Dynasty and Drama
A school residential trip focusing on the Plantagenets allows students to trace the rise of the longest-reigning English royal house, exploring an era defined by monumental events such as the signing of the Magna Carta and the Hundred Years' War.
The South Coast and the Isle of Wight provide a tangible link to this tumultuous period. From bustling maritime ports that launched royal armies to the continent, to the strongholds that housed a constantly moving medieval court, stepping outside the classroom helps pupils understand an age that forged the early development of English law and parliament.
- Law, Liberty, and Parliament: Students investigate the shifting balance of power between the monarchy and the barons, exploring the enduring legacy of the Magna Carta and the crucial foundations of the English parliamentary system.
- The Hundred Years' War: Interactive historical experiences help pupils unpack the realities of medieval warfare, examining the supremacy of the English longbow and the strategic importance of southern coastal ports for cross-Channel campaigns.
- A Changing Society: Children can explore the broader social landscape of the Plantagenet era, examining the growth of medieval trade towns, shifting agricultural landscapes, and the profound changes in daily life during their three-century rule.
Browse our curated selection of venues and educational activities below to build the perfect Plantagenet history itinerary for your class.
The Development of Church, State, and Society
At KS3, the national curriculum requires students to study the development of the medieval state. This moves beyond simply identifying kings and focuses heavily on the shifting balance of power.
- Crown vs. Barons: The abuses of King John and the resulting Magna Carta are central to KS3. Venues can be used to explore how physical fortresses were used to project royal terror and control.
- Society in Crisis: The Black Death and the Peasants' Revolt. The focus here is on demographic collapse and how it led to social mobility and the breakdown of the feudal system.
- The Hundred Years' War: Shifting the focus from romanticized battles to the logistics of raising armies, taxation, and the impact of prolonged warfare on the local populace.
Thematic Studies and Depth Studies
The Plantagenet era is heavily featured in the GCSE specifications (AQA, Edexcel, OCR) through both British Depth Studies and Thematic Studies.
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- Power and the People: A major thematic study tracing the relationship between the citizen and the state, starting directly with King John and Magna Carta, and moving through the Peasants' Revolt.
- Warfare and British Society: Tracking the evolution of warfare, from castle sieges to the logistical triumphs of the Agincourt campaign.
- Health and the People / Medicine in Britain: The medieval period is the baseline for understanding supernatural vs. natural explanations for disease, dominated by the Church's influence on medicine and the catastrophic public health response to the plague.
Dorset
Hampshire
