York Museums Trust has announced it is seeking proposals from companies interested in developing a set of learning resources relating to the teaching of Prehistory in Yorkshire to Primary School children.

Below is the detail regarding this exciting new project, including details of how to submit a proposal for this project.

1. Background

For the first time, the study of prehistory features heavily in the new National Curriculum for Key Stage Two pupils.

Consultation between Yorkshire Museum staff and teachers across the region has made clear that there is a deficit of information and resources available for teachers, and that where these resources do exist, they relate to internationally known sites (such as Stonehenge, for example), making it difficult to understand Yorkshire’s place within the wider prehistoric story.

York Museums Trust (YMT) is working in partnership with Museum Development Yorkshire (MDY) to create a new web based resource pack for Primary School teachers, with support from the Art Fund Treasure Plus scheme.

2. Purpose of this Brief

The project aims to create a web-based, object-focused framework for teaching the prehistory of Yorkshire, intended to support the teaching of the new National Curriculum for history.

The pack will provide background information on 15 iconic objects from Yorkshire that are significant in telling the story of its people in the prehistoric period, from the Palaeolithic to late Iron Age, with an emphasis on items of Treasure.

Key objects which inform this story will be selected from the collections of the Yorkshire Museum and will include:

– the York Hoard of Neolithic flints
– the gold finger-ring and bracelet from Thirsk (representing the first Bronze Age gold to be discovered from Yorkshire)
– the Iron Age gold torcs from Towton
– the Arras Culture chariot burials
– the Walkington Hoard of Iron Age staters.

The remaining five objects will be selected from regional partner museums and will include objects which can complete the story of Yorkshire’s Prehistory. This will have the effect of ensuring a coherent chronological framework that balances the story regionally as well as offering the opportunity for smaller museum services to develop an exciting learning resource linked to their collections.

The pack will be a downloadable digital resource and include a high resolution image of the object and an online learning resource such as a short film or podcast. Each of the objects will also have a set of complementary classroom based teaching ideas. The resource pack will be launched to schools in September 2015.

The brief is for an experienced education or learning specialist to coordinate, collate and write copy for the resource pack, working with YMT staff, MDY staff and regional museum partners.

3. Proposal

The successful contractor should be expected to:

• Undertake consultation with Primary School teachers.
• Work with YMT Learning and Curatorial staff to collate object information material for the pack.
• Work with MDY to identify and support regional museum partners.

• Work with YMT Digital Team to coordinate/support creation of photographic and digital materials for each object.
• Collate research and write background information content, for each object and linked to the Primary School National Curriculum.
• Develop a list of classroom teaching ideas for teachers, based on each object.
• Work with YMT Learning staff to develop one pupil activity sheet per object.
• Work within an agreed content framework.

The total sum of this commission is unlikely to exceed £4,000.

4. Areas to be Covered

The selected contractor will;
• Provide all final copy and resources no later than 26th June 2015.

YMT will:
• Provide one completed object resource as a template.
• Provide research and information on each YMT object.
• Undertake the creation of digital materials.
• Provide additional curatorial and learning expertise, as and when required.

5. Project Management

The principal contact for the project is Amy Baggaley, YMT Learning Manager.

6. Method of Appointment

The closing date for receipt of proposals is 10am on Friday 13th February.

Proposal documents should include:

• Details of methodology or approach to coordination of the project.
• CV of key personnel.
• Examples of previously produced written and/or learning materials .
• Costs for entire commission.
• Declaration of potential conflicts of interest.

Submissions should be sent by email to amy.baggaley@ymt.org.uk

7. Timescales

13th February – Closing date for submissions
20th February – Notification of successful submission

8. Submission of Proposals

Submissions should be sent by email to amy.baggaley@ymt.org.uk no later than 10am on Friday 13th February.