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School Visits |
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Vikings for all occasions, no story too long |
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Manaraefan Herred |
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Manaraefan Herrred has several school visitors within it’s ranks who have been visiting schools for many years. Each visitor brings his or her individual skills to the task of interpreting and brining to life the history of the Viking age. |
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The aim is to make history enjoyable, we believe that if the children have fun they will better remember what we are telling them. |
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Some schools ask the children to dress up but this is not a requirement and is entirely the decision of the teaching staff. Class sizes vary and the larger schools may have more than one class studying the subject, we leave it up to the school to decide how many children we work with at a time. The largest single group we have worked with so far is 93 children. |
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We allow the children to handle many of the objects we bring into the school but cannot allow the children to handle the weapons, this is cause for great disappointment to some of the children! |
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When telling stories we encourage the children to take part as the characters, dressing them up or giving them a prop to indicate who they are. |
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Question and answer sessions give the children a chance to ask us what ever they want about the Vikings and can be a source of great amusement once the adults have retreated to the Staff Room. For example one child asked “Do Vikings mate?”, the answer had to be carefully framed by the Viking and it was left to the teacher to establish whether or not there was some misunderstanding later! |
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Visits are usually for the whole day and can be outside if the weather permits or in the hall or classroom. Most activities can be carried out inside or outside but clearly there is more space and scope if we can set up in the fresh air. Lighting fires is usually best done outdoors! |
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Visits can be tailored to the requirements of the school, there may be a topic the teachers want us to emphasise or conversely they may wish us to avoid something. It may be that a child has suffered a recent bereavement and talking of Viking funerals may be too upsetting for them. |
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Comments on this site should be sent to Roger Barry |
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To arrange a school visit please contact Hrothgar. Please remember to tell us where your school is when you email us and which half term you would like the visit. If we feel you are too far away or we do not have a suitable date available we will pass you on the Schools Liaison Officer of the Vikings who will try to find you an alternative visitor. |
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Viking games are popular with the children and Hrothgar usually teaches the children Hnefetafl. This game helps the children to understand viking society, particularly gender rolls and the hierarchy of Viking society. Click on the link to learn more. Hnefetafl |
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Hrothgar brings Viking life to Harmans Water Primary By Julie Spencer A Viking blowing a horn and waving an axe invaded a primary classroom to take the children back in time to the days of Norsemen. Hrothgar – also known as Roger Barry – brought the Viking Age to life for Year Three pupils at Harmans Water Primary on Monday. He told traditional tales of gods and goddesses and had some fascinating anecdotes about everyday life. The children spent the day at a Viking encampment in the grounds of their school in Wellington Drive. Hrothgar set up a tent and spread out baskets with clothes and weapons. “We passed the weapons and clothes around so the children can feel – and smell – the items,” he said. “It was very hot and sweaty being a Viking warrior and it gets hot wearing my helmet for a couple of hours. “I told them a story which they acted out about a goddess who is proud of her hair and a god who wants to cut it off.” Mr Barry, a member of Viking re-enactment and history group Manaraefan, travels to schools around the country. It was his seventh trip to Harmans Water. Year Three leader Alex Holland said the children had an amazing day and would use the information for their project on Europe. “They have done some written work in the Runic alphabet and we will be doing artwork and making brooches next,” she added. |
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And finally some press cuttings: |
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Bratton school invaded by Vikings Tuesday 1st June 2010
Children from a primary school near Westbury got the shock of their lives when they were unexpectedly invaded by Vikings. Year 3 pupils at Bratton Primary School have been learning about Vikings this term. The classroom was invaded by a scary Viking called Rothgar aka Roger Barry from local Viking re-enactment society, Manaraefan. All 27 pupils, including teacher Steve Gumm, dressed up and got into character. Mr Gumm, who joined the school in September and became the new deputy headteacher, said: “We’re very near Edington so we’ve been learning all about the Battle of Ethandune. “The children have really loved it because there’s so much local viking history and we’ve been doing a lot of story telling. “The children loved the tent and artefacts. They all made their own costumes and the shields and broaches were made at Devizes library.” Mr Barry also set up a dramatic re-enactment of the local battle of Ethandune. |
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Viking invades Breamore School Tuesday 6th October 2009
CHILDREN at Breamore School became Vikings for the day on Tuesday when Viking Rothgar, aka Roger Barry, invaded their school. Rothgar, who was camped out in the school field, showed the youngsters his weapons and demonstrated the effectiveness of them by stabbing a spear into his chain mail. He also threw a javelin for the children and showed them how the Vikings lit fires. The children, who were fully dressed in their Norse clothes, acted out a Viking story, playing many colourful characters, including Viking Gods. Headteacher Ruth Conway said that every half term the youngsters have a “wow day” when they visit somewhere or someone visits the school to make a project come alive. She said: “It really captures the children’s imagination and gets them involved in their current project.” Class teacher Sandra Heath added: “The day went really well and the children learnt a great deal.” |
