Museums and Schools Programme

The SS Great Britain Trust is proud to have participated in the Museums and Schools programme since its inception in 2012, supported by Arts Council England and funded through the Department for Education as part of the wider Cultural Education Programme. With a focus on areas with the greatest need, the programme aims to provide children and young people with the opportunity to visit and be inspired by museums and to encourage a lifelong passion for culture and learning.

Children listening to a tour guide on the ship

Since 2012, the SS Great Britain Trust has worked with more than 54,000 pupils from schools in the Bristol area. Via the Museums and Schools programme, pupils have benefited from a range of opportunities including:

  • Visits to the SS Great Britain to learn the story of the ship, what life was like for passengers and crew and more about the engineering talents of Isambard Kingdom Brunel
  • Information, resources and activities on the SS Great Britain’s learning webpages supporting many aspects of the curriculum
  • Chart Your Own Course – an interactive ‘choose your own adventure’ style activity for KS3 pupils
  • The Brunel Show – An interactive, science focused show where KS2&3 pupils learn the scientific theory behind some of Brunel’s engineering triumphs
  • Sensory focused workshops and resources for use at the Ship, or in school, for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
  • Resources to aid preparation for a visit including videos, sensory information guides and access maps
  • Summer events at the ship designed to support and celebrate the transition from Primary to Secondary School
  • Arts focused visits and tailored follow up work enabling completion of Arts Award Discover
  • The award winning, STEM focused, educational game Full Steam Ahead, developed with Aardman Animations
  • Hands on activity packs, supporting creative exploration and curriculum-based learning, delivered to schools in areas of socio-economic deprivation during the Covid19 pandemic
  • STEM and Arts focused partnerships and projects with the Science Museum, Royal West of England Academy, Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Graft Graffiti Art, and performance poet, Sali Katebe

Find out more about the legacy of the Museums and Schools programme, case studies from the SS Great Britain Trust, and other participating regions: