Thank you for
visiting Off the Page's website. If you are reading this, the chances
are your child is about to have an Off the Page day at his or her
school. Hopefully this page will answer any questions you or your child
may have about the forthcoming Off the Page day.
In the coming
months we will add resources and add to the frequently asked questions
list. Look forward to seeing information and patterns for simple
costumes, useful links and ways to prepare yourself and your child for a
HOP (History Off the Page day).
FAQ
Why should my
child need a costume for the day?
Many of our days
use a combination of practical activities and drama to communicate ideas
and teaching points. Wearing a costume helps pupils make the
‘imaginative leap’ needed to be successful learners.
How accurate
should the costume be?
That’s up to you
really; however, something is better than nothing. At a pinch, it is
often enough to have the correct silhouette and colours. For Victorian,
Great Fire of London, Castles and Tudor days, boys could simply
tuck trousers into plain, dark, long socks and add a collarless shirt and,
possibly, ,a waistcoat. For girls, a long
skirt, plain blouse (and a waistcoat for
Tudor, GFL and Castles days). For Ancient world days (Greeks, Romans and Egyptians) a large (adult) white
t-shirt and belt will suffice. The information sent out by the class
teacher will often have instructions for making a simple costume.
If you wish you can
purchase a costume from a sister company, www.historyoffthepeg.co.uk which provides authentic costumes made
safe for children. These are hand made to order, so we would appreciate
as much notice as possible.
Can my child
bring a sword?
No. Even plastic
swords can be dangerous and they inevitably get in the way..
My child wants
to come as Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII, Julius Caesar on the day, is
this acceptable?
No! The day looks
closely at historic characters, but it greatly complicates matters if
the pupils are pretending to be these people. The HOP leader, parent
helpers, staff and pupils should all take the roles of fictitious
characters around which historic events take place.
What will happen
on the day?
This depends
on the individual day. Go to www.historyoffthepage/courses and follow the links to find out more.
Does Off Page
offer value for money?
Yes. HOP compares
favourably with off-site trips and drama visits. Firstly, in terms of
cost, the average school trip costs in region of £15 with much of
the cost being for the coach. Secondly, in terms of time, Off the
Page offers a full day (usually 9:10am-3:00pm) compared with a
10:00-10:30 start after an hour or so journey, and having to leave the
site around 2:00-2:30. Off the Page offers
about two hours more learning for about 1/3-1/2 the cost.
Does Off the Page make a lot of money from the day?
No. We are actually
paid less than the majority of teachers and that includes the Managing
Director! The rest goes into improving and replenishing kits, new kits, supporting the team, travel etc.
I have been
asked to help. Is it necessary?
Yes. Off the Page
days require both parental and teacher support for the children to gain
as much as possible from the experience. Even half
a day would be usefull. If more than one teacher came from HOP, the day
would be more expensive.
If I help, what
will I need to do?
Again, this depends
on the day. It could be working with pupils directly, helping them
create quality work or supporting the day behind the scenes.
Quotes from children who have
experienced one of our days.
"It was the best seaside day I have been
to."
"It was the best day of my life."
"I wish we could do it all again
tomorrow."
"Thank you for the fantastic day."
Quotes from teachers.
"The day was thoroughly enjoyed by all
the adult helpers who gave very positive feedback about the whole day."
"The HOP day provides the children with
an experience that a trip to a museum really can't beat."
"Excellent value for money - would
definitely do this again."
"Particularly rewarding to see less
co-operative/less able children become involved and really animated."
Finally, all the
Off the Page representatives are fully qualified and experienced
teachers offering high quality teaching with practical activities, engaging pupils through doing, not just listening and looking!
(All are CRB
checked)
If you did not find an answer to your questions, please email it to us at office@historyoffthepage.co.uk and we will send you an email you with more information. |
