Our topic this half-term is ‘Famous People’ and because this year is the 200th anniversary of Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s birth and the SS Great Britain is on our doorstep we thought we’d use him as one of our famous people.

Today they thought they would just be seeing the ship so they were a bit surprised to be doing activities when we arrived. I think everything has been very well organised and set up. They have some good artefacts and the children loved dressing up. I think it’s a shame there was only time for the children to examine the exhibits on two tables. It’s very important to bring the children to places like this as it brings history to life for them. The name Brunel didn’t mean that much to them before - they had seen pictures but that was all. Now they’ll understand much more. After this visit we’re going to walk across the Clifton Suspension Bridge which Brunel also built. Then back in the classroom we’ll follow everything up, homing in on what life was really like in Victorian times.