Home Education Groups
Book a visit for your group to explore the galleries and collections at your own pace. Also choose from a range of art and history workshops and we will support you to create your own programme of learning that fits with the focus of your group. Please email thehiggins@bedford.gov.uk for more information.
We are also running three dedicated sessions exclusively for Home Education families:
22 September: Egyptians 11.15am (Key Stage 2)
29 September: Romans 11.15am (Key Stage 2)
Our Roman Session details how the Romans invaded Britain, whilst challenging some misconceptions about the Roman soldiers and imagining what it was like for those already settled here. The children will have the opportunity to handle artefacts used by Roman people in ritual, games and daily life. They will compare models of a roman villa with an iron age roundhouse, consider the Roman soldier’s diet and a selection of children will also get to try on costumes.
20 October: Robotics 11.15am-12.15pm & 1-2pm( Key Stage 1)*
Robotics for 5-7 year olds
21 October: Coding 11.15am-12.15pm & 1-2pm (Key Stage 2)*
Coding Workshop on laptops for the 8-13 year olds.
4 November: Anglo Saxons & Vikings 11.15am (Key Stage 2)
Our session on Anglo Saxons and Vikings details how the two groups lived side by side, whilst challenging some misconceptions. We look at evidence left by the two groups in Bedford. The children will have the opportunity to handle artefacts and try to work out which belonged to Vikings and which belonged to Anglo Saxon people using clues they pick up during the session and drawing on their prior knowledge. They will also have a go at writing messages using runic writing. The session ends with a fashion show where the children use what they have learnt to identify whether the people before them are Anglo Saxon or Viking.
24 November: Castle 11:15am (KS1 & 2)
In this session children discover why the medieval fortress that once dominated the town was destroyed. We are introduced to characters from history such as, Faulkes de Breute and Henry III and understand their role in the castle’s destruction. Through various hands-on activities from brass rubbing, writing with a quill, trying on medieval costumes, understanding what might have been eaten during medieval times, discovering the role of the blacksmith and trying to knock down our pretend castle, the children gain an insight into castle life.
15 December: Victorian Christmas 11.15am (Key Stage 1 & 2)
Discover the origins of many Victorian Christmas traditions that we still practice today. As with many of our learning sessions Helen will provide an input on the subject and then there will be a series of related activities to enjoy.
12 January: Victorians 11.15am (Key stage 1&2)
Making some reference to the Higgins House, in this session we explore what life was like in a Victorian home. We find out about the hard work undertaken by servants, we try to identify some original artefacts and establish who in the household they belonged to. We play with the toys enjoyed by children in the house and also discover what Victorian school might have been like. There is lots of opportunity to try on authentic costumes and hear a little about Victorian Bedford.
9 February: Bedford’s Evacuees World War II 11.15am (KS2)
Our WWII session focuses on what life was like for the children evacuated from cities to Bedford. The group will be able to handle objects from the time, dress up in period costume, try out the air raid siren and the gas attack rattle, create their own evacuee label, gas mask box and celebration bunting!
2 March STEAM workshop (Key Stage 1 & 2)*
*Will be available to book from 4 September 2026.
Booking is essential for all sessions. All workshops last an hour. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Each child place costs £3.90; adults do not need to book. To avoid paying a transaction fee, please use promotional code HIGGINS30. If a booked place is no longer required, please let us know so that it can be made available to another family, thank you!
To book a place for children call the Box Office on 01234 718044 (open Wednesday – Saturday 10am – 4pm) or Book Online.