Recent Work in Education

As a result of the continuing support of the Kent Archaeological Society, the former KAS/CAT Education Working Group has now become the KAS/CAT Education Committee. The broad aim of the committee is to continue to further the interests of Archaeology in the education field. For the financial year 1992-1993, the KAS agreed to a sum of £4,000 towards the Trust's educational projects and I extend many thanks to the Society for this.

In addition, we were delighted to receive recognition of our committee work from Kent County Council. The KCC Education agreed to a sum of £3,000 towards the overall education service and the Curriculum Development and Arts and Libraries Heritage Development funds jointly granted £1,125. In the long term, the KAS/CAT Education Committee envisages perhaps a three-way split of funding sources for education work: Kent County Council, the Kent Archaeological Society, and the Trust. It is important to remember that funds accrued for the education service not only have to cover the costs of the Education Officer but also the input of complimentary staff, for example, on Work Experience placements and the production of written resources.

During the past year, we have continued to visit Kent schools, provide Work Experience placements, and accommodate miscellaneous requests for assistance.

In addition, and in place of the proposed revision of the teachers' guide, we are currently concentrating on the production of a short children's book entitled 'Roman Canterbury', essentially written by a Local History teacher with editing, illustration work, and eventual production by the Trust. This is going to be a valuable resource in the National Curriculum. We have also contributed towards an In-Service Training day at Christ Church College, Canterbury, for Kent teachers. Last summer, liaison began with Canterbury College who are considering the possibility of offering a GCSE Archaeology on their expanding curriculum. Also during the summer, we coordinated successful placements for four undergraduates at Kent University on a Medieval History internship. The aim of the program, initiated by the University, was to give students the opportunity to experience 'practical' history in the form of archaeological processes. A full report on the Trust's education service will, as usual, be given in its forthcoming Annual Report.

Marion Green,
Education Officer,
Canterbury Archaeological Trust.