Metheringham Airfield Visitor Centre
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Education & Learning

Education & Learning at Metheringham Airfield Visitor Centre

Metheringham Airfield Visitor Centre (on the site of former RAF Metheringham) can play a large part in the delivery of a World War 2 schools project, as well as your local-history topic. Our theme for school visits is ‘Put yourself in their shoes,’ in which we focus on individual stories of the personnel involved at Metheringham Airfield and 106 Squadron, during the war.
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​Our education programme has been designed for Key Stage 2 and to meet the National Curriculum objectives including a local history study: an aspect of history or a site dating from a period beyond 1066 that is significant in the locality.
Also, and through this immersive experience, your Key Stage 2 children will learn skills such as team building, empathy, be able to practice their speaking and listening through role play and consider how best to handle objects that are over 75 years old.
Please note: We are keen to work with schools and colleges who wish to develop Key Stages 3, 4 and 5 subject areas; through debate and drama your young people can consider the wider aspects of conflict and the legacy of war.
Your children will step back in time and become a newly trained member of the RAF at the newly built RAF Metheringham (1943 – 1946). They will learn where they will live, work and play plus what might happen to them when they fly their sorties. In "The Ditching Drama" they have to ditch in the sea to escape and evade capture. Will they get back to “blighty”?
 
The children will refresh their learning as a member of a Lancaster bomber crew (pre-visit information is provided) and see the equipment they would use on a flight (covered in a tour of our museum rooms).
 
Experience the sounds and feelings of being in an original Air Ministry Air-raid shelter during a raid. Listen out for the All Clear! 
 
WOW! Step inside’ our original World War 2 Dakota aeroplane KG651, learn about who built it, flew in it and the crew who flew it; could it be you sitting in the cockpit?
 

​Have their pre-Sortie meal (Lunch) in the ‘Mess Hall’ (our original wartime gymnasium).
 


Following the ‘crew briefing’, immerse yourself in our Ditching Drama, as we retell the real-life rescue of John Sargeant’s crew, in a fun, engaging and action-packed experience.
 
Find out what it was like for Bill Knaggs to escape and evade after bailing out of his Lancaster Bomber. What would you do and what would you need if you were ‘in his shoes’? Consider what you might use today if you needed to create a ‘survival kit’; all with the bonus of handling original artefacts and the chance to dress up in World War 2 clothing.

At the end of the day, take home your very own Log Book and complete your sortie details.
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When you get back to school why not write a letter home (post visit activity supplied) to tell your loved ones of your experience as a member of 106 Squadron and at RAF Metheringham.
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Information for School Visits

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  • Staffing: Our friendly and knowledgeable volunteers will provide your children with an experience never to be forgotten. All events take place inside original Wartime buildings or aircraft, but with modern facilities for your trip.
  • Accessibility: The museum rooms and wartime gymnasium as fully accessible. There are a few small steps leading down to the Air-raid shelter and the Dakota is entered via steps. Therefore, for wheelchair users we provide alternative information for those unable to access those areas. See also our Risk Assessment.
  • Facilities: Children can eat their packed lunch in the Mess Hall (our original wartime gymnasium). Complementary tea and coffee is available from our kitchen for staff throughout the day.
  • Parking: There is space for one coach to park on site and a separate car park for staff who wish to bring their own car or other smaller transport.
  • Cost: New bookings from May 2020 £7.00 per child.
  • Please note that during 2020 our capacity is a maximum of 30 children. This figure is currently dictated by the limitation of numbers able to enter our World War 2 Dakota aircraft.
  • Transport Costs: If you are a Lincolnshire school you may be able to claim financial support towards the cost of transport from Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire (see below).


     What we provide:
  1. Pre-event support and risk assessment*.
  2. A pre-visit activity to help you prepare your children for the day’s learning, a full day’s engaging and fun experience. 
  3. An immersive and action packed day of learning, drama and hands on experiences all based at a genuine WW2 airfield site.
  4. A personalised log book for each child to take home
  5. Post-visit suggested activities.
​​When can you visit? We welcome educational visits between April and October – Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday. The museum will not be open to the public during your visit, so the site is exclusively yours for the day! You can see a short video tour of the museum here: https://www.metheringhamairfield.co.uk/raf-metheringham.html 
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For more information see our flyer or to discuss your booking dates, please contact our Education Officer at education.mavc@gmail.com

You will find lots more information including booking forms, risk assessment form and pre-visit information by clicking the button below.
* Risk Assessment: We strongly advise that teachers or other staff visit the site in advance of any proposed session to fully understand the site layout and environment. You will then be able to customise the risk assessment for your individual schools' requirements. Visits can be arranged at your convenience and can even be at weekends if the centre is open.
Information and Documents for Schools
Click here to see a range of activites for children
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Copyright: Friends of Metheringham Airfield 2021 (Registered Charity No. 1084720)
  • Home
  • About Us
    • RAF Metheringham
  • Visiting
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  • Latest News
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    • Vacancies
    • Recruitment Documents
  • Volunteers' Blog
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