Educational workshops at the Gloucestershire home, known as ‘the birthplace of vaccination’, have recently been updated and cover Key Stages 1-4.
Located in Berkeley, the Chantry was Dr Jenner’s home from 1785 until his death in 1823. School groups from KS1 - 4 can visit to take part in workshops, talks and lectures and guided tours.
The museum is particularly useful for groups studying the history of medicine and public health, the science of vaccination and infectious diseases, or the social history of the 18th century.
What students will discover at the birthplace of vaccination
During a visit pupils can see Jenner’s study where he wrote his famous inquiry - An Inquiry into the Causes and Effects of the Variolae Vaccinae; a Disease Discovered in some of the Western Counties of England, Particularly Gloucestershire, and known by the Name of The Cow Pox.
Tours also explore Dr Jenner’s garden to learn about the medicinal plants in the Physic Garden, before taking in the Temple of Vaccinia hidden in the far corner of the garden.
Talks and lectures are available for older students and can include topics such as Angel of Death: The Story of Smallpox, Vaccination: Blessing or Curse and The Life and Times of Edward Jenner. Talks are led by expert speakers including a former GP advisor to the government.
School workshops
Workshops accommodate 15 to 20 pupils and last around an hour. Larger groups of up 72 pupils are also accommodated, with sessions running in rotation with tours of the house and garden.
KS1: Create a Cure - Learn about 18th medicine and compare historical practices with modern day medicine. Pupils will explore the Physic Garden and take part in a practical workshop to create their own ‘cures’ and marketing material for their newly created product.
KS-4: Create a Vaccine - An interactive workshop which takes pupils through the journey of designing, creating, testing and administering a new vaccine. This workshop has been designed in partnership with the Pandemic Science Institute at University of Oxford to give a real-world insight into the processes behind creating a new vaccine. For KS2 and Year 7 the workshop includes a simple hands-on practical with real laboratory equipment, whilst older students take part in in-depth discussions.
KS4: Vaccine Confidence - Students explore vaccine hesitancy/confidence, learning how scientists communicate about vaccines as well as understanding the diversity of public opinion. The workshop includes a Dragon’s Den style pitch for a scientific concept.
KS4: Pandemic Preparedness - Students will work together to respond to a simulated outbreak that escalates to a global pandemic. The workshop allows students to respond to the crisis from many points of view with several hurdles along the way.
For more information about school visits to Dr. Jenner’s House, visit jennermuseum.com/learning.
