St John's Green Primary School Logo

One Square Mile

Colchester school receives £62k National Lottery grant.

 
ONE SQUARE MILE 
 

EDUCATION bosses have been left feeling “delighted” after a school was awarded tens of thousands of pounds to fund an ambitious history project.

St John’s Green Primary School, which has two sites in the heart of Colchester, has received a grant worth £62,500 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The huge financial boost will be used to support the institution’s two year long One Square Mile scheme, which will research the rich heritage on the school’s doorstep.

The school will be aided throughout by Colchester Garrison, Colchester Civic Society and the Colchester Recalled Oral History Society.

Experts from the Colchester Archaeological Trust, Colchester Museums Services and Essex Record Office will also be supporting the research.

Once the study is completed, it will include sources, trails, images, and information, which will be made available to the teachers, peers and the wider public.

The project will fittingly wrap-up just in time for the school’s 125th anniversary in 2024, celebrating the milestone by making its vast history available to all those interested.

Tina Bourne, deputy headteacher said: “Our school is at the heart of the community.

“I am delighted St John's Green School has been awarded funding by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to explore heritage on our doorstep for the next two years. 

“We know that our children and staff are ready to get started on creating new experiences with a fantastic selection of local partners.”

Throughout the initiative, teachers will embark on informative trips to historical sites, research the people who lived in the community, and meet with experts.

Alongside project manager, Laura Davison, they will also collate educational materials and each year-group will take a deep-dive into a dedicated time period.

Staffed and pupils will also observe local heritage through drawing and sketching, culminating in the creation of three-dimensional cardboard sculptures.

Designer John Wallet will even produce a dedicated interactive history map using a unique digital platform, illustrated by interpretation and drawings.

Laura said: “I look forward to developing and delivering this incredibly rich project with St John’s Green Primary School.

“Within walking distance of more than 50 monuments, heritage sites and listed buildings, this project will be extremely rich.

“It will involve a wide range of people from Colchester’s community and beyond.”

To volunteer to be involved in the project email lauradavison68@hotmail.com.

 

One Square Mile - History on our Doorstep.
Jumbo Water Tower
St John's Abbeygate (Colchester Abbey)
Roman Circus
St Botolph's Priory
Colchester Town Hall
Balkerne Gate
 
Colchester Castle
Colchester's Roman Wall
The Minories
Colchester Civic Society - Winter 2023
 
ONE SQUARE MILE - HISTORY ON YOUR DOORSTEP
 
How pleased I was to hear that St John’s Green School has won its bid for Heritage Lottery Funding for its One Square Mile Project.
The project will take place over the next two years and aims to research the rich heritage on the school’s doorstep. Teachers will have the opportunity to work with an expert team of freelancers and supporters to increase their own skills and understanding and to identify and bring together, in one place, the sources, trails, images and knowledge to use within their professional practice now and in the future. These will be developed as a One-Place Study that will be available to teachers, their peers and the wider public.
The school have said that they ‘are delighted to be working with Colchester Garrison, Colchester Civic Society, Colchester Recalled Oral History Society, Colchester Archaeological Trust, Colchester Museums Services and the Essex Record Office, who will bring a wealth of knowledge to the project, advising and signposting on their area of expertise.’
Each pupil year-group will research a dedicated time period, interpreting information for a resource. Artist Nicola Burrell, a Civic Society member, will creatively support teachers and pupils in ways of looking, by truly observing the heritage in their locality through drawing and sketching, leading to creating incredible 3-dimensional cardboard sculptures.
The heritage sites and people who made the local community over time, will be mapped online on a dedicated interactive history map. This will be a unique digital platform, which maps and layers the heritage through the ages, illustrated by the children’s interpretation and drawings. Each layer will be based around a year-group’s creative investigation of local history areas and key periods.
2024 is a milestone in the school’s history as it celebrates its 125th anniversary. For this special year, they will be researching the school’s heritage using the incredible archive of log books and admission registers. They will work with Essex Record Office to digitise their archive, making it accessible to the wider public.
Our Vice President, Henry Spyvee, was at the school in the 1940s and is eager to be involved. I wonder, Henry, whether you are mentioned in those log books?! By chance, both our new Chair, Howard, and I have grandchildren at the school, too. What a wonderful opportunity for them!
If you would like to help in any way, please contact me as I am liaising with the school on behalf of the Civic Society. josiemedwards@hotmail.com or 07771626561 Jo Edwards