Explore - Discover - Remember

Visiting the National Memorial Arboretum

Supporting the OFSTED Common Inspection Framework

Welcome to the National Memorial ArboretumLocated in Staffordshire on the edge of the National Forest, the National Memorial Arboretum is the UK’s year-round centre of Remembrance and a living, growing tribute to all those who have served our Nation.

“A visit to the National Memorial Arboretum assists schools in achieving OFSTED’s common inspection framework.”

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Judgement Considerations

• How well the provider prepares learners for successful life in modern Britain and promotes the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different backgrounds, faiths and beliefs

• How well the provider prepares learners who have special educational needs and/or disabilities to become more independent in their everyday life

• The effectiveness of safeguarding practice, including the prevention of radicalisation of learners and compliance with the ‘Prevent’ duty

Staff reflect on and debate the way they teach. They feel deeply involved in their own professional development.

Leaders’ work to protect learners from radicalisation and extremism is exemplary. High quality training develops staff’s vigilance, confidence and competency to challenge learners’ views and encourage debate.

The promotion of fundamental British values is at the heart of the provider’s work.

Leaders’ work to challenge learners’ views and encourage debate.

Leaders set high expectations of learners and staff. They lead by example to create a culture of respect and tolerance.

Staff value their continuing professional development.

Leaders and managers review the provision well to ensure that the provision offered is relevant to local and/or national priorities.

Leaders, staff and learners do not tolerate prejudiced behaviour and fundamental British values are promoted actively.

Our Learning Team runs INSET days either on site or in your school, covering what we can offer in terms of facilitated Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development, cross curricular activities or self-led visits.

We also offer free familiarisation visits for teachers.

The National Memorial Arboretum and Royal British Legion aim to promote positive, and fully inclusive, British values. welfare, comradeship, representation and Remembrance are at the heart of our mission. The Arboretum is a spiritually uplifting place which honours the fallen, recognises service and sacrifice, and fosters pride in our country.

Our learning activities promote a sense of national pride and history, whilst developing a tolerance and understanding of other cultures and beliefs.

All of our learning activities are designed to promote debate and evoke emotions. Pupils are encouraged to ask questions of each other and of our experienced guides.

There are over 300 memorials at the Arboretum representing the diversity of public service throughout the past 100 years. Our learning activities promote a culture of respect and tolerance irrespective of cultural heritage, gender or religion.

Our Learning Officers are available for INSET days for teaching CPD as well as free familiarisation visits.

The Arboretum is the National Centre for Remembrance and is reflective of modern day British values as well as providing interactive on-site learning activities that allow pupils to explore history and social developments.

Our 300+ memorials cover a diverse array of public services, including Commonwealth contributors, the emergence of women’s public service and different religions are represented.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Judgement Considerations

• Teaching and assessment methods and resources inspire and challenge all learners and meet their different needs, including the most able and the most disadvantaged, enabling them to enjoy learning and develop their knowledge, skills and understanding

• Teaching, learning and assessment promote equality, raise awareness of diversity and tackle discrimination, victimisation, harassment, stereotyping, radicalisation and bullying

• Teaching promotes learners’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development*

Resources and teaching strategies reflect and value the diversity of learners’ experiences and provide learners with a comprehensive understanding of people and communities beyond their immediate experience.

Learners are curious, interested and keen to learn. They seek out and use new information to develop, consolidate and deepen their knowledge, understanding and skills.

Staff set work that builds on previous learning, extends learners’ knowledge and understanding and develops their skills to ensure that they are prepared for their future.

Our learning activities are fully inclusive and we are experienced in adapting and differentiating our programme to suit the needs of our young learners. We also offer activities that are multi-cultural or non-denominational yet still encourage empathy and understanding of other communities’ public service beyond the young peoples’ immediate experience.

Although our learning activities can be conducted as stand alone lessons if you wish, they are also designed to consolidate any work already carried out in school in line with National Curriculum and exam syllabus requirements. Our flexibility and ability to design bespoke Inspiration Days out of the school environment opens young learners up to a new way of learning or perceiving things in a different way.

