Takeover Days

Our takeover days are a great way to develop ongoing community relationships with local schools. Local schools interested in getting involved in a takeover day, please feel free to contact our learning team at:  segedunumlearningbookings@twmuseums.org.uk 

Film of the day's activities, courtesy of Percy Main Primary School

On Tuesday, 29 November, year 4 students from Percy Main Primary School, North Shields, took part in a takeover day at Segedunum Roman Fort.

Prior to their takeover day, the students visited Segedunum Roman Fort to take part in the Life in the Fort workshop which enabled them to understand what it was like to live as a Roman soldier nearly 2000 years ago. They also made a thorough exploration of our fort site and museum and visited the tower to see the view of the fort site. The Learning Team from Segedunum Roman Fort visited their school to prepare them for the takeover day. The children discussed with them what they had done when they visited the museum. The students were also given further information on the Roman fort site and its layout, as well as the tasks they would be carrying out when they visited the museum for their takeover day.

On the day of the takeover, the children spent the morning preparing for the event. They looked at some replica and original Roman objects and made their own object labels. They visited our exhibition Building the Wall and considered what made a good exhibition, for example, what they needed to add to an exhibition to engage different visitors e.g. under 5s, families, school groups and adults. They worked with our front-of-house staff to find out what their role entailed and were given the opportunity to write and make announcements over the tannoy. 

Students working with the Front-of-House team

In the afternoon, the students took over the museum and invited their parents to come and see them in some of the roles they had learnt about in the morning. Their lead teacher commented that “The children and parents absolutely LOVED the takeover day and that they all got so much out of the event.” A number of parents provided their feedback on the event (below). The teacher created a video to show what happened in this takeover day (above).

Children taking part in the takeover day in the Roman Gallery

Children from Percy Main Primary School wearing their takeover day badges

Feedback from the parents:

"Very interesting. The children were very helpful, explained all about exhibitions. Well done all involved!"

"It was lovely to be shown around Segedunum by my son and him telling me about it all."

"Mason took me around and explained everything to me perfectly. I left with some good knowledge about Segedunum. Thank you."

"I learned lots of information that I did not know before I came today. It was very interesting and you all did a great job explaining."

"It was a lovely visit to hear about what the children have learned today. Thank you."