIII's plans for St Peter's Abbey. Attend a Chapter Meeting, sing in Latin in the Quire and experience life in Tudor times. Activities include writing with quill pens, herb smelling and illumination. At the Folk Museum, visit a Tudor merchant's house, handle Tudor artefacts and dress in Tudor costume.
| Teacher resources | |
| Timing | Half a day at each venue |
| Cost |
£4.50 per pupil. Accompanying adults free. Price held |
|
Syllabus |
NC: English 1; History 1, 2a,c, 4a, 7, 8a, 10; Geography 3e |
Glorious Gloucester: Our Journey Through Time
Discover the history of the most important building in the city. Why is the building called a Cathedral? Who was crowned here? Which king is buried here? When was the structure built?
Travel back in time and experience a Medieval pilgrimage.
The afternoon session has a choice of sessions: Visit the stonemasons’ yard and see them working in stone Find out why people visit the Cathedral today Discover the secrets of the boy wizard who went to school here! Take a tower tour Explore the crypt or try out the whispering gallery Art and craft activities Tour of the Cathedral precincts.
Schools will be able to choose from the above, availability is limited to time of year and availability of staff- please contact an education officer to discuss your needs.
We can tailor make this visit to meet your curriculum needs.(within reason)
Timing: Whole day visit
Cost: £4 per pupil Accompanying adults free
Curriculum links: Geography, History, R.E. Geography 6A Water & its effects How and why settlements develop and change 3E Change: How and why places change and how will they change in the future How places change History 1A Chronological understanding 1B Dates and vocabulary Historical change 4A Visits to historic buildings 7 local hist. study local event and/or person.
Glorious Gloucester Goody Bags are also available, please contact the Education Officers for more information.
Expressing: Life's Journey
Cathedrals, like all churches, are the scenes for some of the major events in our lives. Each religion and society marks the passage through life with certain key events, and for Christians the key rites of passage are Baptism, Confirmation and Funeral ceremonies. This trail explores the liturgies that mark these events, and the way in which events in church express our beliefs, joys and sorrows. Different views of life after death are considered. Activities include role-play and craft work.
| Teacher resources | |
| Timing | Two hour session |
| Cost | £3 per pupil. Accompanying adults free. |
| Syllabus | NC: English 1 |
| Gloucestershire Agreed Syllabus: KS2 2b | |
Expressing: Festivals, Faith and Symbols
This tour gives pupils a taste of the many festivals - including Christmas, Easter, Pentecost and Harvest - which take place in the Cathedral. Children will examine church furniture, symbols and artefacts associated with these festivals. What are the stories and beliefs behind Christmas?... Easter?... the saints' days? Activities include role-play, making prayer stones and festival art and craft-work.
| Teacher resources | |
| Timing | Two hour session |
| Cost | £3 per pupil. Accompanying adults free. |
| Syllabus | NC: English 1; Art 4 a.b,c |
| Gloucestershire Agreed Syllabus KS 2 2a | |
Children decorate prayer-stones with Christian symbols, as a reminder of the different events which Christians celebrate in their festivals.
Glass and Gargoyles
From the most beautiful glass to the ugliest gargoyle, there is a visual feast in the Cathedral. Who made these things, and why? What secrets and stories do the glasswork and carvings contain, for those who know where to look? Come face to face with the Great East Window in the Tribune Gallery. Compare the ancient glass with a modern window in the 'Blue' South Ambulatory Chapel. Look at the craftsmen's styles through the ages, including the carved humour of modern masons, and gain an insight into the role and the skills of the craft workers.
Please note that this tour is not recommended if you suffer from vertigo or mobility limitations, as it involves ascending and descending two short spiral staircases.
| Teacher resources | |
| Timing | Two hour session |
| Cost | £3 per pupil. Accompanying adults free. |
| Syllabus | NC: English 1; Science 3; Art 4c, 5d |
How does it stand up? Forces and Materials
A visit to the Cathedral can be an inspiring way to support maths and materials work. How do you hoist heavy bells hundreds of feet into the air? How did they build towers in the days before modern cranes and scaffold? What materials other than stone have been used? These and many more fascinating questions are answered in a fun and stimulating way.Starting in the Crypt, we look at the oldest part of the Cathedral structure.
Please note that this tour is not recommended if you suffer from vertigo or mobility limitations, as it involves ascending and descending two short spiral staircases.
| Teacher resources | |
| Timing | Two hour session |
| Cost | £3 per pupil. Accompanying adults free. |
| Syllabus | NC: English 1; Art 5d; Design Technology 4 a,b; Science 4 |
In Loving Memory...
"Is it all right to walk on that grave-stone, miss?" The memorials in and around the Cathedral are fascinating, and don't need to be frightening! They tell many stories, as well offering language and mathematical puzzles. Why are they there? Why are some so grand compared with others? Who are the most famous people buried here, and what were their lives like? From kings and soldiers to poets and scientists, this tour is a chance to uncover a wealth of historical detail through a different style of approach.
| Teacher resources | |
| Timing | Two hour session |
| Cost | £3 per pupil. Accompanying adults free. |
| Syllabus | English 1; Art 4c |
INSET
Schools may wish to consider using the Education Centre for Inset. We can offer advice on the use of the Cathedral as a resource when planning the curriculum. The Education Centre has close links with the nearby Diocesan Education Resources Centre, and a combined visit may be arranged. Daytime and twilight sessions are available by appointment. For further information please contact us