Our Inspiration Days are designed to extend young learners’ knowledge, understanding and skills by utilising the emotive nature of the Arboretum to produce some creative and effective coursework in a variety of subjects at KS4 level and above. Learners can complete coursework here in our technologically equipped classrooms following inspirational sessions out on site.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

Outcomes for learners

16 to 19 study programmes

Judgement Considerations

• The extent to which learning programmes, including enrichment activities, allow all learners to explore personal, social and ethical issues and take part in life in wider society and in Britain

• Learners progress to relevant further learning

• Teaching and assessment support and challenge learners

Learners discuss and debate issues in a considered way, showing respect for others’ ideas and points of view.

Learners, and groups of learners, are typically able to articulate their knowledge and understanding clearly and demonstrate the skills they have acquired convincingly.

Leaders plan, manage and evaluate study programmes so that learners undertake highly individualised and challenging learning that builds on their prior attainment, meets all the principles of 16 to 19 provision and prepares them very well for future employment.

Learners without GCSE grades A* to C in either English or mathematics follow appropriately tailored courses in English and/ or mathematics.

Learners understand how to contribute to wider society and life in Britain.

The personal and social development of learners equips them to be thoughtful, caring and active citizens.

Learners show respect for others’ ideas and views.

All of our activities promote considered debate and thought as well as empathy and respect. We also encourage investigative work as we value exploration as a method of learning.

Our learning activities provide young learners with an opportunity to share what they have learnt or discovered with others in the group in a variety of guises (presentations, discussions, idea sharing, creative writing readings, artwork).

Our Learning Centre offers Inspirational Explorer Days that can be tailored to an establishment’s requirements for coursework based qualifications from KS4 upwards. The day can be customised to provide candidates with the on-site inspiration needed to develop their coursework in our classrooms under the guidance of their own subject matter experts, coupled with our Learning Guides’ knowledge of the site, history and symbolism.

The National Memorial Arboretum is an ideal location to conduct Entry Level Qualifications in English – our strong volunteer input into the running of the site fits perfectly into sections of the syllabus and, by tailoring an out-of-school experience for candidates, young learners are given the opportunity to flourish.

The National Memorial Arboretum is the UK’s year-round centre of Remembrance; a spiritually uplifting place which honours the fallen, recognises service and sacrifice, and fosters pride in our country.

We aim to enable young learners to have considerate thoughts and ideas about the actions of others around the world now and in history. The nature of Remembrance encourages thoughtfulness and consideration towards others.

The explorative nature of our activities enables young learners to make up their own minds about controversial occurrences in history and we encourage them to share their ideas as well as listen to others’ views respectfully.

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Spiritual Development

ability to be reflective about their own beliefs, religious or otherwise, that inform their perspective on life and their interest in and respect for different people’s faiths, feelings and values

sense of enjoyment and fascination in learning about themselves, others and the world around them

use of imagination and creativity in their learning

willingness to reflect on their experiences

Our Act of Remembrance and Poppy Activity are non-denominational but do promote an understanding and respect for different cultures and the beliefs of different religious groups. The underlying aim is to ensure pupils leave with an understanding of Remembrance and what it means to them as well as what it means to others.

Our learning activities are interactive and enjoyable for young learners. They encourage thought and further fascination of world and national topics.

Many of our activities incorporate an element of creativity and imagination; through art, design, creative writing or (in the case of our Inspiration Days) even music, drama or performing arts.

Reflection is a key aspect to every one of our Learning Activities. Pupils are encouraged to apply empathy to real life stories and to also share their own experiences and feelings.

