design program any size medieval ancinet school

We can deal with any number of students, and have written programs for every possible combination of numbers of classes, periods and topics. For instance:

Large numbers of students can be dealt with relatively cheaply, by having one or two presenters do the same topic for each of 3 to 12 classes over the course of a day. Sometimes there is time to finish with a whole group spectacle. This means students get a minimum of hands on, but sometimes a low key introduction like this is necessary to get other staff (and the principal) on side for bigger things in the future. Most schools which start this way expand their program in later years, but some have used this idea for over ten years.

Solutions for specific numbers (making rotations fit into a timetable and budget!)...

Twenty or thirty students will probably be best served by a single presenter taking them through up to four different topics. Though we recommend this only take a maximum of four of six periods, as a single person cannot fascinate a group for a whole day, no matter how good the materiel. Better to finish with a film in the afternoon.

Forty to Sixty students are best served by two presenters, who can do two or three rotations of paired classes, thus covering between four and six topics. Some schools rotate through four topics, and start or finish with a big group spectacular for a period or two. (Or with a film).

Sixty to one hundred students can be done by three or four presenters. Some schools leave them in four classes, and rotate four times - perhaps finishing with a big spectacle or film. Others save money by doing three rotations of expanded groups, and finishing with a big group in the fourth period.

One hundred to one hundred and thirty students are usually in four groups using one of the above options, but can be left in five. In a six period day, this could again mean five rotations and a big group finish.

Six classes obviously work ideally for a six period timetable, and can sometimes be broken into five groups, or in extreme circumstances four, if the period structure is more limited. But here we run into the issue that the bigger the group, the less participation each student can have.

Seven classes can be dealt with in any of four, five or six period days, usually through using five or six presenters and a series of rotations that see each class doing some things separately and some of the more spectacular displays as pairs of classes. It is not ideal, but has worked well for several schools in the past.

Eight classes can be dealt with either by running two streams of four rotations (sometimes again with pairs of classes attending one of the topics to reduce costs), or by doing to lots of four classes over separate days - either in the same week, or in different semesters. Either solution attracts a 10% discount for reduced numbers or repeat days, so both are popular.

We can do ten to twelve classes at once on a single day, but this tends to stretch resources - the schools available spaces, the presenters energy, and the teachers coolness. We usually recommend that schools this big do consecutive days for half the students each day. We have a number of the bigger public schools that book four consecutive days (two Ancient and two Medieval), and do four or six classes each day.

One school requires us to deal with each twelve class year level through a four period timetables over two days. The best solution to this has been to do four classes one day, and two streams of four (a total of eight classes), the next day. So we go through the week medieval 4, medieval 8, ancient 4, ancient 8: thus sticking comfortably within school timetables and rotations which are familiar to both staff and students.

If your school has complexities of numbers of students, or times, or spaces: contact us to see what we can suggest. We have successfully tailored presentations to every possibility (and often, unfortunately, discovered what doesn't work through hard won experience).