New Education Resource will delve into the history and development of Belfast
Belfast Charitable Society has launched a pioneering education resource for KS2 pupils (P5 – P7) in Northern Ireland, at its home in Clifton House, the former poor house of Belfast today Wednesday 19 June.
This unique resource, which has been developed as part of Clifton House’s 250th Anniversary celebrations, will help pupils explore the history of Belfast and its development.
Norma Sinte, Chair of the Mary Ann McCracken Foundation, explained: “The story of Belfast Charitable Society and its home, Clifton House, is intrinsically linked to the story of Belfast. We have always worked to share this story with different audiences, and this education resource pack allows us to focus on an important new age group – KS2 primary school pupils.
“We were really keen to make this happen this year, the 250th anniversary of Clifton House, as that in itself brings another element of the story and lets the pupils join the wider celebration of this achievement.”
This resource, and the lesson plans within it, will help pupils understand how poverty looked in the past and the role Belfast Charitable Society and Clifton House played in helping those most in need. It will bring to life the stories of the children who spent time in the poor house, which were recorded within the rich archive which still exists here.
“We are delighted to be able to launch this resource initially with local schools in north Belfast, however in time we would love to see schools from across Northern Ireland being able to use them” Norma Sinte added.
Lessons, which tie in with the CCEA Curriculum, are designed to be interactive, encourage conversations and debate. During these classes, facilitated in their own classrooms, children will have a chance to see, through maps from over the centuries, changes that have taken place around key landmarks in the city; a look at leading philanthropists who facilitated change for many and their role in changing society; to delve deeper in to the children of the poor house and what their life was like, many of whom were a similar age to those in KS2; and a study of how services in the city grew and developed – many we now rely on like piped water – and what these were like years ago and how they have changed for the modern day.
Quote from Máire Uí Éigeartaigh, Principal of Bunscoil agus Naíscoil Bheann Mhadagáin, Cliftonville Road: “It was fantastic to be in Clifton House today to hear more about the new resource that will be available for Primary Schools. History is such an important topic for our children, but with tight budgets and resources limited across all schools currently, it is often not possible to enhance the current offering for our children or make it local.
“This resource will allow all schools the ability to teach our pupils more about Belfast, the place they live. We hope that it will give them a renewed sense of intrigue and interest in where they live, the past that went before them and how it has influenced modern day society today.”
From early September, Clifton House will be circulating these new resources to Primary Schools in a phased approach across Northern Ireland.
Norma Sinte concluded: “We would like to thank the schools and teachers who have guided us through the development of this resource and look forward to sharing it with them for the start of their new school year.
“This resource pack is an important legacy project of Clifton House, and a reminder that over the 250 years since the house has been standing, Belfast, with the work of Belfast Charitable Society, has come a long way in tackling disadvantage.
“We hope too that it will act as a reminder to the local community of the work the Society is doing today in this area. We are as passionate about addressing poverty in 2024 as our predecessors were in 1774.”
Extensive research has been included with the resources, lesson plans and teacher guidance, developed by Gemma and Bryonie Reid from The Quarto Collective.
For Primary Schools in Northern Ireland who would like to access the new resource for September 2024, please contact Clifton House on 028 9099 7022.