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Defining Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development

Moral Development

ability to recognise the difference between right and wrong and to readily apply this understanding in their own lives, recognise legal boundaries and, in so doing, respect the civil and criminal law of England

use of a range of social skills in different contexts, for example working and socialising with other pupils, including those from different religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds

understanding and appreciation of the wide range of cultural influences that have shaped their own heritage and those of others

understanding of the consequences of their behaviour and actions

interest in investigating and offering reasoned views about moral and ethical issues and ability to understand and appreciate the viewpoints of others on these issues

willingness to participate in a variety of communities and social settings, including by volunteering, cooperating well with others and being able to resolve conflicts effectively

understanding and appreciation of the range of different cultures within school and further afield as an essential element of their preparation for life in modern Britain

acceptance and engagement with the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs; they develop and demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in and contribute positively to life in modern Britain

knowledge of Britain’s democratic parliamentary system and its central role in shaping our history and values, and in continuing to develop Britain

willingness to participate in and respond positively to artistic, musical, sporting and cultural opportunities

interest in exploring, improving understanding of and showing respect for different faiths and cultural diversity and the extent to which they understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity, as shown by their tolerance and attitudes towards different religious, ethnic and socio-economic groups in the local, national and global communities

British values and morals are at the heart of our learning activities and aim to help our young visitors really think about (and respect) the concept of right and wrong in terms of world history, and changes in society over the past 100 years due to conflict.

Our learning activities are non-denominational and fully inclusive. We actively promote the concept of Public Service regardless of background and facilitate the discovery of real life stories from many people from all walks of life. Our Focus Features also encourage pupils to come and meet our guest speakers and ask questions.

The historical input to the Arboretum enables our learning activities to teach pupils how different cultures have contributed to our nation’s history and have shaped the country we know today.

Through the discovery of real historical events and life stories, pupils are encouraged to evaluate the consequences of people’s behaviour and actions on a global and national scale, and apply what they have learnt to their own life decisions.

Our learning ethos: Explore, Discover, Remember means that our young visitors investigate viewpoints and different life experiences, and discover how being a positive citizen and contributor to society is irrespective of race, religion, culture or gender.

The running of the Arboretum is only possible due to the input from our 200+ volunteers. Our Learning Volunteers are only too pleased to help our young visitors understand the value of volunteering, cooperation and a community mind-set.

Pupils gain an understanding and knowledge of different cultures playing an important part in the country’s history and also how British people have helped other cultures around the world.

British values are integral to the Arboretum’s being and those that it helps to commemorate. Our learning activities reflect these values by facilitating the pupils’ discovery of public service and tolerance towards others. Our young visitors leave us with a deeper understanding of how a varied community can contribute positively to life in modern Britain.

Pupils gain a basic understanding of how our political system has shaped our involvement in conflict and international relations as well as providing the nation with important civilian services, and changing the rights and opportunities available to women and minority groups over the past 100 years.

Our Inspiration Days are designed to enhance any subject taught in your establishment and the vast array of memorials cover sport, culture, art and music. We also play host to a variety of arts events throughout the year.

The Arboretum embraces the diversity of Britain and its involvement in the world. Our Learning Activities are fully inclusive and celebrate the differences and variety that this nation has experienced and will continue to do so.

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Social Development

Cultural Development

Get in TouchContact our Learning Team by email: education@thenma.org.uk to receive our current activity list or to book. Book a familiarisation visit. We recommend a teacher pre-visit to ensure your group gets the most out of the time spent on site. This can be booked via the learning team on 01283 245 100.

PLEASE NOTE: We do not accept provisional bookings – your date will be confirmed once you return your booking form.

Risk Assessments and First Aid:As every visit to the Arboretum is different, we are unable to provide a standard risk assessment. Visiting group leaders are responsible for their own risk assessment, but please contact us if you have any specific questions about our site. It is essential that all learning groups have a first aid trained member of staff accompanying the group.

How to find usThe Arboretum is easily accessible from the major road networks: A38, A50, M1, M42 and M6 Toll

From the A38 at Alrewas, there are brown signs to the National Memorial Arboretum. Follow the A513 towards Tamworth for about half a mile then take the first exit at the roundabout and follow the road to the National Memorial Arboretum car park. For Sat Nav/GPS devices, please enter DE13 7AR.

FREE COACH PARKING IS AVAILABLE

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National Memorial Arboretum, Croxall Road, Alrewas, Staffordshire, DE13 7ARTel: 01283 245 100 Email: education@thenma.org.uk Charity Number: 1043992All information correct at time of print