Virtual reality brings history to life

Children at Watchlytes Primary School got up close to lions, sailed on a Viking longship and walked with the Egyptians thanks to virtual reality.

Pupils were immersed in ancient cultures and historic events without leaving the classroom in a series of sessions run by Prime VR, which delivers curriculum-based workshops in schools.

VR allows children to have the ultimate school trip, giving them the opportunity to go back in time and visit destinations around the world without leaving the classroom.

Nicki Jaeggi, Executive Headteacher at Watchlytes, explains: “Using different mediums is a great way to consolidate children’s learning and help them to remember topics. By immersing themselves in these incredible worlds, it really brought their learning to life.

“It also gave children an opportunity to experience things that they might not otherwise be able to experience because of factors like geography and cost. We can’t take our pupils to the plains of Africa but we can bring it to them here.”

The workshops were linked to children’s current or previous learning. For example, Nursery and Reception children met some minibeasts, Year 1 pupils dived headfirst into oceans and Year 3 pupils went back to the Stone Age.

VR can have many educational benefits. It’s highly engaging and pupils often learn better through experience. It can spark children’s imagination and encourages creative thinking, and it’s an inclusive activity that everyone can enjoy.

Nicki adds: “It’s the first time we have used VR at Watchlytes and it was such a fantastic day. The children were so excited, and they loved the whole experience. There were a few gasps, a lot of laughing and a huge amount of learning.”