Last week, students in the Lower Fifth (Year 9) took part in a range of activities inspired by the 1920s – the decade in which the School was founded – as part of their Enquiry project.
Beginning with a day as a 1920s Benenden pupil, the Year 9s took part in an assembly in which they sang the original School song, before going on to enjoy a Maths lesson learning about money, measures and prices for an average shopping trip in 1922. In Sport, the pupils tried out Army-style callanetics and country dancing, while in English they prepared for the 1922 Common Entrance test.
After being taught the principles and process of museum design, pupils used modern design software to create an exhibition panel proforma on a given research project. A team researching the history of the School delved into the archives, focusing their investigation on the foundation of the School and uniform from that period.
Pupils later used information from the 1921 census to research and create a diary entry for someone from the era, to be broadcast later as a podcast. They then learned about key events across the world, including the discovery of insulin as a treatment for diabetes, which was further explored in a Biology experiment.
For the final day, pupils prepared for a special speakeasy supper, recreating 1920s canapés and desserts, learning a couple of Jazz Age dances and listening to some of the popular music of the time. The celebratory dinner in the Café that evening was a joyous occasion for dinner, mocktails and dancing.
