Exploring the story of the Secret Listeners with local schools

Two pupils freeze-frame Secret Listeners

Schools Manager Catherine Holden reflects upon our ambitious education project, funded thanks to a £225,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Since February, we have been working with Freshwater Theatre Company and local schools to develop new ‘Secret Listeners’ history workshops for schools: one version for 7-11 year olds (KS2) and one for 11-14 year olds (KS3). There are 4 pilot sessions running this summer term to enable us to adapt and perfect the workshops ready for the roll-out of 32 sessions in the autumn term.

Bag of clues to a Secret Listener’s identity. Bags are given to the school in advance of the session.

In advance of the KS2 session, the school is provided with a bag purported to have belonged to a Secret Listener. The bag contains various clues (such as a German-English dictionary and a travel ticket) and is planted somewhere by the teacher for the pupils to find. This captures pupils’ imagination and curiosity and, along with some provided background information, allows for the class to begin exploring the story of the Secret Listeners and the context for the upcoming workshop with their teacher. Via the teacher, the class can also exchange a letter with the ‘granddaughter’ of the owner of the bag, setting up excitement and anticipation for the visit of the granddaughter (in role) to the school, to gather information from the class about her grandfather for the book she is writing.   

Pupils read extracts from Secret Listener testimony.

The session itself is very active and immersive all the way through with constant opportunity for pupils to be involved in individual, small group and whole group activities. It begins with Secret Listener Training Exercises which allow the pupils to begin to get into role and to practise relevant skills. The drama techniques used during the session, such as creating freeze-frames of the intelligence process, and hot-seat interviews in-role as Secret Listeners, help the pupils to put themselves in the shoes of Listeners and give increased quality, depth and thoughtfulness to the responses and questions they come up with. The session also involves props including 1940s headphones, a disc and photos. The presence of the facilitator ‘Miriam’, the granddaughter of the owner of the bag, who is leading them through the activities and asking them prompt questions at key moments, adds further purpose and authenticity, helping pupils to buy-in to the whole process.  

Colonel Kendrick’ instructs the new recruits, in the KS3 session

We are so pleased with how the school sessions are being received locally. The sessions are incredibly immersive and the pupils have been so excited and engaged with them.

For further information about the education offer at Trent Park House please contact Catherine Holden, Schools Manager by email.