Derbyshire Urban Studies Centre

Children with shire horse in Chesterfield

Take the stress out of fieldwork by visiting Derbyshire Urban Studies Centre to explore the built environment.

Based in Chesterfield we offer a wide range of day fieldwork programmes for Key Stage 1 and 2 linked to the National Curriculum for Art and Design, Geography, History, Music, Design Technology, Science and Religious Education.

Please note that during 2012 we will be based temporarily in Chesterfield Library during refurbishment of the Market Hall building. We will mainly be operating on Mondays and Thursdays during term time. Other days of the week may be available but please contact us to discuss your needs.

Activities take place in the heart of Chesterfield with its busy market, wide variety of buildings and Crooked Spire.

All our programmes are fully risk assessed and led by experienced Educational Visits Leaders who are qualified teachers. All resources, worksheets and equipment are provided by the Derbyshire Urban Studies Centre and activities led throughout the day. For further details of the programmes, booking and charges please see below.

The purpose of all of the programmes is to develop knowledge and understanding of the urban environment and develop fieldwork skills such as observation, mapping and recording.

The built environment has a direct effect on the quality of our lives. Helping young people to understand the built environment, how it has changed to meet the needs of differing times and different people, how it is changing today and learning about the process of change will, it is hoped, enable them to become involved as citizens in the decision making of the future.

Key Stage 1 programmes

Art and design:

  • What is sculpture?

  • Can buildings speak?

Geography:

  • Where in the world is Barnaby Bear?

History:

  • What are we remembering on Remembrance Day? (November only)

  • Why do we remember George Stephenson?

Music:

  • Cockles and mussels

RE:

  • Visiting a church

  • Barnaby Bear at Christmas (December only)

Key Stage 2 programmes

Art and design:

  • Can we change places?

  • A sense of place

  • Visiting a museum and art gallery

Geography:

  • A contrasting UK locality − Chesterfield

  • Town settlements

  • Investigating rivers (at Holmebrook Valley Park) (summer term only)

  • Geography Skills -  (at Holmebrook Valley Park)

History:

  • How did life change in our locality in Victorian times?

  • Why have people invaded and settled in Britain in the past? Romans

  • Tudor times in Chesterfield

Music:

  • Market magic

Design technology:

  • Towers (January to March)

Science:

  • Habitats - (at Holmebrook Valley Park, Summer term only) 

You can download details about each programme from the related documents section below.

Day programme charges 2011/2012

Full day programme taught by our centre staff:  £4.25 per child
Discount for bookings taken a term in advance: £4.00 per child
Booking fee: £20 per visit date - non returnable payment on confirmation of booking

The charge includes all resources, worksheets and equipment for the activities as well as the Education Visits Leader for the day.

A risk assessment has been carried out for all our programmes and copies are available to help with your planning arrangements.

All day programmes include a pre-visit to the library for visiting staff and a planning meeting at school or at the library to amend a programme if necessary.

Suggestions for pre-visit and follow up work will be provided as well as general advice about the topic area.

The activities room at the library is available for your group to eat their packed lunch. 

To make a booking please contact us via telephone on 01246 533439 or email environmentalstudies@derbyshire.gov.uk.

Visiting staff - Free place ratio

  • Reception - 1:4

  • Key Stage 1 - 1:5

  • Key Stage 2 - 1:6

  • Secondary schools - 1:10

  • Groups with special needs by arrangement

The ratios are very important as the pupils will be working in groups with their adult helpers who will be expected to take an active part in the day. This is in order to achieve maximum benefit from the fieldwork activities.

If you would like a planning meeting with your adult helpers so that they know what to expect please contact us. 

Can't get to us? Let us come to you

If your group can't travel to Derbyshire Urban Studies Centre at the library in Chesterfield, we are still able to support you in learning outside the classroom.

We can provide one of our Education Visits Leaders to plan a fieldwork day in your local area.

A day of fieldwork tailor made to the needs of your class and delivered in the immediate locality of your school or on a nearby site can link to many curriculum areas and could involve:

  • Art and architecture in the local area

  • Being building detectives by studying the built heritage of your locality

  • Mapping land use

  • Traffic and transport surveys

  • Introduction to map and compass work

  • Questionnaires with the public

  • Data collection, recording and interpretation

  • Habitat or wildlife work in your grounds or a local area

  • A river study on a stream, river or brook in your locality

The cost is £250 and includes a pre-meeting with the class teacher, a risk assessment of activities, planning, preparation and pre-visit to the locality, all resources to be used on the day which you keep for your own use and delivery of the day programme of fieldwork and classroom activities.

To discuss your needs please contact us to discuss your needs.

More information

For full details of any of the programmes above, to book a visit or for any other queries please contact us during term time at:

Derbyshire Urban Studies Centre
Chesterfield Library
New Beetwell Street
Chesterfield
S40 1QN

Tel: 01629 533439
email: environmentalstudies@derbyshire.gov.uk

Related documents

The following documents are in Portable Document Format (PDF). You can download the PDF software for free from the Adobe website (opens in a new window)

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