Learning from the past

As part of Activities Week in the Junior School, Year 4 had an ‘off-timetable’ Wimbledon High History session with our volunteer WHS Archivist and former Senior School Librarian, Kelly Jones, and current Alumnae Officer, Nikola Hall.

Gathering in the Junior Hall, Year 4 learned about the first five years of Wimbledon High, with photos of the first pupils, famous alumna Margaret Rutherford, the fire and were surprised to learn about the presence of boys in the kindergarten for many years at the school!  In smaller groups, they were then able to handle real-life artefacts from the WHS Archive, including the original and rather imposing School Register and also did a picture quiz about the twelve former Wimbledon High Senior School Heads.

Year 4 were able to meet up with Mrs Jones again on Friday 16 June at the Wimbledon Museum where they further explored local history. Museum Director and former WHS parent, Jacqueline Lawrence, showed the Year 4 girls around the newly refurbished museum on the Ridgeway and pointed out our school’s many links with the exhibits, including a red teddy, Jack the trace horse and a feature on WHS alumna Afua Hirsch. They very much enjoyed exploring even more about our local history as well as considering what makes an effective museum display. All in all, Year 4 have demonstrated a mature attitude to this topic and a commendable level of intellectual curiosity.