Knights & Castles Experience Day Workshop
Classroom Adventures
My lord, someone approaches the castle!Today, you're stepping into the Middle Ages, a time when castles dominated the landscape and shaped how people lived, fought, and ruled.
Across Britain, the ruins of castles still stand as reminders of a world of kings and lords, siege warfare, and extraordinary engineering. In this experience day, you'll explore what castles were really for - and what life was like for the people who lived and worked within their walls.
Your guide for the day is Sir Walter de Vere, a knight of England. He knows how to wield a sword, understands the duties of knighthood, and is always on the lookout for new squires to join his retinue.
The day begins in 1066, a year that changed England forever. You'll meet key figures from the period and explore what was at stake as the Norman invasion threatened the Saxon way of life. As events unfold, you'll examine the weapons and armour used by both sides and bring the story of the Battle of Hastings to life through discussion and role-play.
As we move into the High Middle Ages, you'll discover how a boy trained to become a knight, what values mattered to him, and why things like loyalty, service, and honour were so important. You'll also explore heraldry, learning how coats of arms were used to identify individuals and families on and off the battlefield.
The day builds towards a hands-on engineering challenge. Piece by piece, you'll learn how a castle works by building one yourselves, exploring defensive features and design choices. And, of course, no castle is complete without a test of its strength.
Will the walls hold?
Or will you breach the defences using our trebuchet?
Where we travel to
We can visit your school in:
What activities are available during this school workshop?
Our Knights and Castles Experience Day is a full-day, immersive workshop combining history, engineering, and hands-on learning.
Activities typically include:
- Meeting a costumed knight
Exploring the role, responsibilities, and training of a medieval knight.
- Historical role-play
Bringing key moments such as the events of 1066 to life in an accessible, structured way.
- Weapons and armour
Seeing and handling replica medieval equipment to understand how it was used.
- Castle building
Constructing a working model to explore defence, design, and problem-solving.
- Siege warfare
Seeing a trebuchet in action and learning how castles were attacked and defended.
- Heraldry
Designing and exploring coats of arms and what they reveal about medieval identity.
Activities typically include:
- Meeting a costumed knight
Exploring the role, responsibilities, and training of a medieval knight.
- Historical role-play
Bringing key moments such as the events of 1066 to life in an accessible, structured way.
- Weapons and armour
Seeing and handling replica medieval equipment to understand how it was used.
- Castle building
Constructing a working model to explore defence, design, and problem-solving.
- Siege warfare
Seeing a trebuchet in action and learning how castles were attacked and defended.
- Heraldry
Designing and exploring coats of arms and what they reveal about medieval identity.
Which curriculum topics do we cater for?
Medieval Workshop
Norman Conquest Battle of Hastings
Click to read full text In our Knights and Castles experience day, pupils step into the Battle of Hastings and discover how this pivotal battle shaped England's future, changing the course of history forever. When the world of the Saxons gives way to that of the Normans.
The explore what it means to be a Knight and how you might become one, learning how to swing a sword as they go and other very important things such as, how did they tell each other apart, chivalry/valour etc.
They will explore the weapons and armour that were used, and some will discover just how heavy a maile shirt is!
Then they will learn what makes a castle a castle and how they work, building one as they go before unleashing the trebuchet and discovering siege tactics.
Monarchs Workshop
Click to read full text In our Knights and Castles experience day children will meet some of the characters that vied for the English throne in that tumultuous year of 1066.
Spoiler alert, William (or Guillueme de Normandie) wins and becomes William I, the first Monarch in our timeline of kings and queens (the regnal numbers start with the Normans).
Kings and queens need to consolidate and hold onto their power, and so alliances and the building of strongholds (castles) is fundamental to the longevity of each dynasty. Children will discover how castles work whilst building one themselves before exploring siege tactics and unleashing the trebuchet!
What size groups do we cater for?
Our Knights and Castles Experience Day is suitable for mainstream KS2 classes, from single-form entry to four-form entry (approximately 30-120 pupils).
We can accommodate a wide range of group sizes, provided there is:
- a clear hall with sufficient space for movement-based activities
- appropriate staffing to remain with pupils throughout the day
We can accommodate a wide range of group sizes, provided there is:
- a clear hall with sufficient space for movement-based activities
- appropriate staffing to remain with pupils throughout the day
Access for visitors with disabilities
Our days are aimed to be fun and engaging for all.
Our only requirement is that you/your organisation provide the relevant staffing and equipment needed to facilitate any individual's participation.
Our only requirement is that you/your organisation provide the relevant staffing and equipment needed to facilitate any individual's participation.
Visitors with Special Educational Needs (SEN)
Our days are aimed to be fun and engaging for all.
Our only requirement is that you/your organisation provide the relevant staffing and equipment needed to facilitate any individual's participation.
You must also be aware that we will be bringing various props and equipment with us that are integral to the content of the day. Many of these can cause injury if used incorrectly. Therefore, safety and safeguarding is of upmost concern and we may not be able to deliver a day if behaviour is dangerous or staffing levels are insufficient.
Anything else?
To deliver a high-quality, immersive Knights and Castles Experience Day, we require:
- secure on-site parking
- exclusive use of a school hall for the duration of the day
- two trestle tables
- sufficient staff to remain with pupils throughout the workshop
(These requirements allow us to deliver a safe, structured, full-day experience.)
- secure on-site parking
- exclusive use of a school hall for the duration of the day
- two trestle tables
- sufficient staff to remain with pupils throughout the workshop
(These requirements allow us to deliver a safe, structured, full-day experience.)
Who are Classroom Adventures?
- Designed for learning, not just entertainment
Every experience day is carefully structured to support KS2 history objectives, encouraging enquiry, discussion, and critical thinking alongside enjoyment.
- Immersive, full-day experiences
We don't deliver short workshops or assemblies. Each visit is a complete day of learning, allowing pupils time to explore ideas in depth and fully engage with the period.
- Led by costumed historical interpreters
Pupils learn from knowledgeable facilitators who bring history to life through storytelling, discussion, and hands-on activities - not scripts or performances.
- Hands-on, object-based learning
Pupils see and handle replica artefacts, tools, weapons, and equipment, helping them make tangible connections with the past.
- Inclusive and adaptable
Our days are designed to be accessible, with flexibility built in to support a wide range of pupils and school settings.
- Clear structure and professional delivery
We work alongside school staff, maintaining high standards of behaviour, safety, and safeguarding throughout the day.
- Experience you can trust
Classroom Adventures' staff have been delivering educational experience days since 2016, working with schools across the UK to provide high-quality, memorable learning.
Subscribe
