Crime and punishment in the North East

Subjects covered in this workshop

Using a variety of documents including building plans, a prison rule book and individual criminal record files, students will find out about the gaol’s design, its staff and inmates, and its living and working conditions. They will identify the ways in which it was similar to and if or how it differed from other British prisons at the time.

What to expect in an online session

Interacting live with experienced educators from The National Archives, students will explore history using both national and local archive collections and will engage in historical enquiry from their classroom.

You only need a microphone, large screen and webcam to take part. Interactive activities encourage students to discuss their ideas and work in groups using high-quality materials provided in advance by The National Archives Education team.

What to expect in a workshop at The Discovery Museum

Our on-site session takes place in inspiring learning spaces at The Discovery Museum in Newcastle upon Tyne. Students will get to see and handle a range of original documents, to investigate the past in an active way.

What to expect in an in-school session

Our in-school sessions take place in your classroom. Students will get to see and handle a range of archival documents, to investigate the past in an active way.

Sessions are typically an hour in duration, but can be tweaked to fit in with lesson times. Sessions can be delivered anytime between 9:00 and 15:30 and we can deliver the same session for multiple classes over the course of the day.

Connections to the curriculum

Key Stage 3

• Ideas, political power, industry and empire: Britain, 1745-1901

Key Stage 4

• Edexcel GCSE History (9-1) Crime and Punishment Through Time
• OCR GCSE History B (9–1) Schools History Project: Crime and Punishment, c.1250 to present