Mrs O's Workshops

Mrs O’s workshops will fire the imagination of your children by bringing history to life in your classroom. The sessions are designed to complement the key stage 1 and 2 national curriculum history learning objectives and are presented in a fun and immersive way through the use of drama, props and role play. The workshops are available to primary schools in Surrey, West Sussex and Hampshire.

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Meet Miss Killjoy, the strict Victorian school mistress who will instruct her new pupils in the three R’s, reading, writing and arithmetic. She will also introduce them to the rigours of physical drill and vocal gymnastics. Be warned, any pupil that steps out of line may be punished through the use of finger stocks, back straighteners or even the cane!

This workshop is designed for pupils at key stage 1 and 2 and explores themes of Victorian childhood, education, social reform and empire by immersing them in a fun, interactive and educational session designed to complement the national curriculum.

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This interactive workshop examines the childhood toys and games of our great-grandparents. Pupils will learn about the technology and materials used to make toys in the past and will compare them with those of today. They will get to handle and discuss a wide variety of original and replica toys from the past, including china dolls, clockwork trains and zoetropes and will be introduced to Victorian parlour games.

This workshop is designed for pupils at key stage 1 and reveals how the way we live has changed over time as new technologies and manufacturing materials are developed. It is an immersive, fun and educational session designed to complement the national curriculum.

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Meet “The Lady with the Lamp” and learn about this remarkable woman’s battle to improve the medical care for British soldiers fighting in the Crimean War. Pupils will have the opportunity to act the role of Crimean soldiers, doctors and nurses and help Miss Nightingale improve conditions at Scutari Hospital.

This workshop is designed for pupils at key stage 1 and 2 and explores themes of women’s rights, social prejudice and medicine in the Victorian era by immersing them in a fun, interactive and educational session designed to complement the national curriculum.

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Meet Jane Birch, maidservant to Samual Pepys and eyewitness to the great fire of London, which in 1666 destroyed much of the medieval city. Through the use of role play help tell the remarkable story of this significant event in British history and join the fight to save London.

This workshop is designed for pupils at key stage 1 and introduces the concept of historical sources such as the diary of Samuel Pepys. It is an immersive, fun and educational session designed to complement the national curriculum.

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Unpack mystery objects from the old Victorian trunk. Sharpen your detective skills, using clues to help you discover the identity of the trunk’s owner. Why did they keep these objects? What materials are they made from? Do we still have objects like these today? Discover the differences and similarities between the trunk owner’s life and yours.

This workshop is designed for pupils at key stage 1 and compares life in the past to the way we live now. It is an immersive, fun and educational session designed to complement the national curriculum.

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Mrs O, otherwise known as Clare Oliphant, originally trained as an actor at The Academy of Live and Recorded Arts. She has been using her drama skills to run educational workshops in London and the South East for the past twenty years, including a period running the Education Department at Gunnersbury Park Museum in West London before moving to Surrey and taking up a role at Farnham Museum.

Clare set up Mrs O’s Workshops to bring educational workshops directly to schools in Surrey, Hampshire and West Sussex. She is a big believer in creating a fun and engaging environment for children to learn in and is available for bookings throughout the school term.

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To make a booking please contact Mrs O to discuss your requirements. Workshops can be booked during school terms between 9:30am and 2:30pm. All sessions run for one hour and are charged at the following rates:

- A single workshop costs £95.00 per class.
- Additional workshops booked for the same day cost £75.00 each per class.
- Travel expenses to and from Mrs O’s HQ (Wormley, Surrey) will be charged at 45p per road mile travelled.

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Are the workshops suitable for children with special needs?

Yes they are, Mrs O can adapt any of the workshops to accommodate your children's learning abilities.

What areas do you cover?

Mrs O is based in Wormley, Surrey and will travel within a one hour radius to deliver workshops. For further information please see this map of the areas in Surrey, West Sussex and Hampshire that this covers.

How long are your workshops?

Each workshop runs for one hour and can be booked from 9:30am to 2:30pm around your break time and lunchtime.

How many children can attend a workshop?

A workshop can accommodate a single class of approximately 30 children.

What about risk assessment?

All of the workshops are fully risk-assessed by Mrs O.

What space will you require to run the workshop?

Workshops can be run in your classroom or school hall.

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