Episode 20 Time for School

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# Rise and shine

# A new day

-# Time for fun

-THEY GIGGLE

# School today

# Meet new friends

# Teachers, too

# Ding-ding-ding! School bell rings

# Time for school. #

Everyone arrives at Lowick School for a very different day.

That doesn't look like school uniform to me.

Cor!

Why is Abby dressed as a maid?!

And Davy's come as a chimney sweep!

Look! Can you see? They're all wearing costumes. I wonder why.

Libby!

Their teacher, Mrs Fieldhouse, is also dressed up.

Today is a special day, where everyone pretends

to be living in the Victorian times, which were over 100 years ago.

Victorian children should be seen and not heard.

Sit up straight, back straight. Listening position, hands on knees.

Right, Victorian schoolteachers

were entirely different to schoolteachers today.

Victorian schoolteachers were very stern and very strict.

Do not get afraid, it is just acting. Do you understand?

Yes, Libby, remember, it's only make-believe.

Are we going to give it a jolly good go?

ALL: Yes. BELL RINGS

The big bell means that a Victorian lesson is about to begin.

Enter.

I wonder how strict this pretend Victorian classroom will be.

Welcome to my class.

First, Mrs Strangeways is going to check for clean hands.

Hands flat on your blackboards.

When I tap the desk, turn your hands over,

so I can inspect the other side.

Beautiful.

Beautiful. Very clean hands, boys.

SHE GASPS

What is this? Hm.

Mud? it's a good job it's just pretend, Libby.

Today's lesson is about writing.

We are going to practise writing on one side of our blackboard

in lovely, fancy, curly writing.

Sit up straight in your chair.

If you do not sit up straight, you will get the board.

The board is placed behind your back.

Put down your chalk, please.

And you put your hands around the board.

And that makes you sit up straight. With your chin up.

That looks uncomfortable, Libby. Thank goodness it's only pretend.

Connor, can you write your name?

All right.

Davy, what beautiful writing.

Right.

And when you have finished, can you put your chalk down.

Stand behind your chairs and clean your hands and your table, please.

BELL RINGS

The bell is also used to end the lesson.

Off to your next session.

In Victorian times, strict exercise was part of the daily routine.

Eyes front!

Libby looks ready to go.

Marching on the spot.

Keep up, Abby.

Knees up!

Halt!

Arm swings.

Bend.

Over one side.

And over to the other.

Stand on one leg. Balance.

Er, without wobbling.

And the other leg. Balance.

Balancing can be hard.

Let's raise our arms as high as we can, towards the sky.

And wiggle your fingers.

Get these fingers ready for coming to my school.

And hands down.

Touch the ground, turn around.

Take a bow.

Off you go.

Exercise over. Well done, everyone.

Dismissed.

Now, the children pretend to be in a Victorian kitchen

and Mrs Fieldhouse has lots of jobs for everyone.

Washing was done by hand, as there were no washing machines back then.

You need to rub it on a washboard, to get it nice and clean

and get all of the stains out.

I've done that bit.

Dirty floors need cleaning, too.

Get this floor mopped, please.

Even pretending to be in Victorian times can be hard work.

Imogen uses this wooden beater to remove dirt from the rug.

Look! Libby is cleaning and polishing boots with Justice.

-Dirty hands, now.

-I know. We have to do this job.

Can somebody go and scrub potatoes, please?

Davy is scrubbing the mud off the potatoes, ready for lunch.

-What's Abby up to?

-She is mixing the dessert.

It's been made with lemon juice and cream. Yummy!

And thicker and thicker. And then, you put it into the dish.

How are those spuds doing, Davy?

BELL RINGS Well, thank you everybody.

You have worked very well. The bell has gone.

Off for some more Victorian fun.

Look! Callum and his friends have each got a flower.

I wonder why?

You are going to be my Victorian artist

in my very special Victorian artist's studio.

So, you go and find your space.

Be studying your flower, look at the shape of the petals.

Abby's holding a paintbrush.

And they all have a paint set.

Oh, they're going to be painting the flowers for Mrs Smith!

Painting still objects, like flowers,

was very popular in Victorian times.

Put plenty of paint on your brush.

And take your time.

Look carefully.

Look at the flower.

A bit more dark green.

It's dark green, that.

Libby, I think you need a bit more paint here,

just making this lovely and pink.

What colour is Callum's flower?

Yellow!

-Mrs Smith?

-Uh-huh?

-I tried to draw it.

-That is fabulous!

-I did some black on the lower...

-Maybe just a tiny bit more yellow.

Abby is using pink and green paint...

There's some lovely pink in here.

Do you want to make it a little bit paler? Try it on your paper.

..with a touch of blue.

That is beautiful! BELL RINGS

If you are ready for break,

then put your card, very carefully, on the bench at the back.

Beautiful!

What pretty paintings everyone has done.

Get a peg. Get a peg for your partner.

There were no electronic games in Victorian times,

so the children will make their own toys with Mrs Edmison.

-What's Davy making there?

-Well done.

If you want to put a little bit of material on the top, you can do.

Nice, colourful material, Libby.

I'm going to make a T-shirt.

Ah, they're making peg dolls!

-Do you know what these are called?

-Yeah. Like, pipe cleaners.

-Yay.

-I'm making a skirt and T-shirt.

-A skirt and a T-shirt.

Do you think they would have worn skirts and T-shirts?

-I don't think they would.

-They would wear a dress.

There you go. Draw a face on.

-Is that too low?

-I think that's too low. I think that's very small.

Right, where's his arms?

I need to get a bigger T-shirt.

You've got to be very still, OK?

Pretty dolls need pretty hair.

Has she got a face?

There you go.

Everyone has really enjoyed pretending to be in Victorian times.

Now, it's time for a show starring the peg dolls.

# Da-de-da-da # Da-de-da, da-da-de-da

-Oh, no!

-ALL: Ah!

-The end.

-The end. Well done!

APPLAUSE Well done.

# La-la-la

# La-la-la

# La-la-la. #