After the success of Shakespeare Week last year, our theme this year was Dickens with pupils of all ages participating in a range of activities designed to inspire their English skills and ignite their curiosity about the Victorian era. The week was full of fun and engaging activities that encouraged students to dive into the world of Charles Dickens and foster a love of literature.
One of the highlights of the week was the challenge to create a new member for Fagin’s gang. Pupils were asked to consider their character’s appearance, personality and backstory, exploring why they were orphans and delving into the fact-finding surrounding Dr Barnardo and the workhouses of Victorian England. This activity allowed pupils to work collaboratively across their class and year groups, challenging each other, stretching their vocabulary and inspiring some wonderfully interesting and unique characters that demonstrated their imagination and creative writing skills. After creating their characters, pupils had the opportunity to share their writing with their Buddies, sparking some lively discussions about the different characters and their backgrounds.
Another exciting activity during Dickens Week was the treasure hunt around the school. Pupils were given extracts from different novels, such as Oliver Twist and A Tale of Two Cities, and were challenged to locate hidden clues around the school and match the quote to the novel.
Years 7 and 8 also looked at Dickens’ novel “Hard Times” and explored how it highlighted some of the social issues in the Victorian era. The pupils used it as inspiration to write a piece about a social issue in their world today that they felt passionate about.
We were also delighted to learn that one of our Year 5 pupils is the four times great grandson of Charles Dickens. He bought in a fascinating family tree and some family heirlooms including a key and a signature stamp.
Overall, Dickens Week was a fantastic way to inspire English skills in pupils across the school, and to encourage them to explore the rich and varied world of Victorian literature and culture. By engaging with a range of fun and interactive activities, pupils were able to develop their creativity, critical thinking, and communication skills, while also learning about the fascinating history and culture of one of the most important periods in British history.
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